KEY QUOTE: "Valuing all Kansans requires hard work and bipartisan compromise. Over the past year, leaders in Kansas worked together in a bipartisan way to make significant investments in the first years of life. We must continue to make progress by investing early so that all moms and babies have a healthy start, the economic support they need, and access to quality early learning to ensure Kansas is the best place to live and raise a family."

Valuing women’s and children’s health in Kansas is a cause we can all support

This year in Kansas, we have made substantial progress on maternal and child health, provided critical support to make child care affordable and saved Kansas families money by lowering the grocery sales tax.

Last month, Gov. Laura Kelly announced that her plan to provide Kansas mothers with health care coverage under Kansas Medicaid up to 12 months post-delivery received final approval by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The previous coverage period of two months was inadequate to address mothers’ needs following childbirth.

Combine this with the state’s bipartisan budget investment in expanding universal maternal and child home-visiting statewide, providing parents with the skills they need to support their children’s development, and Kansas is making progress in securing a healthy start for all moms and babies.

Leaders in Kansas invested in early learning by passing a budget that expands tax credits for businesses that provide child care to their employees. This means that parents of the nearly 90,000 Kansas children under six without licensed child care will have a much better chance of finding caretakers for their children — and helping them continue a healthy, happy start to life.

Another important win in providing economic supports to Kansas families was “Axe the Food Tax,” which will gradually reduce the food sales tax before eliminating it in 2025. On average, this will save Kansas families hundreds of dollars annually, helping their household funds go further.