Bipartisan Bill Introduced to Save Parents Money and Increase Access to Child Care for Colorado Families

$50 million legislation will help expand and develop workforce, boost Colorado’s economy

DENVER, CO - Lawmakers in the Senate introduced a bipartisan bill yesterday that aims to increase access to child care for Colorado families and save parents money on child care.

SB22-213, sponsored by Sen. Rhonda Fields, D-Aurora, Sen. Jerry Sonnenberg, R-Sterling, Rep. Kerry Tipper, D-Lakewood, and Rep. Alex Valdez, D-Denver, will boost Colorado’s economy and make it easier for families to access child care by increasing capacity across the state and better developing workforce to help Coloradans get the training they need to provide that care.

“The pandemic exposed glaring gaps in our state’s child care system, and it’s hurting Colorado’s families and our economy,” Fields said. “That’s why I am proud to sponsor this bipartisan bill that will increase our state’s child care capacity and help more folks train for and land jobs in the child care field. This bill will help us provide critical support for working families across Colorado who have been doing their best to make sure their children have a safe place to learn and grow during the workday.”

"The insane cost of child care is one of those things you hear about, but it doesn't hit home until you become a parent," Tipper said. “Families across Colorado are spending thousands of dollars every month on child care. We’re taking action to increase the number of providers and save families money. Coloradans deserve access to affordable, high-quality child care, and our legislation builds on the state’s ongoing investments to increase child care options and put families first.”

“For many families in Colorado, monthly child care costs more than their rent or mortgage,” Valdez said. “We’re expanding our investment to make child care more affordable for hardworking Colorado families and taking action to boost the number of childcare providers in our state. Together, we can increase access to affordable, quality child care and save families money in the process.” 

The bill aims to increase capacity and bolster Colorado’s child care workforce to save parents money. This bill will help boost child care capacity by providing $19 million in grant funding to open a new child care center or expand capacity at an existing licensed childcare facility. It will also invest $10 million to support the employer-based child care facility grant program, which will help business owners and other employers provide convenient, high-quality child care on-site while parents are at work.

SB22-213 also provides $15 million to support a successful workforce development grant program created last year that will provide quality training for staff interested in working in the child care sector. Unfortunately, child care is often low-paying work, so this legislation will help pay for tuition, credentialing, and professional development in an effort to remove economic barriers and enable more people to enter into the child care workforce. 

Additionally, SB22-213 contains $4.5 million to help train informal providers like babysitters, nannies, and family members through the Family, Friend and Neighbor Training Program. These Coloradans provide a majority of the care in some of our highest-need communities, and the training will include guidance on best practices to help them deliver better care such as physical caretaking - including things like first aid and nutrition - as well as teaching practices, and guidance on fostering social and emotional development in kids. The program will also provide assistance to informal providers who wish to pursue a career in the child care field.

In addition to the $50 million this bill appropriates from the Economic Recovery and Relief Cash Fund, Colorado may also receive up to $50 million more via another round of federal funding for child care stabilization grants. These funds would need to be dedicated to the Child Care Sustainability Grant Program to support providers who have experienced reduced enrollment or increased costs. 

Improving access to child care is a top priority for Colorado Democrats. SB22-213 builds upon last year’s SB21-236 which established three new grant programs to increase child care capacity and improve recruitment, retention, and compensation for early childhood educators. 

The General Assembly also recently passed HB22-1295, which implements recommendations for the Department of Early Childhood to elevate early childhood education and ensures that early childhood care is easy to navigate for all Colorado families.

SB22-213 will be heard in the Senate Health & Human Services Committee. Track the bill’s progress HERE.