Thousands of low-income parents would see their state child-care subsidies reduced under a budget plan passed by a Missouri Senate committee.
The plan approved Tuesday would reduce monthly child-care subsidies for about 6,600 children while extending benefits to an estimated 570 children whose parents currently earn too much to qualify.
Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Kurt Schaefer says the change would allow some low-income parents who get pay raises to continue working without losing child care. But a children's advocacy group expressed concern that the aid for a few would come at the expense of many.
The Senate panel approved the child-care plan while completing work Tuesday on a $23 billion state budget.
The Senate plan still must go before the full chamber and be reconciled with the House version.