BISMARCK, N.D. (KFGO) – With the state legislature focused on workforce development this session, the Senate Minority Leader Kathy Hogan is emphasizing the importance of child care.
The Fargo Democrat said there are a number of child care bills being considered including one that would continue a program that started during COVID, and was initially paid for through federal dollars.
“We want to offer direct payment to a licensed child care for simply being open,” Hogan said. “Stabilization grants started during COVID, and that’s what kept our facilities open.”
Hogan said the goal of SB 2301 is to operationalize, set policy standards an establish it as an on-going way for the state of North Dakota to support workforce through child care. She said she’s heard from some people who want to return to work, but need child care, and can’t find it, and right now North Dakota is in danger of losing child care providers.
“The COVID funding is going away, and the number of facilities that are closing right now terrifies me,” Hogan said. “I think we could lose those facilities over the next six months, and suspect we would lose 20% of them.”
Hogan said other measures being considered include speeding up fingerprint background checks for new child care hires.
