Legislative Democrats Champion Child Care Affordability for Maine Families

AUGUSTA, Maine – Maine Legislative Democrats today shared an update on bills aimed at lowering child care costs and expanding access for families across the state. The bills are part of the Lower Costs, Stronger Communities policy package unveiled at the start of the legislative session, a broader effort focused on making everyday costs more manageable for Maine people while strengthening local economies. Focused on lowering costs for Maine families and strengthening communities across the state, the package includes several child care-specific proposals, which have received strong legislative support. 

At Thursday’s press conference, Senate President Mattie Daughtry (D-Brunswick)  discussed her bills including LD 1414, An Act to Support and Sustain Maine's Child Care Workforce, which aims to increase Child Care Affordability Program (CCAP) reimbursement rates for infant and toddler care and establish a grant program to help providers plan for and transition to off-hours child care and LD 1955, An Act to Increase Child Care Affordability, which would invest $15 million to reduce the Child Care Affordability Program waitlist, prioritizing families with the lowest incomes and greatest need.  

“Child care is not just a family issue — it’s an economic and workforce issue for our entire state,” said Senate President Mattie Daughtry. “There isn’t one single solution to this challenge. It requires a multifaceted approach that supports families, providers and communities from several directions. By lowering costs for families, increasing access to different types of care, and strengthening the child care system overall, we can help ensure Maine remains a place where young families can put down roots and communities can grow.” 

Senator Henry Ingwersen (D-Arundel) shared details on his bill, LD 1859, An Act to Improve Access to Child Care and Early Childhood Education by Establishing Regional Resource Hubs, which is on the Appropriations table, awaiting funding. 

The bill addresses Maine’s child care crisis by creating a network of regional hubs to connect families, child care providers and employers with much-needed information and support in locating early childhood programs and similar resources in the state, including training opportunities for providers. 

“I am a father of three girls and a grandfather of 12. When I’m not here in Augusta, I’m kept happily busy looking after the grandkids while their parents work. It really drives home why child care providers and their staff are called ‘the workforce behind the workforce,’” Sen. Ingwersen. “When child care is available and affordable, parents are able to work, making households more financially stable and helping build a strong economy in Maine.” 

Supporting affordable child care is critical for the success of Maine’s children, families, and economy, making it possible for parents to work, children to learn, and businesses to grow across the state. 

"I want my childcare program to thrive, but that’s only possible if families can access affordable, quality care — and if childcare business owners can sustain their small margins and retain educators,” said Melissa Holt, a child care business owner. “These bills give providers the support we need to keep our doors open and our communities strong."  

Rep. Tavis Hasenfus noted that his bill, LD 1555, An Act to Establish an Employer Tax Credit for Qualifying Child Care Costs, will expand options for Maine families by creating a tax credit for Maine businesses that offer child care to their employees. As amended, the bill would provide a credit to the employer of $3,000 per child up to a maximum of $9,000 for each eligible employee.

“Parents shouldn’t have to put their career on hold nor should an employer lose an employee simply because of child care costs,” said Rep. Hasenfus. “We need an all-hands-on-deck approach and creative solutions to help address this problem. I introduced my bill, LD 1555, to do just that.”

The child care proposals highlighted today are part of the broader package from legislative Democrats to deliver practical cost relief for Maine families. Other areas of policy focus include energy, health care, housing, and everyday costs. 

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