rich 1.0 Action Network https://actionnetwork.org <link href='https://actionnetwork.org/css/style-embed-v3.css' rel='stylesheet' type='text/css' /><script src='https://actionnetwork.org/widgets/v6/letter/pass-hb162-out-of-committee?format=js&source=widget'></script><div id='can-letter-area-pass-hb162-out-of-committee' style='width: 100%'><!-- this div is the target for our HTML insertion --></div> 10,000 Women Louisiana https://actionnetwork.org/groups/10000-women-la https://can2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/groups/default_facebook_images/000/247/845/original/10_000Women_Logo_VerticalWithoutTag_Color.jpg?1760455333 Rep. Matthew Willard's bill to expand Louisiana's Earned Income Tax Credit is being heard in committee on Tuesday and we need your help. House Bill 162 would double our state EITC from 5% to 10% of the federal credit. It is the best opportunity we will have this session to improve our state tax code for ALICE families. It's being heard in the House Ways & Means Committee at 9 a.m. As you know, the EITC is one of the best policy tools we have to reduce poverty and help low-income working families keep more of what they earn. It's a small investment of state resources that can have long-lasting effects on families, and especially children. Some quick facts on the EITC: - Louisiana was the first Southern state to adopt a state EITC in 2007. - It was expanded in 2018 from 3.5% to 5% of the federal credit. - Despite the expansion, Louisiana's EITC is still the second-lowest among the 29 states and the District of Columbia that have such credits. - Nearly 500,000 Louisiana households claimed the credit in 2021. - People who claim the credit typically spend their refunds in their local communities. The credit supports grocery stores, restaurants, and other small businesses and helps the overall economy. - You can use these District Fact Sheets to see how the current EITC (and other public programs) affect your local community. - Children whose parents claim the EITC fare better in school, are more likely to graduate and avoid the criminal legal system than children in similar economic circumstances that don't claim the credit. This bill is especially timely because many of the pandemic-era federal benefits (enhanced food assistance and coverage protections for Medicaid enrollees) have recently expired, even as the price of rent, groceries and other necessities continues to rise. People need this help now more than ever. Thank you. https://actionnetwork.org/letters/pass-hb162-out-of-committee