Kalispell Chamber Focuses on Legislation that Supports a Healthy Workforce

As bills continue to make their way through the state Legislature, officials with the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce have outlined their agenda priorities, focusing on legislation that will support the Flathead Valley’s workforce.

Kalispell Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Lorraine Clarno says the organization supports bills that will promote a healthy workforce and would provide grant funding opportunities for public school programs and reformulate eligibility requirements for the state’s Best Beginning Child Care Scholarship Program.

“We are seeing a steady incline of growth and our businesses are telling us that workforce is the issue,” Clarno said. “When you break that down – it’s housing and childcare.”

During the 68th Legislative Session, Clarno is focused on House Bill 238, which would widen the eligibility requirements for the Best Beginning Child Care Scholarship Program. The Montana Department of Health and Human Services (DPHHS) program offers scholarships using federal funding for low-income families.

HB 238 is currently awaiting approval following its first House committee hearing.

The program’s current criteria includes funding for working families whose income is at or below 185% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. There is also a sliding fee scale, which determines eligibility.

But Clarno says there are issues with the current eligibility requirements. For example – when parents are offered wage increases from their employers, they often reject the increase or choose not to pick up hours because the extra income would disqualify them from the scholarship.

“The Best Beginning scholarship is an essential tool,” Clarno said. “Childcare is the workforce for the workforce.”

Instead of basing funding off the federal poverty rate, the bill would adjust the formula to account for the cost of living.

According to the bill, a family may be eligible if their income does not exceed 85% of the state median income and each family will make a copayment based on a sliding-fee scale, which will not exceed 7% of the family’s monthly income.

“This will localize it to the cost of living in Montana and it will dramatically change and allow families to continue receiving scholarships to pay for childcare,” Clarno said.

In recent years, the chamber illuminated childcare access as a central focus to help address workforce shortages as parents left the workforce due to a lack of childcare. The Kalispell Chamber of Commerce’s Child Care Task Force was launched in 2021, outlining ways to bring additional care options to the Flathead Valley.

This year, the chamber is working to recruit people into early education programs and Clarno hopes it will spark a wider interest in the industry.

“We are trying to find ways for people to get into early education programs,” Clarno said. “They are fabulous programs, but we are not seeing people entering the field.”

In addition to bills advocating for childcare, the chamber also supports House Bill 257, which would create additional funding sources to expand or create Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs for students k-12.

The bill, which is scheduled for its second reading and was introduced by Courtenay Sprunger, R-Kalispell, would create more funding for school districts to provide “advanced opportunity aid.” If passed, the legislation would allow school districts to apply for grant dollars to expand or create CTE programs, which include courses in technical careers like automotive, welding and electrical.

Funding would help provide financial aid to students whose families can’t afford additional supplies needed for CTE courses. For example, things like steel-toed boots and safety equipment may be required for certain classes that are out of reach for some families.

“Some kids are being left out of that opportunity because they can’t afford it,” Clarno said.

Clarno says the chamber supports the bill as an ongoing effort to promote the Flathead Valley’s workforce. Employers in the trades, which includes industries like electrical, plumbing, insulation and automotive, continue to report a workforce shortage, she said.

“Workforce continues to be our number one issue,” Clarno said. “We are looking at the long-term pipeline and it’s critical to get more students into the trades. There are wonderful, high paying jobs available.”