Senate Committee advances bill by Sen. Ernst to expand child care access

(ABC 6 News) – The Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship passed a bipartisan bill to increase access to child care for small business owners and working class families.

The “Small Business Child Care Investment Act” is co-led by Chair Joni Ernst of Iowa and Senator Jacky Rosen of Nevada. If passed the bill would allow nonprofit child care providers, including religious organizations, to participate in the Small Business Administration (SBA) loan programs.

The bill would ensure those qualified nonprofit providers have equal access to SBA loans, create jobs and give working class families more options for affordable child care, and protect religiously-affiliated nonprofit providers’ access to larger and more flexible loan programs.