Rep. Humphrey's bipartisan bill allowing candidates to use campaign funds for childcare passes Ohio House

COLUMBUS– State Rep. Latyna M. Humphrey (D-Franklin County) today announced the Ohio House passage of House Bill (HB) 593, her bipartisan legislation to allow campaign funds to cover certain childcare costs. 

"A democracy that works for all of us must look like all of us. I am proud that my legislation will help reduce financial barriers for working parents running for office, ultimately increasing representation of working people in state legislatures. No one should be discouraged from running for office simply because they cannot afford childcare,” said Rep. Humphrey. 

Childcare obligations is a significant factor women consider when weighing their decision to run for office. In many states, single parents spend nearly 40 percent of their pre-tax income on childcare. By the time American women are 44 years old, 86 percent are mothers, yet, just six percent of the members of the 117th Congress are mothers with school-aged children.

HB 593: 

·         Allows a candidate to use the candidate’s campaign fund to pay the cost of child care while the candidate is campaigning or carrying out official duties, so long as the costs are incurred only as a direct result of the candidate’s activities and would not otherwise be incurred;  

·         Allows a candidate or public official or employee to accept funds from a political entity to pay the cost of child care while the person is campaigning or fundraising for the entity or attending a political meeting, so long as the costs are incurred only as a direct result of the person’s activities and would not otherwise be incurred;

·         Does not have any direct fiscal impact on the state or county boards of elections. The bill specifies that child care expenses are considered ordinary and necessary expenses incurred by a candidate for state or local office while engaging in campaign activities and duties and those expenses would have not otherwise incurred. These changes do not appear to result in any required additional campaign filings.

If HB 593 is enacted into law, Ohio would join the 26 other states that have approved using campaign funds for childcare. The bill now moves to the Ohio Senate for further consideration.

Joint sponsor Rep. Bill Seitz, added, “The change we are making in this bill will conform Ohio law to federal law that already permits this in federal campaigns, and we join numerous other states that have already made the change.”

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