For Immediate Release
SACRAMENTO – “California’s support of child care, care providers and working parents will be unparalleled,” said Senator Josh Becker of the bill the Legislature is sending to Governor Newsom to expand child care, reform child care rates and improve facilities across the state.
“I am so proud to be a member of the Legislature that is making these historic investments possible,” said Senator Becker, D-Peninsula. “To quote early childhood care and education advocate Scott Moore, ‘Simply put, this legislation will make California the best state in the nation to raise a child.’
“In my district, these moves would increase rates by a projected 30% -- a strong step toward the professional wage rate care providers deserve.”
Senator Becker, who is the father of two teens and served four years on the Child Care Partnership Council in San Mateo County, added: “Good, reliable child care that is affordable for working parents and provides living wages for care givers is integral to the success of kids, their parents, and especially working mothers.” He noted that the pandemic placed even heavier burdens on women, who bore the brunt of job loss during the crisis and were often caught between the competing needs to provide for their families, care for their kids and supervise their remote education. Women who are child care providers found themselves working long hours during the pandemic, usually for little pay, and often had to meet the needs of their own families as well.
Senate Pro Tem Toni Atkins, Senator Nancy Skinner, who chairs the Joint Legislative Budget Committee and Senator Connie Leyva, who chairs the Senate Education Committee, championed the legislation that:
- Increases rates, provides rate parity for all child care providers, sets the stage for broad rate reform
- Ensures 200,000 more child care slots over next five years
- Provides $250 million to retrofit, upgrade or expand child care facilities
Earlier this week, Governor Newsom signed legislation that makes transitional kindergarten free for all 4-year-olds in California. The legislation passed by both houses today addresses the other key component that makes early learning and development for children possible, the senator said.
“Our families and our economy cannot recover from the financial turmoil caused by the pandemic without stable, affordable child care in which the providers are adequately compensated so that everyone, from the working parents to the people caring for their kids, can make a living,” Senator Becker said.
“We as a state cannot succeed unless we ensure that care, development and education of our kids – California’s future leaders—starts in early childhood. Our 2021-22 budget provides unprecedented support of that long-held ideal.”
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Media Contact: Leslie Guevarra, leslie.guevarra@sen.ca.gov, 415-298-3404