California State Budget, Legislature & The Capitol

CALIFORNIA BUDGET UPDATES

To help support you staying on top of the 2024-25 budget process and materials connected to the budget, TFC is hosting everything in one place on its Budget Page.

Upcoming Committee Hearings for this week below. All upcoming calendared budget hearings noted here:

• Monday, April 8 - ASM Budget upon adjournment of session - State Capitol, Room 437 - Early Action
• Wednesday, April 10 - SEN B&FR @ 9:00 am - 1021 O Street, Room 1200 - Budget Act of 2023 (AB 106 & AB 144) 
• Thursday, April 11 - SEN B&FR Sub 3 @ 9:30 - 1021 O Street, Room 1200 - CalWORKs
• Monday, April 15 - ASM Budget Sub 1 @ 2:30 - State Capitol, Room 127
• - BEHAVIORAL HEALTH – CHILDREN AND YOUTH - Hearing Canceled

All of the above information can be found on TFC's Budget Page. Be sure to reach out to TFC staff with any questions.

Op-Ed by ASM Stephanie Nguyen

Hustling every day, working families are the backbone of society. These hardworking individuals are the driving force behind our economy, yet they often struggle to make ends meet. The COVID pandemic also affected the economy in many ways like where people work, shifting the type of work people do, and inflation.

As a result, many people are still entering or re-entering the job market in different roles. Programs like CalWORKS help working parents to successfully build their careers and ensure their children are taken care of. No one should have to choose between caring for a loved one and keeping their job. This not only provides much-needed security but also fosters a healthier work-life balance, ultimately benefiting both employees and employers.

Last year as a new legislator, one of the first bills I introduced was AB 372 aimed to allow more apprentices who are building their career, access to CalWORKS. It’s an honor to build upon that previous work with Thriving Families California (TFC) by making it easier for all families to keep their CalWORKS benefits. From my experience working in the community, I’ve encountered many families who benefit from this program.

This year with TFC, I was proud to introduce AB 1808 which establishes a consistent 24-month eligibility period for all income-eligible families within CalWORKS, aligning it with other subsidized child care programs. This bill will help eliminate inconsistencies, streamline processes, and reduce burdens on families accessing child care support. Reliable child care allows parents to pursue employment or education goals without worrying about the safety and well-being of their children.

This important piece of legislation will not only help parents and kids but will also help strengthen California’s workforce. By implementing policies that prioritize affordable childcare and families, we can create a more equitable and prosperous society for generations to come. It’s time to put working families first!

BILL OF THE WEEK

AB 1808 was unanimously passed by the ASM Human Services Committee and referred to the ASM Appropriations Committee. If you would like to add onto a coalition support letter (as submitted on 3/26/2024), please email logo. To send your own letter, click here. All logos submitted after 3/26/2024 will be added prior to the next scheduled heaing.

AB 1808 (Nguyen) Childcare and development services: eligibility.

Author: Assemblymember Stephanie Nguyen

Assemblymember Nguyen served as the Executive Director of Asian Resources, Inc. (ARI) to ensure that all communities, especially the low-income, immigrant, refugee, limited English-speaking youth, formerly incarcerated and undocumented, have access to support and services to help them get one step closer to self-sufficiency. She was elected to the Elk Grove City Council in 2017 and is the first Asian American woman in this role.



Stephanie Nguyen has lived, worked, and served the Sacramento and Elk Grove communities almost all her life. The daughter of Vietnamese Refugees who fled the Vietnam War by boat, she grew up in Sacramento’s Little Saigon district and attended Sacramento schools before graduating from Sacramento State University.

Click here to view the bill.

HOW TO SUPPORT A BILL

As bills move through California’s legislative process, they are presented to and heard by several committees who may recommend amendments and vote on whether or not the bill should continue through the legislative process.

As legislators decide how to vote, they consider public opinion as expressed through position letters. To support a bill and submit a position letter, you must first register here for an account. You only need to do this once. After you register, you will log in, and then you click on submit a letter. From there, you simply click on either AB (Assembly Bill) or SB (Senate Bill) and then the bill number. If you need any support, please email TFC.

IMPORTANT DATES, DEADLINES & BILLS

Last Friday was the deadline to introduce new bills. There were 1556 Assembly Bills introduced and 662 Senate bills.

Upcoming Legislative Hearings:

• ASM Human Services Committee - 4/9 @ 1:30 p.m. State Capitol, Room 437

Bills to Watch:

• AB 1808 (Nguyen) Childcare and development services: eligibility. Extends 24-month eligibility to CalWORKs child care. TFC SPONSORED If you would like to sign on to a COALITION SUPPORT LETTER please send email and logo here.
• AB 2476 (Bonta) Childcare services: alternative payment programs. TFC SPONSORED
• AB 2774 (Grayson) Childcare for Working Families Act

Resources:

• See the full 2023-24 Legislative Calendar here.
• Visit TFC's legislation page to find a comprehensive list of bills of interest.
• Visit TFC's Budget Page for full budget bill details, as well as budget hearing video archive links.
• Visit TFC's dedicated page to find a full list of Senate and Assembly Committee chairs and contact information.
• Click here to view all the bills that the Assembly and Senate introduced this legislative year.

LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE INFO, RULES & POSITION LETTER DEADLINES

All changes to committee assignments have been reflected on TFC's Committee Information, Rules & Position Letter Deadlines page. This page has been tailored to only include those committees relevant to the field. However, you can find the full, comprehensive and updated list of all committees on this site.

Please reach out to TFC staff if you have any questions.

Did you know?

Child Care Q&As

Question: When will the new definitions for part-time and full-time be released?

Answer: CDSS posted CCB 24-04 on March 8th with the new definitions.

Question: According to the Funding Terms & Conditions, how many years must a contractor reconcile a physical inventory with property records?

Answer: Every 2 years.

Question: When is the Program Self-Evaluation due? 

Answer: It is due on June 1st.

Federal Update

Check back next week.

Most Viewed Bills of the Week:

1. H.R.2882 [118th] Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024
2. H.R.7024 [118th] Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024
3. H.R.4366 [118th] Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024
4. H.R.7521 [118th] Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act
5. H.R.7511 [118th] Laken Riley Act
6. S.596 [117th] Treat and Reduce Obesity Act of 2021
7. H.R.82 [118th] Social Security Fairness Act of 2023
8. H.R.1332 [118th] Thirty-Two Hour Workweek Act
9. H.R.2670 [118th] National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024
10. H.R.5074 [118th] Kidney PATIENT Act of 2023

Social Media Spotlight

Field Highlights

CCDBG FY2024 State-by-State Appropriations Distribution Estimates and Increases

On March 23, 2024, President Joe Biden signed the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024 into law. The act’s allocations for fiscal year (FY) 2024 included a significant increase of $725 million in discretionary funds for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG). This was in addition to a smaller increase for Head Start and level funding for other important child care and early education programs such as Parts B and C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

CCDBG is a critical support for families with low incomes who, without access to assistance, would likely be unable to afford their current child care arrangements. However, due to limited federal funding, the program was only able to serve 18 percent of eligible children in 2020. The annual appropriations process is an important opportunity to increase federal investments in programs that respond to increased need and ensure funding keeps up with rising inflation...

Click here to view the full article.

Care Matters: A 2024 Report Card for Policies in the States

The Century Foundation published its first care policy report card, “Care Matters,” in 2021. That report card graded each state on a number of supportive family policies and worker rights and protections, such as paid sick and paid family leave, pregnant worker fairness, and the domestic worker bill of rights. The 2021 report card revealed the tremendous gaps in state care policies and a fragmented and insufficient system of care workers and families in most states. This update to the care report card, co-authored with Caring Across Generations, and with an updated methodology, takes another look at how states are doing...

Click here to view the full article.

Field Happenings

California Budget and Policy Center is hosting their Policy Insights conference on Tuesday, April 16th in Sacramento!

The dynamic workshops will cover some of the most important issues facing our state, including:



• Building Wealth, Building Futures: Strategies for Fostering Economic Opportunity and Mobility for Children
• Advancing Racial Equity in California: From Policy to Progress
• Dream Big: Increasing State Revenues Through Corporate Tax Fairness
• Expanding Child Care Access: Analyzing Supply Gaps and Policy Opportunities

Click here to register.

CDSS & CDE Information & Updates

Upcoming Webinars

SAVE THE DATE: Rate and Quality Advisory Panel

Greetings Executive Directors, Program Directors, Family Child Care Home Owners, and Family, Friend, and Neighbor Child Care Providers,

The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) is pleased to announce the next Rate and Quality Advisory Panel meeting is scheduled on April 8, 2024, from 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. The meeting will be held virtually via Zoom. All meetings are open to the public so that community members can participate and share advice and ideas. The meetings will include interpretation and translation in Spanish, Chinese and American Sign Language (ASL) and additional interpretation support will be added to later meetings if needed.

Please save the following details for the next meeting:

• April 8, 2024
• 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Zoom Registration

Information & Updates

RELEASED March 27, 2024: 2024 Final Rule Announcement

Greetings,

On February 29, 2024, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Child Care (OCC) announced a new rule that will reduce costs and improve access for families who receive child care subsidies funded with federal Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) resources. 

The federal regulations described in the Final Rule 2024 - 04139 are effective April 30, 2024. The Legislature and Governor in California have already enacted policies that are consistent with some of these new requirements. 

Below is a summary of the key updates to the federal regulations for which CDSS has already implemented the relevant policy direction.  

Click here for more information.

RELEASED March 13, 2024: Child Care Bulletin (CCB) 24-03: Program Self-Evaluation for Fiscal Year 2023-2024

The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) Child Care and Development Division (CCDD) has recently posted the following document on its Internet website: CCB 24-03: Program Self-Evaluation for Fiscal Year 2023-2024.

The purpose of this CCB is to describe the requirements for the Program Self-Evaluation of CDSS subsidized child care and development contractors. Within the bulletin, guidance is provided on the submission requirements for the Fiscal Year 2023- 2024 Program Self Evaluation (PSE) as well as a list of all the required documents to be maintained onsite by contract type. 

If you have any questions or need additional guidance regarding the information in this letter, please contact your assigned CCDD Program Quality and Improvement (PQI) Consultant.

Happening This Week, April 8th-12th:

Monday, April 8th:

• Rate and Quality Advisory Panel, 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Register Here.
• TFC Small/Rural Contractors Meeting @ 2:00pm

Tuesday, April 9th:

TFC Weekly Member Connections Meeting @ 1:00pm. Email to register.

Wednesday, April 10th:

TFC Board Meeting @ 8:30am

Thriving Families California (formerly CAPPA) is committed to supporting our field with a coordinated calendar. Click here to see current calendar of events. If you have an event to add, email us and it will be added.

The Weekly Good

An uplifting way to start the week, for those of us who need a break from the chaos that is our lives.

During this time where we are all stressed, it would be great to celebrate the positive. Each week we will celebrate everyday heroes, inspiring movements and great things happening in our field. 

Become a Monday 

Morning Update Partner! 

Our Monday Morning Update supports our Early Learning & Child Care field with timely information about what is going on in California and nationally; as well as dates to be aware and upcoming events. 

Our weekly Monday morning distribution is to nearly 10,000 federal and state local agencies, resource and referrals, contractors, legislators and their staffs', centers, parents, providers, state departments and advocates. 

To help support the continuation of this resource and or advertise in the Monday Morning Update, click HERE.

To advertise in the update, click here.

You can also make a donation to TFC and The CAPPA Children's Foundation HERE.

The Children's Foundation is a non-profit organization (501(c)3), Taxpayer Identification Number is 03-0521444. Your generous donation is tax deductible.