2025 Key victories
Sustain Investments in the Child Care Scholarship Program
Plans to cap enrollment in the Child Care Scholarship Program and establish a wait list will limit access for families and impact child care programs. MFN advocated against an enrollment cap and for an update in provider reimbursement rates to reflect the true cost of care. The General Assembly did not act to forestall the implementation of an enrollment freeze. The Department of Education intends to freeze enrollment beginning May 1, 2025, and cap enrollment at around 40,000 children for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2026. Provider reimbursement rates will not be updated until March 2026.
Stave-off Reductions in Pre-K Access for Families and Lower Barriers for Child Care Participation in Pre-K
The General Assembly rejected one proposal to limit the number of families eligible for public pre-K and a second to delay an increase in the per pupil funding amount. MFN advocated for the State to continue its commitment to pre-K and for improvements to the mixed delivery model so community-based child care providers can participate at a greater rate. Legislation instructing the Department of Education to establish a workgroup to study and report on barriers to community-based child care providers’ participation in the delivery of public pre-k passed (HB 1475 passed).
Guard Against Child Care Deregulation and Support Early Educators
A proposal to increase the number of infants a single child care provider can care for would have put child health and safety at risk. MFN successfully advocated against changes to adult: child ratios. The bill to alter ratios was amended to instead instruct the Department of Education to conduct a comprehensive review of child care regulations (HB 477 passed). MFN also encouraged the State to consider other ways to support early educators such as through facilitating access to health insurance (HB 859 passed), increasing access to property tax credits (HB 389 / SB 516 passed), establishing a substitute pool (HB 1325 / SB 868 died), and removing zoning restrictions that limit family child care homes (HB 785 passed).
Protect Safety Net Programs that Support Low-Income Families
A proposal to enable child support payments to pass directly to the child, rather than to the State, and for those payments to be disregarded when a custodial parent’s eligibility for benefits is determined, would benefit children and increase parental engagement. MFN advocated for child support pass-through and disregard, which will be phased-in starting in Fiscal Year 2028 (HB 881 passed). MFN was successful in striking two harmful budget amendments. The first would have restricted a family’s ability to seek reimbursement from the State if their benefits are stolen due to fraud. A second would have automatically eliminated, or reduced access to, Medicaid if there are cuts to federal funds.
Advance the State’s Commitment to Home Visiting
A proposal to expand statewide a universal newborn nurse home visiting program was amended to establish a workgroup that will assess Maryland’s home visiting landscape, identify gaps, and funding sources. MFN will play a key role in the workgroup (HB 334 / SB 156 passed).
Family and Medical Leave Insurance Implementation
The Administration will delay the collection of contributions and issuance of Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) benefits. MFN and the Time to Care Coalition advocated against the delay and for a reconsideration of the maximum benefit for leave-takers. The General Assembly voted to support the delay (HB 102 passed).
Looking ahead
Moving forward, MFN’s public policy work of necessity continues throughout the Interim between General Assembly sessions, as freshly minted legislation is implemented, task forces meet, new budget proposals are developed, contracts are negotiated, regulations are promulgated, and new ideas for legislation emerge for discussion and debate. For the remainder of 2025, diligent follow-up by MFN and its allies, particularly on the fiscal status of CCS, will be essential.
In times of challenge, the role of a respected and resourceful advocate grows all the more critical. MFN will stand prepared to protect the needs and advance the interests of Maryland’s young children and their families.
Special thanks are due to the organizations that targeted funds for MFN’s advocacy work in 2025: The Alliance for Early Success, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Fund for Change, the Richman Family Foundation, the Sherman Family Foundation, the Thalheimer-Eurich Charitable Fund, and the Wright Family Fund. MFN also gratefully acknowledges the generous contributions from its Board of Directors, Champions for Children, and other individual donors.