Welcome to Legislative Trends, your go-to source for the latest updates on state policy action affecting infants, toddlers, and their families during legislative sessions. Each week, our team of policy analysts tracks key legislative movements, from state budget proposals impacting Medicaid and SNAP to bills advancing paid family leave, child care, and other critical prenatal-to-3 policies. Below is a sampling of legislation we’re tracking from across the country, all grounded in the evidence-based policies highlighted in our Prenatal-to-3 Policy Roadmap. Stay informed and ahead of the curve with our timely analysis of the trends shaping early childhood policy.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

• Child Care: States are advancing bills to establish or extend employer tax credits for child care. 
• Doulas: Maryland and Montana enacted legislation to expand access to doulas. 
  
• Paid Family and Medical Leave: Maryland enacted a bill to provide PFML for certain state employees.

LEGISLATIVE UPDATES

Administrative Burden for SNAP

• Illinois S.B. 32 would make any household that includes a veteran or member of the armed forces categorically eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) if their income is less than 200% of the federal poverty level (FPL). The bill passed both chambers. 
• Nebraska received approval from the US Dept. of Agriculture for a waiver to ban soda and energy drink purchases using SNAP benefits beginning next January. Nebraska is the first state to receive approval, and several other states are in the process of seeking waivers. 

Child Care

• Alaska S.B. 96 would create an employer tax credit for child care contributions. Eligible expenses include contributions of cash or equipment to operate a child care facility, and payments to offset child care costs for employees. The bill passed both chambers.
• Colorado H.B. 1296 was enacted to extend the tax credit for child care facility investments made by employers for three years, until tax year 2028.
• Michigan S.B. 310 would make the Michigan Tri-Share pilot permanent and create a fund within the treasury to cover the cost of the program.
• Oklahoma H.B. 2778 would make child care workers employed at sites that accept subsidies eligible for subsidies if their incomes are at $60k or less for single parents and $120k for married couples. The bill passed the house.
• Texas S.B. 462 would establish a priority position for child care workers to be eligible for child care subsidies. The bill was sent to the Governor.

Comprehensive Screening and Connection Programs 

• Maryland H.B. 334/S.B. 156 will establish a workgroup on universal newborn nurse home visiting services to identify service gaps and workforce needs. The bill passed both chambers and was approved by Gov. Moore. 

Doulas

• Louisiana H.B. 454 would require Medicaid to cover doula services effective January 1, 2026. Covered benefits would include at least five prenatal and three postpartum visits and attendance at labor and delivery. The bill passed the House.
• Maryland H.B. 1251 was enacted to require hospitals to have a publicly posted policy that at least one doula is allowed to be present during births.
• Montana S.B. 319 was enacted to create a licensing process for doulas and allow for Medicaid coverage of certified doula services.

Medicaid

• Louisiana S.B. 130 would prohibit the state from relying solely on ex parte renewals except as required by federal law, prohibit the acceptance of self-attestations of income, and require data matching requirements in the Medicaid program. The bill passed the Senate. 

Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) 

• Delaware H.B. 179 would exclude employers with less than 25 employees from participating in the PFML program. 
• Maryland H.B. 1503 was enacted to provide PFML for certain state employees beginning July 1, 2026. 

State Minimum Wage 

• Georgia S.B. 55 was enacted to phase out and fully eliminate the subminimum wage for workers with disabilities by July 1, 2027. 

Tax Credits 

• Oregon H.B. 2958 would increase the generosity of the state's refundable earned income tax credit (EITC) from 12% to 25% for families with young children and from 9% to 20% for all other families and expand eligibility to younger tax filers. H.B. 2091 would extend the sunset date for the state's EITC from January 2026 to January 2032. 

Our final installment of Legislative Trends for this session will be delivered next Monday, June 2. Thank you for following along this legislative season!

Thank you for staying up to date with this week’s legislative updates. Our team is dedicated to monitoring the policies and trends that impact the prenatal-to-3 space and beyond. For deeper insights into the evidence-based policies driving early childhood progress, explore our Prenatal-to-3 Policy Roadmap. If you have any questions or have an important update from your state, please contact Alyssa Rafa, Assistant Policy Director, at alyssa.rafa@vanderbilt.edu. Let’s work together to drive lasting progress for young children and their families.

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Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center