News Round-Up: May 20, 2019

Top Story: Maryland Governor Larry Hogan (R) signed legislation to increase the size of the state’s Credit for Child and Dependent Care Expenses, expand the income limits, and make the credit refundable for single filers with incomes below $50,000 and married filers with incomes below $75,000. According to the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC), the new law will make the credit available to 90,000 additional families. (NWLC)

  • Alissa Anderson, senior policy analyst at the California Budget and Policy Center, encouraged state lawmakers to make the CalEITC more accessible for immigrant families by allowing tax filers to use an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number to claim the credit. (California Budget and Policy Center)
  • The Nebraska Legislature is considering including an expansion to the state’s EITC in pending legislation to increase the state’s sales taxes on various goods and services. (Omaha World-Herald)
  • Ross H. Yednock, program director of the Michigan Economic Impact Coalition, urged Michigan lawmakers to support Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s (D) proposal to increase the state EITC to 12 percent of the federal credit. Michigan’s EITC was reduced from 20 percent to six percent of the federal credit in 2011. (The Detroit News)
  • Montana Governor Steve Bullock (D) signed legislation imposing mandatory reviews of state tax credits, including the state’s EITC, to determine if the credits should be revised or eliminated. The reviews will take place between July 1, 2019 and July 1, 2027. (Montana State Legislature)
  • Rhode Island State Senator William Conley (D-East Providence) and Representative Scott Slater (D-Providence) encouraged their fellow lawmakers to support their legislation to increase the state’s EITC from 15 to 20 percent of the federal credit, which would benefit 82,000 working Rhode Islanders. (East Providence Patch)
  • The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) examined the proposed  Working Families Tax Relief Act, which would drastically expand the federal EITC and Child Tax Credit, to determine how many working mothers and children would benefit in each state. (CBPP)