Bills aimed at providing funding for childcare industry passes House

Bills aimed at providing funding for childcare industry passes House

THIS MORNING.INSIDE THESTATEHOUSE...A PAIROF CLOSELYWATCHED CHILDCARE BILLS AREMOVING FORWARDAFTER ADVOCATESCALLED ONLAWMAKERS TO ACT.HOUSE BILLS 3-95AND 3-69 BOTHPASSED THE HOUSEIN DIVIDED VOTES.HOUSE BILL 3-95WOULD AUTHORIZE70 MILLION DOLLARSIN GRANT MONEY TOHELP STABILIZECHILD CAREBUSINESSES INIDAHO.THE MONEY COMESFROM A FEDERALSTIMULUS PACKAGEPASSED IN MARCH.PROPONENTS SAYCHILD CARECENTERS NEED THEMONEY TO SURVIVE.BUT SOMELAWMAKERS ASKEDWHY THE FUNDSSHOULDN'T GOTOWARDRESTAURANTS OROTHER INDUSTRIESTHAT ARE ALSOSTRUGGLING.HOUSE MINORITYLEADER ILANA RUBELSAID CHILD CARE ISNECESSARY TO HELPIDAHO PARENTS GETBACK TO WORK ANDMOVE THE ECONOMYFORWARD."WHETHER YOURINDUSTRY ISSEMICONDUCTORS,TEACHING.

OR THERESTAURANTBUSINESS THEY'REHAVING A PROBLEMOF GETTING BACKINTO THE SWING INTHE SWING OFTHINGS BECAUSETHE WORKERS DON'THAVE ANYWHERE TOSEND THEIR KIDSDURING THE DAY.KEEPING THISCHILDCAREINDUSTRY ALIVE ISREALLY A CRITICALINFLATION POINT FORA MUCH BROADERECONOMICRECOVERY THATGOES INTO MANYOTHER INDUSTRIES."THE FUNDS AREDESIGNATED TOHELP CHILD CAREBUSINESSES RAISEWAGES, OFFERTRAINING, ANDIMPROVE THEIRSYSTEMS.THE BILL NOWHEADS TO THESENATE.HOUSE LAWMAKERSALSO PASSED HOUSEBILL 3-6-9.THAT'S THE BUDGETFOR THEDEPARTMENT OFHEATH ANDWELFARE.IT INCLUDES ALMOST34-MILLION DOLLARSOF COVID RELIEF ACTFUNDS FOR CHILDCARE AND IS ALSOHEADED TO THESENATE.THIS IS AN ISSUEWE'VE BEENCLOSELY FOLLOWINGFOR YOU.AS PART OF OURCONTINUINGCOVERAGE ONMONDAY... WESHARED HOW SOMECHILD CAREPROVIDERS CLOSEDDOWN FOR A DAY TOSHOW THEIR IMPACT.MANY GATHERED ATTHE STATEHOUSE TOLOBBY LAWMAKERSTO AUTHORIZE CHILDCARE FUNDING.YOU CAN SEE MOREOF THAT COVERAGE