Lt. Governor Burt Jones Priority Headed to the House: Child Tax Credit and Childcare Tax Programs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, March 28, 2025

ATLANTA | Today, Lt. Governor Burt Jones issued a statement in support of a legislative priority, which creates a child tax credit and expands childcare tax programs, passing the Senate. The bill will now head to the House for final consideration and approval. 

“I want to thank members of the Senate for their unanimous, bipartisan support for this priority,” said Lt. Governor Burt Jones. “The passage of this measure is a result of feedback from members of the House, stakeholders, business owners and Georgia families. The goal of this proposal is to help families with the rising cost of childcare, encourage more businesses to offer childcare, and expand Georgia’s workforce. I look forward to the House taking final action on this measure quickly.”

This legislation is the result of work during the interim by the Senate Study Committee on Access to Affordable Childcare, which Lt. Governor Burt Jones appointed. The bill, HB 136, expands the current tax credit for child and dependent care expenses from a 30% match of the federal credit to a 50% match. The bill also creates a new Georgia Child Tax Credit, which will allow taxpayers to claim an income tax credit of $250 for each child under the age of 6 years old. Finally, the bill creates a new incentive for employers to cover childcare expenses. This program will allow an employer to claim a $1,000 credit in the first year and $500 in subsequent years for any employee for which the employer covers at least $1,000 in child care costs. The bill also preserves the existing tax credit program for employer-sponsored child care centers.

For the full language of House Bill 136, please follow this link: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69535