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.

Last week, both the Assembly and Senate Budget Committees had their first hearings regarding Governor Newsom's January budget proposal. Click here to see the LAO overview distributed for the hearings.

Communications released related to the CA Budget:

• CA Budget & Policy Center: First Look: Understanding the Governor's 2024-25 State Budget Proposal
• The 2024-25 Budget: Overview of the Governor's Budget

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

IMPORTANT DATES, DEADLINES & BILLS

Upcoming dates and legislative deadlines to be aware:

• Jan 31 - Last day for each house to pass bills introduced in that house in the odd-numbered year (J.R. 61(b)(3)) (Art. IV, Sec. 10(c)). (01-31-2024)
• Feb. 16 Last day for bills to be introduced (J.R. 61(b)(4), (J.R. 54(a)). 

Upcoming Committee Hearings:

• JOINT HEARING: SENATE EDUCATION AND ASSEMBLY HIGHER EDUCATION
• February 7th, 2024 @ 9 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 1200

Recently Introduced Bills to Watch:

• AB 1808 (Nguyen) Childcare and development services: eligibility. Extends 24-month eligibility to CalWORKs child care. TFC SPONSORED

2-Year Bills to Watch:

• AB 51 (Bonta) Early Child Care and Education
• AB 657 (Jackson) Child Welfare Funding Act.
• AB 1038 (Rendon) Family Childcare home education networks
• SB 953 (Menjivar) Medi-Cal: menstrual products.
• SB 600 (Menjivar) California CalFresh Minimum Benefit Adequacy Act of 2023

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.

2024 ELECTION INFORMATION AND UPDATES

Important Dates:

• February 20, 2024 - Last Day to Register to Vote
• March 5, 2024 - Presidential Primary Election
• November 5, 2024 - General Election

Qualified Statewide Propositions:

• Proposition 1:
• AB 531 (Chapter 789, Statutes of 2023), Irwin. The Behavioral Health Infrastructure Bond Act of 2023.
• SB 326 (Chapter 790, Statutes of 2023), Eggman. The Behavioral Health Services Act.
• SCA 2 (Allen) Public housing projects. (Res. Ch. 182, 2022)
• ACA 5 (Low) Marriage equality. (Res. Ch. 125, 2023)
• ACA 1 (Aguiar-Curry) Local government financing: affordable housing and public infrastructure: voter approval. (Res. Ch. 173, 2023)
• ACA 13 (Ward) Voting thresholds. (Res. Ch. 176, 2023)

Click here to see the Secretary of State's full list of candidates for 2024 elections.

Click here to see more information on elections from the Secretary of State.

Did you know?

Child Care Q&As

Question: Will center-based providers receive a transitional one-time payment in parity with family child care home providers?

Answer: Funds to support Transitional One-Time Payments to center-based providers are expected to be issued in Spring 2024. 

Question: How long will the monthly cost of care plus rates be distributed?

Answer: Providers serving children enrolled in all setting types of the programs identified above (License/License-Exempt Family Child Care Homes and centers) will be eligible for the Monthly Cost of Care Plus Rates payments from January 2024 through June 2025. 

Federal Update

NWLC Federal Update

As previously reported, Congress has once again avoided a partial government shutdown and funded federal agencies into March. The temporary measure will give Congress additional time to draft and pass a FY24 appropriation bill. However, now, three weeks after the making of the agreement, very little progress has been made towards allocating the funds from the agreement. More: DHS funding, tied up in border talks, stalls appropriations deal - Roll Call

Unfortunately, the agreement on defense and non-defense spending (the "top-line number") for FY24 appropriations does not retain the ECE increases that were included in the bipartisan Senate LHHS Fiscal Year 2024 Appropriations Bill. Therefore, it’s important that we continue to make the case that any additional funding considered by Congress includes our ECE priorities. 

⇒ Please urge your Members of Congress to protect and expand funding for child care and early learning programs.

Our country needs Congress to push past the chaos and focus on the basics: keeping the government running and passing funding bills that place the needs of women, families, and children first. 

URGENT: Child Tax Credit

In 2022 we saw the largest increase in child poverty ever recorded. As soon as next week, the House of Representatives is voting on legislation that could lift half a million children out of poverty by 2025 by expanding the Child Tax Credit (CTC).  

⇒ Join us in calling on Congress to lift children out of poverty―by passing bipartisan tax legislation that expands the CTC. Click here to take action today. (Coalition on Human Needs)

The bipartisan tax package currently being debated in Congress includes an expansion of the CTC that would help millions of families put food on the table, cover their rent, and pay for child care and other bills. We know that families thrive when they can afford necessities, which in turn strengthens our economy and our communities. 

While this expansion of the CTC doesn’t go as far as it should, this is a critical opportunity to make a significant dent in child poverty right now. We can’t let this moment pass us by. That’s why we need you to act before the vote next week, to set up a long overdue victory for women and families.  

We know how to end child poverty. That is why we are fighting for this expansion right now, and why we will keep fighting to further improve the CTC.  

Supplemental Federal Child Care Funding

As the timeline for passing the national security supplemental request continues to draw out, we are now focused on ensuring that any domestic supplemental that is considered includes $16 billion for child care and early learning.

⇒ Please urge your Members of Congress to support the $16 billion proposal supported by President Biden and many congressional Democrats. 

• State-by-State
•  Map on Local Impact of Child Care Funding Cliff - National Women's Law Center (nwlc.org)
• The-Child-Care-Stabilization-Act-One-Pager.pdf

Take Action - 30-Day Comment Period for FY2025-2027 CCDF Plan Preprint for States and Territories

From the the Office of Child Care (OCC), US Dept. of Health and Human Services (HHS):

The Office of Child Care (OCC) is pleased to announce the Federal Register publication of the Second Notice of the Proposed Information Collection Activity and Comment Request regarding the fiscal year (FY) 2025-2027 CCDF Plan Preprint for States and Territories (Plan Preprint). A copy of the revised CCDF Plan Preprint is attached to this email, along with a copy of the Federal Register announcement. Both the Federal Register notice and CCDF Plan Preprint are posted on OCC’s website.

This revised draft CCDF Plan Preprint reflects input from a variety of stakeholders via the public comment process. It also reflects feedback from Lead Agencies collected through several engagement opportunities that occurred in conjunction with the 60-day public comment period and throughout the last Plan cycle. We heard from Lead Agencies that the Plan is both a compliance document and a planning tool for working with partners in their states and territories to implement the CCDF program and reflect their priorities. Lead Agencies requested clarity on how the questions within the CCDF Plan Preprint address both purposes. OCC analyzed the information gathered through the public comments and previous Plans to evaluate how well the questions addressed the purposes of the CCDF Plan. OCC also evaluated CCDF implementation status and revised the CCDF Plan Preprint to clearly identify implementation goals and expectations regarding CCDF requirements. This CCDF Plan Preprint is a key part of the overall framework OCC is using to align the CCDF Plan, monitoring, and technical assistance supports to effectively achieve the CCDF policy goals and a CCDF child care program that meets the needs of the children and families it serves. A summary of key changes to the CCDF Plan Preprint is below. 

The FY 2025-2027 CCDF Plan Preprint for States and Territories requires Lead Agencies to describe how they effectively administer the program to meet the needs of children and families in alignment with CCDF requirements. It has been refined and restructured to:  

• Reduce burden on Lead Agencies by asking fewer and more direct questions, simplifying question structure and aligning purpose and information collection across the
•  Plan, monitoring and other reporting requirements 
• Prioritize and highlight key child care policy priorities
• Provide a mechanism for States and Territories to communicate their implementation action plans to address areas of non-compliances  

OCC is holding a national webinar for Lead Agencies on Thursday, Feb. 8, 1-2 p.m. EST, to provide more information on the 2025-2027 CCDF Plan Preprint for States and Territories and how we used the valuable input and insight Lead Agencies and other stakeholders have shared with us over the past year to revise the Plan Preprint. Please save the date. Registration information for the webinar will be sent separately soon.

This second Public Comment Period provides an opportunity for you to submit comments directly to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). A comment is best assured of having its full effect if OMB receives it within 30 days of publication of the Federal Register notice. States, territories, and other interested parties have 30 days to make a formal comment. Comments must be submitted no later than Feb. 21, 2024. Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be sent directly to the following:

Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project

Email: OIRA_SUBMISSION@OMB.EOP.GOV 

Most Viewed Bills of the Week:

1. 1.H.R.3832 [118th] Disease X Act of 2023
2. H.R.2872 [118th] Making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, and for other purposes.
3. H.Res.956 [118th] Expressing the great contributions to American society by Indian-American communities and the graduates of the Indian Institutes of Technology in the United States.
4. H.R.2670 [118th] National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024
5. H.R.2 [118th] Secure the Border Act of 2023
6. S.Res.504 [118th] A resolution requesting information on Israel’s human rights practices pursuant to section 502B(c) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961.
7. H.R.7024 [118th] Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024
8. S.596 [117th] Treat and Reduce Obesity Act of 2021
9. H.R.82 [118th] Social Security Fairness Act of 2023
10. H.R.6363 [118th] Further Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act, 2024

Social Media Spotlight

Field Highlights

Understanding Proposition 1

Millions of Californians who cope with behavioral health conditions — mental illness or substance use disorders — rely on services and supports that are primarily provided by California’s 58 counties.

Improving California’s behavioral health system is critical to ensure access to these services for all Californians, regardless of race, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, or county of residence.

In recent years, state policymakers have launched various initiatives to transform California’s behavioral health system with the goal of improving access for Californians. The most recent of these initiatives is Prop. 1. Last year, state policymakers passed, with strong support from Governor Gavin Newsom, Senate Bill 326 and Assembly Bill 531. Together, these bills placed Prop. 1 on the March 2024 ballot.

Click here to view the full article.

Child care workers organize for better pay and treatment

The pandemic underscored the stark differences in pay, working conditions, and respect between K-12 educators and child care teachers in many communities. The disparity is rooted in race, class and gender: Child care teachers are more likely to be female, less likely to be white, and more likely to come from lower-income backgrounds than public school teachers.

In spite of historically poor treatment and low pay, child care workers have been exceptionally hard to unionize, due to high turnover rates, the geographic spread and isolation of the workforce, labor laws, and other factors.

Yet there have been union victories in recent years...

Click here to view the full article.

CDSS & CDE Information & Updates

RELEASED January 23, 2024 **Revised** CDMIS Update #31: Transition to Reporting Enrollment in the CDD-801A Report

Attention: Program Directors, Executive Directors, Active CDMIS Users, and Software Vendors

Commencing with the December 2023 CDD-801A Report, all California State Preschool Program (CSPP) contractors and California Department of Social Services (CDSS) contractors will report all children enrolled for at least one day during the reporting month in their CDD-801A Report. Children should be added to the CDD-801A report during the month associated with their "First Date of Subsidized Service" as indicated on the California Department of Education (CDE) Form 9600 or CDSS CCD 26 Form.

The CDE is currently working on rescinding Management Bulletins (MB) 07-02 and 09-12, which provide guidance for contractors to report all families and children who received subsidized services during the month; this guidance will be revised to instruct contractors to instead report all families and children who were enrolled for subsidized services during the report month. This updated MB is forthcoming, and the contents of this update serve as interim guidance until it is published.

Enrollment-based reporting will be tied to the per-child allocation amount your agency receives in the Cost of Care Plus Rate quarterly advances and true-ups. To ensure your agency receives the correct Cost of Care Plus Rate payment, please review your CDD-801A Reports from December 2023 and thereafter to ensure all children enrolled for at least one day during the month are included in that month’s report. For example, if a child enrolled in your program with a “First Date of Subsidized Service Date” of December 19, 2023, but did not attend your program in the month, they must be reported in your December 2023 CDD-801A. As another example, if a child is disenrolled from your program on November 19, 2023, and was not enrolled for any part of December, they should be removed from your December 2023 CDD-801A.

For more information, please visit the CDMIS Update #31 webpage.

Register and save the date - “Dismantling the Pipeline" Equity Webinar on February 8, 2024!

Here is an upcoming webinar hosted by the California Department of Social Services, Child Care and Development Division: "Dismantling the Pipeline: A Change Centered Approach," facilitated by EduPOP! TLC (Educational Equity Leaders).

Title: Dismantling the Pipeline: A Change Centered Approach

Presenters: EduPOP! TLC

Date: Thursday, February 8, 2024 Time: 2:00 to 4:00 P.M.

Please register for the webinar here: Webinar Registration Link

Webinar Highlights: This two-hour webinar will delve into the critical topics of the preschool to prison pipeline, implicit bias and microaggressions and their role in perpetuating generational barriers for historically excluded communities. Attendees will gain valuable insights and strategies to ensure that all children receive unique support and celebration for the diversity they bring.

Intended Audience: We welcome allies, advocates, early learning and care workforce, child care community members, and anyone passionate about fostering equity and inclusion.

RELEASED January 17, 2024: CCB 23-34E ERRATUM TO IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROVISIONS OF SB 140 (CHAPTER 193, STATUTES OF 2023) PERTAINING TO CHILD CARE PROVIDER PAYMENT

The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) Child Care and Development Division (CCDD) has recently posted the following document on its Internet website: CCB 23-25E ERRATUM TO IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROVISIONS OF SB 140 (CHAPTER 193, STATUTES OF 2023) PERTAINING TO CHILD CARE PROVIDER PAYMENT.

The purpose of this erratum Child Care Bulletin (CCB) is to correct the guidance provided to counties and child care and development contractors in CCB 23-34 regarding implementation of the provisions of SB 140 pertaining to child care provider payment policies and procedures. Specifically, SB 140 requires counties and contractors to develop, implement, and publish a plan for timely payments to providers, makes changes to parent signature requirements, and redefines part-time and full-time care.

Read the entire CCB here.

RELEASED January 17, 2024: CCLD has released a new Provider Information Notice (PIN), PIN 24-03-CCLD: COMMUNITY CARE LICENSING DIVISION (CCLD) ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES: CHILD CARE ADVOCATE AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT PROGRAMS

Primary Audience:

ADULT AND SENIOR CARE PROGRAM LICENSEES

CHILD CARE FACILITY LICENSEES

CHILDREN’S RESIDENTIAL LICENSEES AND PROVIDERS

FOSTER FAMILY AGENCY APPROVED OR CERTIFIED HOMES

Summary:

PIN 24-03-CCLD is a notice of upcoming CCLD organizational changes concerning the Child Care Advocate, Child Care Technical Support Program, and Residential Technical Support Program.

An electronic copy of PIN 24-03-CCLD: COMMUNITY CARE LICENSING DIVISION (CCLD) ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES: CHILD CARE ADVOCATE AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT PROGRAMS is available for viewing/downloading by clicking on the following link

PIN 24-03-CCLD: COMMUNITY CARE LICENSING DIVISION (CCLD) ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES: CHILD CARE ADVOCATE AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT PROGRAMS

CDSS Child Care and Development Transition January 2024 Quarterly Report

The transition of child care and development programs from the California Department of Education (CDE) to the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) supports the State’s approach to strengthening our child care and development system to be more comprehensive, high-quality, and affordable.

The January 2024 Child Care Transition Quarterly Report outlines crucial milestones achieved from September to December 2023. It covers a historic second agreement between the State of California and the Child Care Providers United – California (CCPU), and a collaborative effort with WestEd. Additionally, a visual comparison in the report illustrates the rise in annual caseloads for CDSS’ subsidized child care and development programs from October 2022.

Read the report here.

Read the executive summary here.

ATTENTION: Child Care and Development Contractors – Remaining ARPA Funds Information

In order to comply with deadlines for certain federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, California disbursed the funds to contractors, so that eligible child care providers would receive an additional stipend. Providers who cared for a child enrolled in a subsidy program in April 2022 received a $275 per child enrolled stipend payment. The same eligibility rules applied for this next stipend round that applied for both the AB 179 $1442 per child stipends and the AB 110 $440 reimbursement rate supplements.  

This email provides additional guidance about remaining ARPA funds. CDSS is aware that many contractors have additional ARPA funds remaining while some contractors require additional funds to issue the full round of $275 stipends. To maximize unused child care stabilization funds, contractors are instructed to:

• Hold remaining ARPA funds until CDSS provides additional instructions in the coming weeks.
• Complete this survey by January 31, 2024. Please be sure to submit accurate responses, as these responses will be used for final reconciliation of ARPA funds.     

Happening This Week, January 29th- February 2nd:

Tuesday, January 30th:

-TFC Weekly Member Call @ 1:00pm. Email to register.

Thursday, February 1st:

-TFC and CDSS Quarterly Meeting

-TFC Public Policy Committee Workgroup: Funding @ 1:00pm. Email if interested in joining.

Friday, February 2nd:

-ECPCA Full Coalition Meeting @ 10:00am

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. 

New Solano Childcare Bootcamp Helps Industry Rebound

It’s been almost four years since the COVID-19 pandemic decimated Solano County’s childcare industry, forcing almost half of the region’s providers to close their doors.

Today, the industry has rebounded in Solano County, with nearly as many providers in operation as there were pre-pandemic and dozens more in the process of obtaining state licensing. There is still a great need for childcare providers, but the current recovery trend is promising.

Much of the growth has occurred in recent months, thanks to the new Childcare Entrepreneurship Bootcamp, a free 25-hour training for new childcare providers offered through a partnership with the Workforce Development Board of Solano County and Solano Family and Children’s Services.

This in-person training, offered to each cohort over a three-month period, includes a combination of classroom learning, group activities, and panel discussions. Participants learn childcare business best practices, marketing for their business, infant and toddler development, and they receive access to provider resources and a business start-up kit.

“We also work hand in hand with each individual as they go through the process of becoming a licensed childcare provider,” said Cinda-Rae Clemente, Resource and Referral Program Manager for Solano Family and Children’s Services. “We help them with their application for licensing and we help them prepare for their home visits, so they are ready for Community Care licensing to come out and do their inspections.”

By the end of the bootcamp, participants obtain a certificate of completion and are ready to submit all necessary licensing documentation to Community Care Licensing. Ideally, they would be licensed to care for children in just a few months.

Four cohorts, each with 10 to 12 participants, are being funded through Solano County American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars. The first three were in 2023 with a fourth planned in 2024.

The Spanish cohort in particular has been especially well attended, and Clemente said there are additional Spanish-speaking providers interested in future programs. “We are lacking in providers in general, but we are really lacking in providers who can serve Spanish-speaking families” she said. “We’ve tried to recruit for years, and this program has been the first time we’ve been able to find this many Spanish-speaking individuals who can provide these services to our families.”

Joselyn Jones went through the first cohort in the fall and is now fully licensed by the state. In just the last couple months, she has set up a website for her childcare and is in the process of changing her business structure to a LLC. “Soon, I will be working with a child needing extra assistance, so I am grateful for the training I received for inclusion/special needs,” she said. “I would not have been able to purchase many of the items we have on my own as a new provider and business owner, so I am forever grateful for all the help provided from the trainings, workshops, funds, toys, and just being available to answer my questions.”

Another participant, Elizabeth Caratachea, is interested in taking additional classes in the future.

“Not only will the knowledge help me, but it will also benefit the children who are under our care,” she said.

The Workforce Development Board of Solano County has been a major champion of the childcare cohorts.

As the number of providers decreased during the pandemic, the lack of childcare became a major barrier for individuals who wanted to return to the workforce.

“Having access to stable childcare is a vital component for parents who want to enter the workforce or maintain their current employment,” said Heather Henry, Executive Director of the Workforce Development Board of Solano County. “The significant decrease of family childcare providers during the COVID pandemic catalyzed the need for this initiative that blends workforce development and entrepreneurship.”

For the Solano WDB, partnering with Solano Family and Children’s Services was an obvious choice given the no-cost services the organization already offers childcare providers and parents. In addition, the Solano-Napa Small Business Development Center is providing one-on-one business advising for all participants.

One trend that Clemente has seen in the bootcamps is that many of the participants are people who were not expecting to be childcare providers four years ago. Many do not have a childcare background. Some were in the ‘corporate world’ four years ago, she said, or were teachers at schools. “For many of them, it’s just been the perfect time to make that career change because they were already at home with their children,” she said. “Others are looking for a new opportunity, and this is a way for them to have their own business.”

Solano Family and Children’s Services welcomes new childcare providers in their program. To learn more about opening a family childcare business, contact the organization at 707-863-3950 ext. 752.

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 more than 6,200 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.