Right Start Child Care and Education Act of 2017

To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to increase the credit for employers establishing workplace child care facilities, to increase the child care credit to encourage greater use of quality child care services, to provide incentives for students to earn child care-related degrees and to work in child care facilities, and to increase the exclusion for employer-provided dependent care assistance. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Right Start Child Care and Education Act of 2017 2. Increase in employer-provided child care credit (a) Increase in creditable percentage of child care expenditures Paragraph (1) of section 45F(a) 25 percent 35 percent (b) Increase in creditable percentage of resource and referral expenditures Paragraph (2) of section 45F(a) 10 percent 20 percent (c) Increase in maximum credit Subsection (b) of section 45F $150,000 $225,000 (d) Effective date The amendments made by this section shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2016. 3. Increase in dependent care credit (a) Increase in incomes eligible for full credit Paragraph (2) of section 21(a) $15,000 $30,000 (b) Increase in percentage of expenses allowable Paragraph (2) of section 21(a) (1) by striking 35 percent 50 percent (2) by striking 20 percent 35 percent (c) Increase in dollar limit on amount creditable Subsection (c) of section 21 (1) by striking $3,000 $6,000 (2) by striking $6,000 $12,000 (d) Credit To be refundable (1) In general The Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended— (A) by redesignating section 21 as section 36C, and (B) by moving section 36C, as so redesignated, from subpart A of part IV of subchapter A of chapter 1 to the location immediately before section 37 in subpart C of part IV of subchapter A of chapter 1. (2) Technical amendments (A) Paragraph (1) of section 23(f) of such Code is amended by striking 21(e) 36C(e) (B) Paragraph (6) of section 35(g) of such Code is amended by striking 21(e) 36C(e) (C) Paragraph (1) of section 36C(a) of such Code (as redesignated by paragraph (1)) is amended by striking this chapter this subtitle (D) Subparagraph (C) of section 129(a)(2) of such Code is amended by striking section 21(e) section 36C(e) (E) Paragraph (2) of section 129(b) of such Code is amended by striking section 21(d)(2) section 36C(d)(2) (F) Paragraph (1) of section 129(e) of such Code is amended by striking section 21(b)(2) section 36C(b)(2) (G) Subsection (e) of section 213 of such Code is amended by striking section 21 section 36C (H) Subparagraph (H) of section 6213(g)(2) of such Code is amended by striking section 21 section 36C (I) Subparagraph (L) of section 6213(g)(2) of such Code is amended by striking section 21, 24, or 32 section 24, 32, or 36C (J) Paragraph (2) of section 1324(b) of title 31, United States Code, is amended by inserting 36C, 36B, (K) The table of sections for subpart C of part IV of subchapter A of chapter 1 Sec. 36C. Expenses for household and dependent care services necessary for gainful employment. . (L) The table of sections for subpart A of such part IV is amended by striking the item relating to section 21. (e) Effective date The amendments made by this section shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2016. 4. 3-year credit for individuals holding child care-related degrees who work in licensed child care facilities (a) In general Subpart A of part IV of subchapter A of chapter 1 25E. Right start child care and education credit (a) Allowance of credit In the case of an individual who is an eligible child care provider for the taxable year, there shall be allowed as a credit against the tax imposed by this chapter for the taxable year the amount of $2,000. (b) 3-Year credit (1) In general The credit allowable by subsection (a) for any taxable year to an individual shall be allowed for such year only if the individual elects the application of this section for such year. (2) Election An election to have this section apply may not be made by an individual for any taxable year if such an election by such individual is in effect for any 3 prior taxable years. (c) Eligible child care provider For purposes of this section— (1) In general The term eligible child care provider (A) as of the close of such taxable year, such individual holds a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education, child care, or a related degree and such degree was awarded by an eligible educational institution (as defined in section 25A(f)(2)), and (B) during such taxable year, such individual performs at least 1,200 hours of child care services at a facility if— (i) the principal use of the facility is to provide child care services, (ii) no more than 25 percent of the children receiving child care services at the facility are children (as defined in section 152(f)) of the individual or such individual’s spouse, and (iii) the facility meets the requirements of all applicable laws and regulations of the State or local government in which it is located, including the licensing of the facility as a child care facility. Subparagraph (B)(i) shall not apply to a facility which is the principal residence (within the meaning of section 121) of the operator of the facility. (2) Child care services The term child care services . (b) Clerical amendment The table of sections for subpart A of part IV of subchapter A of chapter 1 Sec. 25E. Right Start Child Care and Education Credit. (c) Effective date The amendments made by this section shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2016. 5. Increase in exclusion for employer-provided dependent care assistance (a) In general Subparagraph (A) of section 129(a)(2) $5,000 ($2,500 $7,500 ($3,750 (b) Effective date The amendment made by this section shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2016.

Summary: Right Start Child Care and Education Act of 2017 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) increase the rates and maximum allowable amount of the tax credit for employer-provided child care facilities; (2) increase the eligibility threshold amount and rate of the household and dependent care tax credit and make such credit refundable; (3) allow a new $2,000 annual tax credit for three years for child care providers who hold a bachelor's degree in early childhood education, child care, or a related degree and who provide at least 1,200 hours of child care services in a taxable year; and (4) increase the tax exclusion for employer-provided dependent care assistance.