2023 Governor's State of the State speeches: on Families & Children


Greg Gianforte: $5000 adoption tax credit; $7500 adopting out of foster care

We must also make it easier for Montanans to open their happy, healthy, loving homes to children. Every child deserves a home where they can reach their full potential. To get more children into permanent, loving homes, we're proposing an adoption tax credit of $5,000, and if you adopt a kid in our foster care system, we'll bump that credit to $7,500. We heard inspiring testimonies yesterday from parents who opened their homes and adopted kids.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Montana legislature Jan 25, 2023

Jim Pillen: Special Education fund: never give up on a single kid

My top priority, and that of all Nebraskans, is our kids. That is why, today, I'm proposing the creation of the Education Future Fund with an investment of $1 Billion dollars in fiscal year 23-24 and $250 Million each year thereafter. This investment ensures that Nebraska will never ever give up on a single kid--ever again. The Education Future Fund will provide further assistance to our school districts to help meet the needs of special education students across the State.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Nebraska legislature Jan 25, 2023

Josh Green: Up to $10,000 child care tax credit for working families

We'll also take bold action to expand the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit. Under our proposal, working families paying for daycare, babysitters, summer camps, after school care, and adult daycare will be eligible for up to $10,000 of support from the state. This will provide a huge relief for working families and help reduce the choice that many face--whether to start a family or to invest in a career.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Hawaii legislature Jan 23, 2023

Kathy Hochul: Streamline and centralize the child care application process

Less than 10% of families who are eligible for child care assistance are actually enrolled. This is the legacy of a system that is difficult to navigate - by design. That has to change. Our plan will streamline and centralize the child care application process, expand access for the most vulnerable families, increase income eligibility, and lower co-pays, while also supporting the child care providers who are indispensable for working parents.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the New York legislature Jan 10, 2023

Kristi Noem: Expand family leave benefits to 100% of salary for 12 weeks

Currently, the state provides paid family leave benefits at 60% of an employee's salary for 8 weeks. I am proposing that we extend that to 100% of salary for 12 weeks. This new policy won't just cover new births or adoptions--it will also cover taking care of a child, spouse, or parent with a serious health condition, or a situation where a spouse is called to active-duty military service. Private sector companies will have the opportunity to be a part of the state's risk pool, as well.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the S.D. legislature Jan 10, 2023

Michelle Lujan-Grisham: Healthy, universal and free meals for every student

I'm calling for healthy, universal and free meals for every student in New Mexico, along with an additional $20 million investment in school kitchens so they can offer the fresh and nutritious foods our kids need to thrive. We're calling the program Kids' Kitchens, and wherever kids are, there ought to be a kitchen working to keep them healthy, strong and ready to learn. With this program, New Mexico is literally providing food for thought.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the N.M. legislature Jan 19, 2023

Mike DeWine: Repeal the State's sales tax on critical infant supplies

To ease the financial burden on new parents, our budget asks you to repeal the State's sales tax on critical infant supplies, things such as diapers, wipes, cribs, car seats, strollers, and safety equipment. Further, I am also asking you to enact a $2,500 per child state tax deduction!
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Ohio legislature Jan 31, 2023

Mike Parson: Increase Child Care Subsidy rates to child care providers

We are proposing three new child care tax credit programs. These programs will help improve child care facilities, support employers who support their workers with child care assistance, and allow more of our dedicated child care workers to earn a pay increase. We are also investing more than $78 million dollars to increase Child Care Subsidy rates to child care providers across the state.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Missouri legislature Jan 18, 2023

Spencer Cox: Prevent social media companies from collecting kids' data

To the social media companies who have been reckless in protecting our youth, Utah parents are putting you on notice. If you insist on fighting us, we are more than ready for a fight and we will win. Or you can be part of the solution. I am pleased to announce that we are working on legislation that will prevent social media companies from collecting data from our kids, limit the use of cell phones in the classroom, and empower parents to reduce this toxic technology in our homes.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Utah legislature Jan 19, 2023

Tate Reeves: Make Mississippi the easiest place to raise a family

I'm calling on the legislature to establish a New Pro-Life Agenda that helps make Mississippi the easiest place in the nation to raise a family. Together, we can prove the country wrong just like we did in education. Just like we led the nation in overturning Roe, we can lead the nation in supporting mothers and babies. This session, Mississippi should establish a childcare tax credit and allow Mississippi families to write off childcare supplies on state tax returns.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Miss. legislature Jan 30, 2023

Tony Evers: 54% of Wisconsinites today live in a child care desert

54% of Wisconsinites today live in a child care desert--where there are few to no high-quality options for child care in their neighborhood or community. The first thing I'm going to do is deliver on my promise to expand the Child and Dependent Care Credit, which will provide nearly $30 million in tax relief to more than 100,000 Wisconsinites. We'll also be investing more than $22 million into the Partner Up! program to expand partnerships between employers and child care providers.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Wisconsin legislature Jan 24, 2023

Bill Lee: Extending post-partum Medicaid coverage is pro-life

We will further strengthen postpartum coverage, provide services to over 5,000 more mothers, close the coverage gap for parents, and reach an additional 10,000 children--in total, offering services to nearly 25,000 more women, children, and parents in need. We are going to propose covering the cost of diapers during the first two years of a baby's life for mothers on TennCare. That's pro-life. That's pro-family.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Tennessee legislature Feb 6, 2023

Bill Lee: Paid parental-leave for state workers, no business mandate

One way we can support and strengthen families is by making it possible for parents to be there, worry-free, for every second of those first months of life. That's why I am proposing a commonsense paid parental-leave program for state employees who are growing their family.

This is not a mandate on businesses. I believe every business owner should make decisions that are in the best interest of their employees.

Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Tennessee legislature Feb 6, 2023

J.B. Pritzker: Childcare for those in a job search or job training program

Although we provide childcare assistance for parents who already have jobs, we've never before provided childcare for someone who's unemployed but looking for a job. It's nearly impossible to interview with an employer if you're simultaneously the 24/7 primary caregiver for your family. So, in 2021, we initiated a program that provides three months of childcare for unemployed parents who are engaged in a job search or a job training program in preparation for a new job.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Illinois legislature Feb 15, 2023

Kevin Stitt: Ban all gender transition surgeries & therapies for minors

We must protect our most vulnerable - our children. After all minors can't vote, can't purchase alcohol, can't purchase cigarettes… We shouldn't allow a minor to get a permanent gender altering surgery in Oklahoma. That's why I am calling on the Legislature to send me a bill that bans all gender transition surgeries and hormone therapies on minors in the state!
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Oklahoma legislature Feb 6, 2023

  • The above quotations are from 2023 Governor's State of the State speeches.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Families & Children.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
  • Click here for more quotes by Andy Beshear on Families & Children.
  • Click here for more quotes by Dan McKee on Families & Children.
Candidates and political leaders on Families & Children:

Retired Senate as of Jan. 2015:
GA:Chambliss(R)
IA:Harkin(D)
MI:Levin(D)
MT:Baucus(D)
NE:Johanns(R)
OK:Coburn(R)
SD:Johnson(D)
WV:Rockefeller(D)

Resigned from 113th House:
AL-1:Jo Bonner(R)
FL-19:Trey Radel(R)
LA-5:Rod Alexander(R)
MA-5:Ed Markey(D)
MO-9:Jo Ann Emerson(R)
NC-12:Melvin Watt(D)
SC-1:Tim Scott(R) 		Retired House to run for Senate or Governor:
AR-4:Tom Cotton(R)
GA-1:Jack Kingston(R)
GA-10:Paul Broun(R)
GA-11:Phil Gingrey(R)
HI-1:Colleen Hanabusa(D)
IA-1:Bruce Braley(D)
LA-6:Bill Cassidy(R)
ME-2:Mike Michaud(D)
MI-14:Gary Peters(D)
MT-0:Steve Daines(R)
OK-5:James Lankford(R)
PA-13:Allyson Schwartz(D)
TX-36:Steve Stockman(R)
WV-2:Shelley Capito(R) 		Retired House as of Jan. 2015:
AL-6:Spencer Bachus(R)
AR-2:Tim Griffin(R)
CA-11:George Miller(D)
CA-25:Howard McKeon(R)
CA-33:Henry Waxman(D)
CA-45:John Campbell(R)
IA-3:Tom Latham(R)
MN-6:Michele Bachmann(R)
NC-6:Howard Coble(R)
NC-7:Mike McIntyre(D)
NJ-3:Jon Runyan(R)
NY-4:Carolyn McCarthy(D)
NY-21:Bill Owens(D)
PA-6:Jim Gerlach(R)
UT-4:Jim Matheson(D)
VA-8:Jim Moran(D)
VA-10:Frank Wolf(R)
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Page last updated: Apr 02, 2023