Legislative Action at a Glance

This week’s legislative activity included new state action to establish child tax credits and to address the impacts of federal changes to Medicaid and SNAP. 

• Medicaid: New Jersey and Utah advanced legislation to address federal work requirements for Medicaid recipients. 

• SNAP: Minnesota and New Hampshire proposed funding to support state SNAP programs and administrative costs. 

• Tax Credits: Rhode Island proposed the creation of a new state child tax credit. 

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

• Georgia H.B. 1118 would provide 3 weeks of paid maternal leave for state employees who give birth. This bill passed the House. 

• Louisiana H.B. 591 would authorize private insurance companies to sell voluntary paid family leave insurance, with a minimum paid leave duration of 2 weeks. 

• Rhode Island S.B. 2927 would make state employees eligible for temporary disability insurance (TDI), effective January 2027. TDI may be combined with the state's PFML program to provide extended leave for parents who give birth. 

• Connecticut H.B. 5117 would establish a new marginal tax rate of at least 4% for personal income above $1 million. These funds would be used to fund child care and child care workforce programs, among other things.  

• Illinois S.B. 3852 would establish the Child Care Solutions Fund, in which the state would provide $2 in matching funds for every $1 from private donations. This fund would be used to provide grants to child care centers in pilot communities.  

• Rhode Island S.B. 2667 would increase the initial income eligibility limit for child care subsidies to 85% of the state median income (SMI) and increase reimbursement rates to the 75th percentile of the most recent market rate survey—setting infant rates 30% higher than toddler rates.  

• Washington H.B. 2689 would maintain the initial income eligibility limit for child care subsidies at 60% of the SMI instead of increasing to 70% of the SMI in 2029 and to 85% of the SMI in 2031, as previously planned. This bill passed the House. 

• West Virginia H.B. 4191 would require the state to use a cost estimation model to set reimbursement rates, pay providers based on enrollment, and implement policies to mitigate the subsidy benefits cliff. This bill passed the House. 

• Wisconsin S.B. 1079 would limit child care subsidy family copayments to 7% of family income, remove copayments for families below 150% of the federal poverty level (FPL), and increase funding for subsidies by $22.9 million each year in FY2026 and FY2027.  

• Idaho H. 782 would make permanent the nonrefundable state child tax credit (CTC) by repealing its expiration in 2026. 

• Oregon S.B. 1510 would make permanent the increased credit value and ITIN filer eligibility for the state earned income tax credit (EITC), ensuring those provisions do not expire in 2026. This bill passed both chambers and is headed to the governor. 

• Rhode Island S.B. 2823 would create a refundable state CTC of up to $650 per child aged 18 and under, effective tax year 2026.  

• Utah H.B. 290 would expand income eligibility for the nonrefundable state CTC. This bill passed both chambers and is headed to the governor. 

• Missouri H.B. 2372 contains multiple provisions related to health care including the Missouri Doula Reimbursement Act, which would codify the existing Medicaid coverage of doula services.  

• Tennessee S.R. 263 would urge TennCare, the state’s Medicaid program, to add coverage for doula services.  

• Wisconsin A.B. 1085 would require the state to implement Medicaid coverage for doula services. The bill would also require hospitals and birthing centers to have a public policy allowing doulas to accompany clients with Medicaid before, during, and after delivery. 

• Connecticut S.B. 401 would create a state-funded bridge program for individuals and families at risk of losing Medicaid and SNAP due to new federal work requirements. 

• New Jersey S. 3811/A. 3883 would direct the state to establish and expand web-based tools, sites, and services to help Medicaid and SNAP recipients find volunteer opportunities that satisfy the new federal work and community engagement requirements. 

• Utah H.B. 471 would implement Medicaid work requirements and tighten eligibility processes by limiting self-attestation, requiring more frequent redeterminations for some groups, and reducing retroactive coverage for new applicants. This bill passed both chambers and is headed to the governor. 

• Florida S.B. 1758 would require the state to implement a payment accuracy improvement plan to address the state's SNAP error rate and minimize the associated cost-sharing requirements. 

• Indiana S.B. 0001 will terminate expanded categorical eligibility, requiring the state to instead adhere to baseline federal income and asset limits. The bill also codifies new federal citizenship eligibility limits and directs the state to pursue a waiver restricting the purchase of candy and soft drinks with SNAP benefits. This bill was signed by the governor. 

• Kentucky S.B. 265 would direct the state to seek a USDA waiver to prohibit the purchase of candy, soft drinks, and specialty coffee drinks with SNAP benefits 

• Minnesota H.F. 3773/S.F. 4061 would establish and allocate funding for MNSNAP, a state-funded supplemental nutrition assistance program, to support families who lose, or are at significant risk of losing, federal benefits. 

• New Hampshire H.B. 1750 would appropriate $4.4 million to the state Department of Health and Human Services in Fiscal Year 2027 to address the administrative costs expected to come from federal cuts to SNAP. 

• Idaho H.813 would repeal the preemption law that prevents local governments from setting a higher minimum wage, effective July 2026. 

• Virginia S.B. 1 would gradually increase the minimum wage to $15.00 per hour (up from $12.77) by January 2028, with annual cost-of-living adjustments beginning in 2029. This bill passed both chambers and is headed to the governor. If enacted, the first wage increase, to $13.75 per hour, will occur on January 1, 2027.