Date: 11/10/2015

Final
Early Childhood and School Readiness Legislative Commission

COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
Approve Bill A recommended by the Early Childhood
Approve Bills B and C recommended by the Early Chi		PASS
Pass Without Objection



09:19 AM -- Early Childhood and School Readiness Legislative Commission

Senator Martinez Humenik, Early Childhood and School Readiness Legislative Commission chair, came to the table to present Bills A, B, and C recommended by the commission. The summary report prepared for the Legislative Council Committee, copies of the bills, and the committee's charge can be found in Attachment G.

151110 AttachG.pdf151110 AttachG.pdf

The bills are as follows:

Bill A - Start of the Child Tax Credit. This bill repeals the contingent start of the refundable Colorado child tax credit, allowing the credit to be claimed beginning in tax year 2016. Under current law, the credit becomes effective beginning with tax year 2016 only if Congress passes the Marketplace Fairness Act (or similar legislation). The Marketplace Fairness Act is a federal bill that requires out-of-state retailers to collect and remit sales taxes to states that have met minimum simplification requirements for sales tax administration. To date, Congress has not passed the bill or an alternate measure with similar requirements. Under this bill, beginning in tax year 2016, qualifying taxpayers may claim a refundable state income tax credit equal to 30 percent, 15 percent, or 5 percent of the federal child tax credit depending on their federal adjusted gross income (AGI). The credit is capped for single filers at an AGI of $75,000, and for joint filers at an AGI of $85,000.

Bill B - Expand Child Care Assistance Cliff Effect Pilot Program. The bill removes the existing ten-county cap on the number of counties that may participate in the Child Care Assistance Cliff Effect Pilot Program. It also removes the two-year participation requirement for counties if the Department of Human Services (DHS) determines that participation during a shorter period will still contribute relevant data to the evaluation of the pilot program. The Cliff Effect Pilot Program was created by Senate Bill 12-022 to allow counties to modify their child care assistance programs so that families are able to phase out their participation in the program as they enter the workforce and receive higher incomes. Subsequently, Senate Bill 14-003 was enacted, which created a cash fund for the pilot program and appropriated $1.3 million to fund county pilot programs. Currently, ten counties are participating in the pilot. The pilot program is scheduled to conclude on June 30, 2019.

Bill C - Low-Income Parents Ed Child Care. The bill creates a task force to address issues relating to the child care needs of low-income parents. The task force is housed in the Workforce Development Council in the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE). Its mission is to develop strategies and procedures for state and local agencies, and institutions of higher education, to use in coordinating efforts that address the child care needs of low-income parents who are seeking to advance their education.

Specifically, the task force is required to:

• identify and reduce barriers to obtaining child care;
• determine whether state, federal, and campus-based financial resources are meeting the needs of parents pursuing further education;
• review and streamline administrative processes for the provision of child care;
• create a plan for communicating child care availability and processes; and
• recommend legislation to address issues related to child care for parents pursuing further education.
BILL:Early Childhood and School Readiness Legislative Commission

TIME: 09:21:02 AM
MOVED:Melton
MOTION:Approve Bill A recommended by the Early Childhood and School Readiness Legislative Commission as fitting under the committee's charge. The motion passed on a vote of 12-5.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Buck
No
Court
Yes
DelGrosso
No
Donovan
Yes
Duran
Yes
Grantham
Yes
Guzman
Yes
Jones
Yes
Landgraf
No
Lawrence
No
Lundberg
No
Melton
Yes
Roberts
Yes
Scheffel
Yes
Ulibarri
Yes
Williams
Yes
Cadman
Excused
Hullinghorst
Yes
Final YES: 12 NO: 5 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

BILL:Early Childhood and School Readiness Legislative Commission
TIME: 09:24:27 AM
MOVED:Scheffel
MOTION:Approve Bills B and C recommended by the Early Childhood and School Readiness Legislative Commission as fitting under the committee's charge. The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Buck
Court
DelGrosso
Donovan
Duran
Grantham
Guzman
Jones
Landgraf
Lawrence
Lundberg
Melton
Roberts
Scheffel
Ulibarri
Williams
Cadman
Excused
Hullinghorst
Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection