Members of the legislature’s “Working Families Caucus” presented bills yesterday in hope they will advance this session. The measures aim to improve workers’ rights and opportunities for both keiki and kupuna. House Bill 694 gives parents a child tax credit at the state level as well as a federal tax break.

“One of the things that our federal delegation is sharing with us is that it’s incredibly important for us right now to establish and recognize what pinpoints are most important that we may be potentially be losing at the federal level so that we can really shore up our own state budget here,” said State Rep. Jeanne Kapela.

The legislative package also presented by the “Working Families Caucus” includes House Bill 692 which expands the “Preschool Open Doors” program for early education. Additionally, House Bill 695 is also included, which creates a ‘family and medical leave insurance program’ by 2028. House Bill 696 intends to help kupuna receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits by proposing to adjust the minimum certification periods.