16-05-2025
Bill before Maine lawmakers seeks to preserve stipends for child care workers
May 15—A bill before Maine lawmakers seeks to preserve stipends for child care workers while also providing additional one-time funding for a program that helps families pay for child care, both of which advocates say are critical despite concerns about the costs.
The Legislature's Health and Human Services Committee held a public hearing Thursday on a bill from Senate President Mattie Daughtry, D-Brunswick, that seeks to build upon existing Maine programs that provide the stipends, help families pay for child care and give access to free child care for employees in the industry.
"Here in Maine, and nationally, the cost of child care is one of the biggest hurdles for working families," Daughtry said.
She said her bill expands programs that are already working to make them stronger and more effective. Supporters testified that it would help the industry, which has struggled with workforce recruitment and retention; retain employees, and would give families more economic stability.
The bill, LD 1955, has three Republican and several Democratic co-sponsors, indicating it is likely to receive broad support from lawmakers, but is opposed by the Mills administration due in large part to its cost of $6.8 million over two years.
"While OCFS appreciates the intent of this bill to enhance the affordability of early care and education and further educational opportunities for those interested in pursuing a career in this field, OCFS would encourage the committee to focus on existing initiatives and programs before considering additional funding allocations, expansion or modification of programs," said Bobbi Johnson, director of the Office of Child and Family Services in the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, in written testimony opposing the bill.
SALARY SUPPLEMENTS ARE 'ESSENTIAL INVESTMENT'
The $6.8 million includes one-time funding of $3.8 million to clear the waitlist of the Child Care Affordability Program, which helps eligible families pay for child care so parents can work, go to school or participate in a job training program, as well as an additional $2 million over two years for the program. The waitlist currently includes more than 600 families, Daughtry said Thursday.
Her bill also includes a $1 million increase in funding for child care worker stipends that have been in place since 2021, which currently range from $240 to $540 per worker monthly. That should be enough to prevent a decrease in payment amounts, Daughtry said.
"These payments are not bonuses, but essential investment intended to help make early educators' wages more sustainable and reflective of their vital work," she said.
The bill would also provide scholarships and apprenticeships for child care workers to continue their education in the field, and continue a pilot program making child care workers eligible for free tuition for their own children.
The bill comes after Gov. Janet Mills proposed a reduction in the stipends in her proposed budget unveiled in January, seeking to set them at the 2022 level of $200 monthly in an effort to save the state $30 million over two years.
Democratic lawmakers have balked at the proposed cuts and the HHS Committee, with some support from Republicans on the panel, restored the full stipend in its budget recommendations to the full Legislature.
A spokesperson for Mills said Thursday that she is reviewing Daughtry's bill. The stipend program has grown to cost the state over $30 million in last year's general fund budget, according to the administration.
"Unfortunately, in a tough budget cycle, tough decisions have to be made and we believe it is important to return the program to a sustainable level of spending, as we initially had, so that we can continue it far into the future," DHHS spokesperson Lindsay Hammes said in an email Thursday.
In addition to the cost, Johnson said some of the changes the bill would make to existing programs are not needed. It requires annual reporting and an assessment of the stipends every five years, but the office already provides data and information on the payments in its annual report, Johnson said.
She also said the office has found that most child care providers who apply for the pilot program offering them free tuition also are eligible for and have been able to get benefits through the broader child care affordability program. Mills eliminated the pilot program in her proposed budget to save the state $2.5 million annually.
The office expressed concerns about the one-time nature of the $3.8 million in funding for the affordability program. "One time funding leaves families with a lack of stability going forward as families are likely to lose their spot in the program at their next annual redetermination and be returned to the waitlist," Johnson wrote.
TESTIMONY IN OVERWHELMING SUPPORT
Sen. Marianne Moore, R-Calais, the Senate Republican lead on the HHS Committee, said Thursday that she signed on to co-sponsor Daughtry's bill because of the high need for child care in rural areas. "I believe this bill is a commonsense next step for our commitment to Maine's kids," Moore said.
Child care workers and advocates also spoke overwhelmingly in support of Daughtry's bill.
Ingrid Stanchfield, CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Kennebec Valley, told the committee that her organization currently provides child care for about 300 children through various programs. The service is critical to keeping parents, especially women, in the workforce and giving their families more economic stability, Stanchfield said.
She said the pay supplements have been critical to helping child care workers cover expenses like health insurance and groceries for their families and have helped the Boys & Girls Clubs attract workers. "The workforce for child care right now is desperate ... finding workers is very difficult," Stanchfield said.
She said the Boys & Girls Clubs currently receive about $60,000 annually from the state for the stipends. "It's very important for (the employees) and for us to be able to continue to provide child care," she said.
Daughtry's bill was among several bills related to child care that the committee took up Thursday.
LD 1428, from House Speaker Ryan Fecteau, D-Biddeford, would make it easier for people who want to open child care facilities to do so by requiring municipalities to allow the centers to open in residential-zoned areas, and specifying that child care facilities can use public outdoor space nearby to meet licensing requirements for outdoor play, rather than having to provide their own on-site outdoor space.
The Office of Child and Family Services testified in support of Fecteau's bill, but the Maine Municipal Association testified against it, saying it would take away municipalities' ability to make their own decisions about local zoning.
Later in the day, the committee was expected to hear proposals for an advisory board to oversee the affordability program and providing one-time funding to clear the waitlist, directing DHHS to enter into contracts with providers to increase the number of slots for certain populations of children, including those under 3 and children with disabilities, and the establishment of "resource hubs" to help families locate early childhood programs.
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