Missouri child care tax credits await Senate action

Jefferson City, MO (KMOX) - Legislation that could help ease the burden of childcare costs needs Senate support to cross the finish line in the Missouri General Assembly this legislative session.

A proposal that's passed the Missouri House would provide tax credits to families to ease the burden of their upfront childcare costs. Those taxpayers could claim 75% of their childcare expenses.

The measure would also allow employers to claim up to a 30-percent tax credit for assisting employees with childcare costs. KMOX asked the bill's sponsor, State Representative Brenda Shields why families shouldn't just receive help up front, "we can't afford to pay for this all ourselves. So we need to make sure we have buy-in and it's the business community that tells us they're having difficulty retaining and recruiting employees because of a lack of childcare. We're going to have them put skin in the game before government invests."

Shields say there would also be a tax credit for child care providers who expand facility space.

The legislation passed the House with bi-partisan support and is awaiting action in the Senate.  The session ends May 17th.

Critics of a companion measure in the Senate have said the proposal won't benefit all taxpaying families especially those with the lowest income who might pay little to no taxes.