A father brings his infant child to El Rio Community Health Center for a checkup.
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema and a bipartisan group of House and Senate members are supporting a bill that would let families take a one-time, $5,000 tax credit when a baby is born or adopted.
The money would be an advance on 10 years of the federal child tax credit.
According to Sinema, 62% of Arizona families do not have paid leave when a child is born. The money does not have to be used to cover the cost of leave.
"The idea is that the plan gives flexibility to families to use the money in whatever part of child rearing is most appropriate for them," she said.
That could include everything from child care to car seats, cribs, and diapers.
The bill has bipartisan sponsors in the House and Senate. It also has the backing of the White House. Ivanka Trump issued a statement on behalf of the Trump Administration applauding the proposal.
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