TO CREATE THE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION WORKFORCE QUALITY INCENTIVE ACT; AND TO CREATE AN INCOME TAX CREDIT FOR CERTAIN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION WORKERS.

Fiscal Impact Statement Bill: HB1021 Bill Subtitle: TO CREATE THE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION WORKFORCE QUALITY INCENTIVE ACT; AND TO CREATE AN INCOME TAX CREDIT FOR CERTAIN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION WORKERS. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sponsors: Rep. Collins Basic Change: HB1021 creates the "Early Childhood Education Workforce Quality Incentive Act" to provide a refundable income tax credit for certain early childhood education workers. To qualify for the income tax credit, the early childhood education worker must: • Be employed in an early childhood education program that meets the requirements of the Better Beginnings quality rating system; • Be employed as an early childhood education program director, teacher, or instructional staff; • Earn less than the state's minimum salary for K-12 public school teachers, as provided in § 6-17-2403; and • File with his or her individual tax return an attestation form provided by the Arkansas Professional Development Registry of the Department of Education, verifying that the taxpayer meets the requirements for the income tax credit. T