KEY QUOTE: "Kansas workers have gotten great news in the last few weeks. In June, Governor Laura Kelly announced the lowest unemployment rate in history at 2.3%. And on Thursday, she ceremonially signed House Bill 2237, bipartisan legislation that expands tax benefits for employers who make child care available for their employees."

Hey, Kansas employers: Providing child care helps workers — and your bottom line, too
Senator Dinah Sykes | Special to Kansas City Star

-- H.B. 2237 extends the credit to all Kansas businesses, incentivizing employers to begin providing child care services to their employees either through contractors or by providing services in-house. I believe Kansas businesses both large and small should take advantage of this tax credit to provide child care for their employees.

-- First, it’s good for the bottom line. Providing child care has been proven to help employers attract better job candidates, retain quality employees and create a diverse, engaged workforce. That’s especially important right now.

-- Second, it would make child care more affordable overall. Child care centers across Kansas closed during the pandemic, driving up the price of the child care options left. So while the wealthy can continue to afford child care, middle- and lower-income families are scrambling to find options. That’s not right. Every child, no matter their family’s income level, deserves quality care, and every worker should be able to work. 

-- And finally, it would create a more equal Kansas. The work of caring for kids is disproportionately placed on women, meaning that when a family can’t find affordable child care, it’s often the mom who’s forced to leave the workforce to stay home…H.B. 2237 [works] to ensure Kansas women have the opportunity to participate fully in our society and economy.