Governor Newsom Indicators Laws Supporting Working Households and Little one Care Suppliers

AB 131 will gradually create 200,000 new childcare places by 2025-26 to expand access for working parents

Childcare and preschool providers across the state are receiving significant pay increases

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom signed today in a video conference attended by Congregation Speaker Anthony Rendon, members of the Women’s Legislative Committee including Congregation Chair Cristina Garcia and Senator Vice Chair Nancy Skinner, as well as childcare advocates and providers a law adding thousands of new children to childcare places to expand access for working families, including increasing the quotas of childcare and preschool providers.

AB 131, the Trailer Childcare Budget Act, will gradually introduce 200,000 new childcare places by 2025-26, dramatically expanding access to childcare for families. More than 145,000 new childcare places will be added by 2022-23.

“I am proud to sign this Act to Promote Women and Working Families while supporting our dedicated early childhood professionals,” said Governor Newsom. “With 200,000 new childcare places to meet parenting needs, balancing the demands of work and family upbringing, and higher pay and support for childcare and preschool providers, this package will help revitalize and invest in our basic care economy Family health and well-being across the state. “

Under the law, childcare and preschool providers across the state will receive significant rate increases that reflect the agreement reached between the state and Child Care Providers United, which represents 40,000 family childcare providers. This is the first collective agreement between the state and the new union after the governor signed AB 378 in 2019 – a law by current Senator Monique Limόn, championed by Senate President Pro Tempore G. Atkins and other childcare advocates in the legislature . To give educators the right to join a trade union and to bargain collectively with the state. It also provides a one-time commitment of $ 40 million to meet staffing needs, including education, training, and professional development for family childcare providers.

AB 131 includes $ 579 million in additional support for childcare and preschool providers, including stabilization grants to ensure that more can be done after the unprecedented challenges of the past year. Family fees will be waived until June next year for all families who use subsidized childcare and state preschools. The law also allows the state to provide $ 250 million in infrastructure grants to build and renovate childcare facilities, with a focus on underserved areas.

Under the budget agreement signed by the governor earlier this month, the state is investing $ 4.8 million in the Department of Social Services to lead the planning and development of a new childcare data system that complies with the Early Childhood Master Plan Learning and care is in harmony with the needs of families and providers. The California Comeback Plan also includes investments to create a free, high-quality universal transitional kindergarten for all four-year-olds by 2025 and create savings accounts for at-risk students currently enrolled in K-12 public schools.

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