Lawmaker Announces Plans To Fight Rising Child Care Costs

OKLAHOMA CITY – State Representative Mickey Dollens, (D-OKC) announced plans today to try and help Oklahoma families fight the rising costs of child care.

Specifically Rep. Dollens announced his intention to bring forward three linked pieces of legislation. The new bills would seek to:

1. Raise the income cap on the Department of Human Services Child Care Subsidy program to increase the number of Oklahoma families that qualify.
2. Enact a seven percent household income cap on child care costs.
3. Allocate tuition reimbursement to qualified daycare centers based on their enrollment numbers, rather than on attendance.

"Parents and guardians shouldn't have to struggle to find affordable, quality child care," Dollens said. "The seven percent household income cap alone would save parents thousands. If the Legislature can give corporations more than $100 million a year in tax breaks as we did just a couple of months ago, we can find a way to help working moms and dads."

Dollens got the idea from constituents who continue to speak with him about child care costs. As a father himself, understanding the issue was easy.

"I feel their pain," Dollens said. "I have young ones, and I know how hard it is going through that waitlist process and then trying to figure out how to budget for it. With these initiatives, we can lessen that burden and give Oklahoma parents a boost in support. Affordable, reliable child care is an economic driver that allows parents to work and families to grow."

To contact the office of State Rep. Mickey Dollens, call (405)557-7371 or email mickey.dollens@okhouse.gov.