Some states have pulled back on childcare spending, leading to a drop in spots and longer waitlists for the ones that remain. Amid an often bleak landscape, Kentucky was recently able to pass House Bill 6 with bipartisan support, making significant investments in childcare by improving subsidy reimbursement rates, codifying free childcare for childcare providers, requiring training to better support children with special needs and easing regulations that stand in providers’ way. The state’s effort started in 2024 with the launch of the Kentucky Collaborative on Child Care. But he was eventually able to get on board with earmarking a portion of the 15-hour annual training requirement for childcare providers for helping staff better support children with disabilities. That included improving the state’s existing childcare subsidy program, streamlining burdensome regulations, improving care quality, and addressing the low pay and high turnover among childcare staff.