{"id":8071,"date":"2026-05-20T13:17:16","date_gmt":"2026-05-20T17:17:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/senatedems.com\/brinks\/?p=8071"},"modified":"2026-05-20T13:17:17","modified_gmt":"2026-05-20T17:17:17","slug":"cut-childcare-costs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/senatedems.com\/brinks\/2026\/05\/20\/cut-childcare-costs\/","title":{"rendered":"Michigan Senate Passes Bills to Cut Childcare Costs, Support Providers"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Bills would codify Tri-Share program,\u00a0remove\u00a0red\u00a0tape\u00a0facing\u00a0childcare\u00a0providers<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n
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LANSING, Mich. (May 20, 2026) \u2014 To help combat the affordability crisis\u00a0 facing residents statewide, today, Senate Democrats passed a bold bill package to lower the cost of childcare for Michigan parents and improve support for childcare providers.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor over a decade now, I’ve pushed hard to fund and expand the\u00a0state\u2019s\u00a0bipartisan Tri-Share program \u2014 an innovative\u00a0approach\u00a0that\u00a0splits\u00a0the cost of childcare\u00a0three ways and\u00a0was first piloted in my\u00a0district,\u201d said Senate Majority Leader\u00a0<\/span>Winnie Brinks\u00a0<\/span><\/b>(D-Grand Rapids). \u201cAs\u00a0childcare costs continue to\u00a0strain\u00a0Michigan families\u00a0and their budgets, we need solutions that better support providers,\u00a0kids, and\u00a0working parents \u2014 and Tri-Share\u00a0delivers.\u00a0This is a major win that will help ensure\u00a0Michigan families\u00a0can\u00a0access\u00a0the\u00a0quality, affordable\u00a0childcare\u00a0they need and deserve.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cToday is a great day for Michigan families,” said Sen.\u00a0<\/span>Mallory McMorrow\u00a0<\/span><\/b>(D-Royal Oak), sponsor of Senate Bill 310. \u201cParents are exhausted by the constant juggling act: how do I afford childcare, keep my job, and still be present for my kids? I hear it every single day. The Tri-Share program answers that by splitting the cost three ways between parents, employers, and the state, giving more businesses the ability to offer childcare as a benefit and more families the ability to afford it. It works. Passing this out of the full Senate today brings us one step closer to making Tri-Share a permanent, reliable resource for families across Michigan, because when parents can afford care,\u00a0we’re\u00a0not just helping working families,\u00a0we’re\u00a0investing in the next generation of Michiganders.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve heard loud and clear \u2014 Michigan families need lower costs, and childcare providers need certainty and stability,\u201d\u00a0said Sen.\u00a0<\/span>Rosemary Bayer<\/b> (D-West Bloomfield), sponsor of Senate Bill 311. \u201cThat\u2019s what our bills that passed the Senate today seek to do by addressing the childcare crisis from both the demand and supply side. And, we\u2019re ensuring that providers will be able to rely on sustainable support into the future by tying the childcare reimbursement rate to inflation. It\u2019s a thoughtful solution to a serious issue, and I\u2019m proud to be a part of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Senate Bills\u00a0<\/span>310<\/u><\/a><\/span>–313<\/u><\/a><\/span>\u00a0would make\u00a0childcare\u00a0more affordable for families and more sustainable for\u00a0childcare\u00a0professionals and entrepreneurs by:<\/p>\n

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