2026 bill tracker for child care bill...

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2	Bill Number	Title	Author(s)	Co-Authors	Latest Action Date	Current Status/Location (e.g., Referred to Committee)	Passed/Not Passed, not heard	Next Step Needed	Your Notes/Impact
3	HB 1018	School age child care	DeVon		02/06/2026	scheduled for a hearing 2/9/26 Family and Children Services	Passed House, In Senate Committee		Removes some transportation requirements for grants.
4	HB 1152	Homeowners association matters	Rep. Ethan Lawson	Rep. Doug Miller, Rep. Timothy O'Brien, Rep. Victoria Garcia Wilburn.	1/26/26	First reading: referred to Committee on Judiciary	Passed the House in Senate Committee		Removes language authorizing an increase to the annual budget of a homeowners association (HOA) when the number of HOA members present at a meeting to adopt the annual budget does not constitute a quorum and the governing documents of the HOA permit the adoption of the increase in that circumstance. Provides that an HOA: (1) may not: (A) prohibit or restrict; or (B) adopt or enforce a regulation, rule, or other policy that has the effect or prohibiting or restricting; a person from operating a child care home or from providing child care that is not subject to the application of the statutes concerning child care regulation on a single family residence; and (2) may adopt or amend governing documents to allow for these uses
5	HB 1177	Child Care Assistance	Rep. Becky Cash	Rep. Lindsay Patterson	2/6/26	Scheduled for a hearing testimony only 2/10/26 Senate Committee for tax and fiscal policy	Passed the House in Senate Committee	Schedule Hearing in Tax and fiscal Policy	Increases the maximum number of individuals an entity may employ to be eligible for the employer child care expenditure income tax credit. Provides that costs incurred: (1) for the operating costs of a child care facility operated for a taxpayer's employees; or (2) under a contract with a child care facility to provide child care services to employees of the taxpayer, or under a contract with an intermediate entity that contracts with one or more child care facilities for child care services; are qualified expenditures for purposes of the employer child care expenditure income tax credit. Allows a redevelopment commission to use revenue collected in a tax increment financing district to expend money or provide financial assistance to entities for the purpose of encouraging or incentivizing the construction or expansion of child care facilities.
6	SB 4	Various Fiscal Matters	Sen Mishler, Sen. Garten	Rep. Craig Snow, Rep. Jeffrey Thompson. Sen. Lonnie Randolph.	2/4	Reffered for 1st reading in Ways and Means		Committee Hearing Scheduled	CCDF funding. Authorizes the budget agency, subject to budget committee review, to use the appropriation to the financial responsibility and opportunity growth fund in HEA 1001-2025 or augment the financial responsibility and opportunity growth fund for the purpose of providing funding to the Child Care and Development Fund voucher program in addition to the current uses for the appropriation authorized in HEA 1001-2025.
7	HB 1219	Prekindergarten program enrollment	Rep. Kyle Miller		1/5/26	First reading reffered to Committee on Family, Children and Human Affairs		Committee Hearing Scheduled?	Amends the definition of "eligible child" for purposes of the prekindergarten program (program). Removes provisions regarding the program that require: (1) the office of the secretary of family and social services to determine the number of eligible children who will participate in the program; and (2) a percentage of matching funds from other sources. Establishes the prekindergarten expansion grant fund to provide grants to potential eligible providers and existing eligible providers. Makes a continuous appropriation to the prekindergarten program fund from the state general fund in an amount sufficient to carry out the purposes of the fund. Makes an appropriation to the prekindergarten expansion grant fund from the state general fund. Repeals certain provisions regarding the definitions of "eligible child", "extended enrollment period", "limited eligibility child", "priority enrollment period", "child care employee", and "child of a child care employee". Repeals or removes provisions regarding prekindergarten vouchers for limited eligibility children and children of child care employees. Makes conforming changes.
8	HB 1159	Prekindergarten vision screening	Rep. Earl Harris		1/5/26	First reading reffered to Committee on Education		Committee Hearing Scheduled?	Requires the governing body of each school corporation to conduct vision testing for prekindergarten children. Allows for the use of electronic eye charts.
9	HB 1308	Indiana bright start program and fund	Rep. Alex Burton			referred to Committee on Family, Children and Human Affairs		Committee Hearing Scheduled?	Establishes the Indiana bright start program (program) to support the early learning and child care needs of working families with eligible children. Provides that the office of the secretary of family and social services (office) shall develop and implement the program, and may contract with nonprofit corporations to facilitate the program. Establishes the Indiana bright start program fund. Requires the office, beginning October 1, 2027, to annually submit a report to the governor and legislative council with information concerning the program.
10	HB 1378	Child care tax credits.	Rep. Chris Campbell	Rep. Carolyn Jackson Rep. Sue Errington	1/8	referred to Committee on Ways and Means		Committee Hearing Scheduled?	Provides a child and dependent care refundable tax credit against an individual's Indiana adjusted gross income tax for employment related child and dependent care expenses based on the percentage of the federal child and dependent care tax credit the taxpayer claimed for the taxable year for federal income tax purposes. Provides a child tax credit against an individual's Indiana adjusted gross income tax. Provides that costs incurred: (1) for the operating costs of a child care facility operated for a taxpayer's employees; or (2) under a contract with a child care facility to provide child care services to employees of the taxpayer, or under a contract with an intermediate entity that contracts with one or more child care facilities for child care services; are qualified expenditures for purposes of the employer child care expenditure income tax credit.
11	HB 1401	Employee childcare assistance partnership program	Rep. Dant Chesser	Rep. Edward Clere, Rep. Hamilton	1/8	Referred to Committee on Employment, Labor, Pensions		Committee Hearing Scheduled?	Establishes the employee child care assistance partnership program. Makes an appropriation.
12	HB 1430	Referenda on preschool funding levies.	Rep. Blake Johnson.		1/8/26	Committee on Elections and Apportionment		Committee Hearing Scheduled?	Allows the legislative body of a county and certain cities to adopt a resolution to place a referendum on the ballot to impose a local preschool referendum tax levy (levy) to fund administration of a preschool program and provide tuition and other assistance. Allows a unit to impose a levy if approved by a majority of the voters. Provides that voters may not approve a levy that is imposed for more than eight years. Specifies procedures for the referendum. Provides that a unit that imposes a levy must establish a preschool education program and a local preschool education referendum tax levy fund.
13	SB 263	Child and dependent care tax credit.	Sen. J.D. Ford		1/8/26	referred to Committee on Tax and Fiscal Policy		Committee Hearing Scheduled?	Provides a refundable child and dependent care tax credit to taxpayers whose adjusted gross income for the taxable year is not more than 250% of the federal poverty level. Provides that the credit is equal to the lesser of: (1) an amount ranging from $200 to $1,000, depending on the extent to which the taxpayer's adjusted gross income exceeds the federal poverty level; or (2) 20% of the taxpayer's employment related expenses.
14	HB 1138	Child care tax credit.	Rep. Carey Hamilton		1/5/26	First reading: referred to Committee on Ways and Means		Committee Hearing Scheduled?	Increases the maximum number of individuals an entity may employ to be eligible for the employer child care expenditure income tax credit. Provides that costs incurred: (1) for the operating costs of a child care facility operated for a taxpayer's employees; or (2) under a contract with a child care facility to provide child care services to employees of the taxpayer, or under a contract with an intermediate entity that contracts with one or more child care facilities for child care services; are qualified expenditures for purposes of the employer child care expenditure income tax credit. Allows a redevelopment commission to use revenue collected in a tax increment financing district to expend money or provide financial assistance to entities for the purpose of encouraging or incentivizing the construction or expansion of child care facilities.
15	HB 1026	Child care funding	Porter		12/01/2025	Referred to Committee on Ways and Means		Committee Hearing Scheduled?	Focuses on redirecting existing state funds to CCDF and Pre-K.
16	HB 1149	Pre-kindergarten care SGO tax credit.	Rep. Dave Heine	Rep. Julie McGuire, Rep. Timothy O'Brien, Rep. Robert Heaton.	1/5/26	First reading: referred to Committee on Ways and Means		Committee Hearing Scheduled?	Establishes an early childhood scholarship tax credit for contributions made to a scholarship granting organization that conducts a program to provide scholarships for children who attend a qualified early child care provider. Provides that the amount of the credit is equal to 50% of the amount of the contribution. Limits the total amount of tax credits awarded in a state fiscal year to not more than $100,000,000. Requires the department of education (department) to certify early childhood scholarship granting organizations that meet certain criteria. Requires qualified early childhood scholarship granting organizations to enter into an agreement with the department. Specifies conditions that must be included in the agreement. Provides that a school corporation that operates an early childhood education program may not limit consideration for participation in the program solely to those residing within the school district.
17	SB 66	Kindergarten readiness indicators	Yoder		12/8/25	Referred to Committee on Education and Career Development		Committee Hearing Scheduled?	Requires ELAC to establish and publish kindergarten readiness indicators
18	SB 84	Pre-Kindergarten and child care	Qaddoura		12/8/25	Referred to committee on appropiration		Committee Hearing Scheduled?	Requires the office of the secretary of family and social services (office) to apply to the United States Department of Health and Human Services to amend the state plan for the federal Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) voucher program to increase the maximum initial eligibility limit for purposes of initial eligibility to 150% of the federal poverty level. Requires the office to fully fund: (1) each eligible applicant for a CCDF voucher payment; and (2) eligible CCDF provider reimbursement rates at a specified rate. Provides that the office may not place an eligible CCDF applicant on a waiting list. Provides that an eligible child for the prekindergarten program is an individual who, among other conditions, is a member of a household with an annual income that does not exceed 150% of the federal poverty level (instead of 135% for individuals enrolled on or after May 1, 2025, under current law). Removes the limitation on state money that may be used for a prekindergarten voucher during a state fiscal year. Requires the office of family and social services to establish reimbursement rates for prekindergarten providers that are equal to or greater than the rates established that were in effect on January 1, 2025. Makes an appropriation to the prekindergarten program fund.
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21	Mailing Address: 200 W. Washington Street Indianapolis, IN 46204
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83	Mailing Address: 200 W. Washington Street Indianapolis, IN 46204
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