May 2025 Monthly Update
The 2025 legislative session is almost done, and things are moving! Here are some highlights:
The Ready Louisiana Coalition’s annual Early Ed Day at the Capitol was a success. Memorial Hall was filled with numerous partners and organizations committed to increased investment in early childhood education for Louisiana’s children. Here are a few pictures and the press conference recording from the day.
We are also excited to have been a part of the first-ever Dad’s Day at the Capitol and Day Without Child Care. Both of these events took place on May 12th and gathered a crowd of over 1,000 people to advocate for early childhood education.
As for updates on bills we’re tracking:
- HB 1 is pending Senate Finance.
- HB 1 by McFarland is the state budget bill that determines the ordinary operating expenses of state government for Fiscal Year 2025-2026. It maintains the current state investment for the Child Care Assistance Program at $78 million. Public testimony was received, but no votes were conducted.
- HB 187 failed to pass out of the House Ways and Means Committee.
- HB 187 by Fontenot increases the excise tax rate on consumable hemp products (another dedicated revenue stream going into the ECE Fund).
- HB 473 is pending Senate Finance.
- HB 473 by Emerson is a constitutional amendment rewriting Article VII of the Constitution. It would eliminate 8(g) and the Education Excellence Fund (EEF), resulting in approximately 2,000 4-year-olds losing access to quality early childhood education seats.
- HB589 is pending Senate final passage.
- HB589 by Owen initially eliminated the Early Childhood Care and Education Commission, but was amended to keep it and change a few of its duties, including reducing the number of times the commission meets and eliminating the task force. The ECCE Commission sets the vision for early childhood education in Louisiana, including short- and long-term funding.
- HB 639 was passed by the House and is now headed to the Senate.
- HB 639 by Riser increases the sports betting tax (a dedicated revenue stream going into the ECE Fund). An amendment on the floor changed the percentage of taxes levied from 32.5% to 21.5%.
- SB 233 is pending House final passage.
- SB 233 by Edmonds amends the School Readiness Tax Credits by increasing the tax credit for businesses supporting funding for early childhood education seats. The bill has been amended to include a calendar-year cap of $5 million for the business-supported child care tax credit.
Thank you for advocating on behalf of young children and families in Louisiana!