Two childcare bills rejected by N.D. lawmakers

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) - Parents of young children and early childcare providers didn’t get help from the state government this week. Lawmakers rejected two bills aimed at supporting childcare services in North Dakota.

One was SB 2237, which would have established an income tax credit for childcare expenses.

The other was SB 2301, which would’ve created a childcare stabilization program to address childcare workforce shortages. It would have provided monthly payments to licensed early childhood services providers, a continuation of a federal program that began during the pandemic.

“This is no more than a state extension of the covid dollars that we had before us. The feds are good at handing out dollars and then expecting us to pick up the remnants once the program runs out,” said Representative Bill Tveit, R-Hazen.

There might still be life for these childcare assistance programs. The Department of Health and Human Services budget includes some of these provisions. However, that likely won’t be decided until later in the session

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