LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska senator is proposing a series of state tax credits to address the high cost of child care and to increase access to early childhood programs.

Sen. Heath Mello of Omaha introduced legislation Monday that he says would focus on the state’s youngest children, particularly those who are at risk of failing in school.

Mello says his bill, the School Readiness Tax Credit Act, is modeled after a similar package of tax credits that began in Louisiana in 2008. He says the bill is intended to support families and the businesses that employ them.