Jefferson City – As the 2007 legislative session came to a close, Rep. Jason Grill, D-Parkville, worked diligently to ensure that his tax credit for stay-at-home parents was enacted into law. He attached the legislation, originally sponsored by Rep. Grill in the form of HB 932, to a piece of Senate legislation (SB 582) approved by the House. Unfortunately, SB 582 died in the House and Senate Conference Committee as lawmakers between the two bodies could not agree on their differences.
Rep. Grill’s plan would have helped parents who want to take a more active role in parenting by authorizing a significant tax credit for those who stay at home to raise their children. Specifically, the legislation would authorize the Motherhood/Fatherhood Stay-At-Home Tax Credit for a parent who stays at home to provide care for a child up to 24 months of age. Any parent who was employed before the birth or adoption of a child whose annual salary was less than $100,000 would be eligible for a tax credit equal to 25 percent of their salary in the year before choosing to become a stay-at-home parent. The annual cumulative amount of the credits issued could not exceed $2 million.
“I worked very hard to try and get this legislation passed as many ways as possible near the end of the 2007 regular session because I believe we owe it to the parents of this state to give them the financial support they need to be able to stay at home and effectively parent their children,” said Rep. Grill. “My legislation received unanimous support in the committee process and overwhelming approval as an amendment to the Senate legislation, which bodes well for its chances in the 2008 legislative session."
