Legislative Action at a Glance

This week’s legislative activity included state action to expand family tax credits and support community-based doulas. 

• Tax Credits: Hawaii advanced legislation to expand family tax credits and Oregon Governor Kotek signed a bill to increase the value of the state EITC. 

• Community-based Doulas: Colorado, New York proposed policies to support doula services. Virginia codified Medicaid reimbursement for doulas. 

Our policy analysts monitor legislative activity across these nine policy areas, with weekly updates reflecting where states are taking action. 

• Maine L.D. 2018 will prohibit private employers from pooling risk with other employers to create a self-insured private alternative to the state's paid family and medical leave program, but allow them to share legal and accounting costs. This bill was signed by the governor and enacted. 

• Nebraska L.R. 303CA would require employers to provide 6 weeks of paid family and medical leave to employees by October 2027, and 12 weeks by October 2028 via a proposed constitutional amendment. 
• Virginia S.B. 2/H.B. 1207 would create a statewide paid family and medical leave program of up to 12 weeks of leave, available to families by December 2028. These bills were sent back to the legislature with suggested amendments. 

• Hawaii S.B. 3125 would extend the expanded state earned income tax credit (EITC) until tax year 2033. Previously, the credit was set to revert from 40% to 20% of the federal credit in tax year 2028. The bill also expands the value and income eligibility of the state child and dependent care tax credit (CDCTC). This bill passed both chambers. 
• Maryland H.B. 363/S.B. 468 would allow local counties to provide a grant to families who are eligible for the state child tax credit (CTC). This bill passed both chambers. 
• Oregon S.B. 1507 will increase the value of the state EITC from 12% to 17% of the federal credit for families with children under 3, and from 9% to 14% of the federal credit for other filers, effective tax year 2026. This bill was signed by the governor and enacted. 
• Wisconsin A.B. 373 will create a nonrefundable tax credit of $2,000 for individuals who experience a stillbirth during the tax year. This bill was signed by the governor and enacted. 

• Colorado H.B. 1044 would require a health facility that provides labor and childbirth services to make a statement available, electronically or in writing, on respectful maternity care including the right to a birthing companion or doula during labor and delivery.  
• New York S.9868 would establish a doula Medicaid reimbursement workgroup to evaluate the costs, benefits, and issues that may arise with Medicaid reimbursement including equitable reimbursement, continuing education requirements, and funding sources.  
• Viriginia H.B. 838 codifies Medicaid coverage for doula support at labor and delivery and add coverage for two linkage-to-care incentive payments for doulas providing postpartum and newborn care. This bill was enacted. 

• Colorado H.B. 1235 would make several updates to the state’s Medicaid program, including setting rules for upcoming federal work requirements and requiring more public reporting on application, enrollment, and renewal outcomes.  
• District of Columbia B. 26-0463 would establish the District Workers with Disabilities Program, allowing employed individuals with disabilities to enroll in Medicaid even if their income exceeds standard Medicaid eligibility limits. 
• Kentucky H.B. 2 will implement new federal work requirements with a 3-month lookback period for current enrollees, add more frequent eligibility checks and data matching, and add cost-sharing for some expansion adults above 100% of the federal poverty level (FPL). It will also expand coverage requirements for lactation services, breastfeeding equipment, and certain maternity-related telehealth and postpartum services. This bill was enacted. 

• Kentucky S.B. 197 would make emergency appropriations across several state agencies to address expected increases to SNAP administrative costs. This bill passed both chambers and has been sent to the governor. 
• Minnesota S.F. 5021 would fund upgrades to the system used to determine eligibility and issue benefits, support broader eligibility modernization across benefit programs, and clarify how certain existing county SNAP financing rules would apply under new federal cost-sharing.