Compare Bills

Primary Sponsor

Last Action

Ref To Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House2025-03-10

Vote Breakdown

No floor votes recorded.

Plain Language Summary

This bill reinstitutes the North Carolina child tax credit for families with child care expenses, expands the NC Pre-K program to serve 32,000 additional eligible 4-year-olds, increases subsidized child care funding, requires public schools to provide free lunches to all students, funds child care programs at community colleges, and directs a study on creating high school child care apprenticeships.

Arguments in Favor

• •Supporters argue this bill helps working families afford child care and increases access to early education, which research shows benefits child development and school readiness.
• •Free school lunches remove barriers for low-income students to access nutrition, and expanding Pre-K and subsidized care helps parents—particularly mothers—participate in the workforce while ensuring children receive quality early education.
• •The bill also creates job training opportunities through apprenticeships.

Arguments Against

• •Opponents may argue the bill's significant spending ($363+ million annually) strains the state budget and raises questions about long-term sustainability and whether these are the best uses of limited education funds.
• •Some may contend that free lunches and expanded Pre-K programs should prioritize low-income families rather than all students, or that child care decisions are better left to families and private providers rather than government programs.