Lift Our Kids Coalition packs the hearing room on July 16, 2019
Bills to Lift Kids Out of Deep Poverty
Representative Decker and Senator DiDomenico, lead sponsors
S. 36: An Act to Lift Kids Out of Deep Poverty (lead sponsor Senator Sal DiDomenico)
H. 102: An Act to Reduce Deep Poverty Among Kids (lead sponsor Representative Marjorie Decker)
The bills set a floor for financial assistance at 50% of the federal poverty level -- $889 a month for a family of three.
The bills increase financial assistance by 10% a year until grants reach 50% of the federal poverty level.
79 Representatives co-sponsored these bills.
23 Senators co-sponsored these bills.
The Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities held a hearing on the bills on July 16, 2019.
Representative Decker and Senator DiDomenico testified at the hearing in support of the bills. Other supporting legislators stood with them.
Over 30 Lift Our Kids members and supporters also testified in support of the bills, including parents, educators, medical professionals, representatives of faith communities, domestic violence and disability advocates, and social scientists.
Read about Lift Our Kids’ Lift the Cap on Kids (family cap repeal) success here.
“Without the money to afford lice shampoo, the parents tried home remedies, like putting mayonnaise in the kids’ hair. We eventually got lice treatment shampoos from the Lynn Community Health Center. But the lice kept coming back, and they haven’t been able to get rid of them. The ten-year-old pulled the bugs from her hair and held them out for her teacher to see. After a while, we realized the family could not afford to wash the sheets, pillows, and clothes for the family. They can have all of the lice shampoo in the world, but those bugs will keep coming back because the family can not afford the maybe $30 it would take to get their sheets and clothes cleaned.”