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.

The Governor has until January 10 to submit his proposed 2024 budget. Use this Excel document to help you track budget actions as it is updated in real time. 

Upcoming Budget Hearings:

• January 23, 2024 - ASM Budget @ 9:30am on Governor's Proposed 2024 Budget

Communications released related to the CA Budget:

• LAO Report: 2024-25 Budget: California's Fiscal Outlook

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

CBPC - BUDGET RESOURCES YOU CAN COUNT ON

This week, Governor Newsom will release his proposed 2024-25 Budget. To help support our field getting ready, below are some links to budget related information prepared by the California Budget & Policy Center.



• Guide to the State Budget Process
• Glossary of State Budget Terms
• The Budget Center's Resource Library

LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS

Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas made changes to Assembly leadershp and committee chairs. In late December, he also announced changes to Assembly committee appointments. See the changes here.

NEW CALIFORNIA LAWS 2024

New year means new statutes take effect! It also means the state minimum wage has increased to $16 per hour for all California employers, effective January 1, 2024.

There are several bills chaptered last year that took effect yesteray, January 1, 2024. However, some bills are set to take effect at a later date in 2024. Notable bills taking effect this year include the following:



• AB 12 (Haney): Tenant Security Deposits - limits landlords of unfurnished residential properties to asking for one month's rent as the deposit; however, landlords with one or two rental properties, but no more than four total rental units are exempt from the law. The law goes into effect January 1, 2024.
• AB 1228 (Holden): Fast Food Industry Minimum Wage - increases the base pay for fast food workers to $20, which includes all national fast food chains and franchises. The law goes into effect April 1, 2024.
• SB 4 (Wiener): Affordable Housing on Faith Lands Act or "YIGBY" - rezones land owned by nonprofit colleges and religious institutions, such as mosques, churches, and synagogues, to allow for affordable housing. The law goes into effect January 1, 2024 until January 1, 2036.
• SB 274 (Skinner): Keep Students in School - prohibits the suspension the suspension or expulsion of public school students in 6-12th grade based on what’s known as “willful defiance.” The law goes into effect July 1, 2024 until July 1, 2029. 
• SB 407 (Wiener): Foster Care - requires potential foster families to demonstrate an ability and willingness to meet the needs of a child, regardless of the child's sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expresssion. The law goes into effect January 1, 2024.
• SB 525 (Durazo) Health Care Workers Minimum Wage - implements a tiered minimum wage schedule based on specified factors for health care workers; requiring that they be paid at least $18 per hour, with minimum wages being set slightly higher in some circumstances, such as for employees in more populous counties, and annual increases occur for differing number of years. The law's tiered schedule goes into effect June 1, 2024.
• SB 616 (Gonzalez) Paid Sick Days - increases the number of paid sick days required by employers to provide to their employees from 3 days or 24 hours to at least 5 days or 40 hours. The law goes into effect January 1, 2024.

To see what other bills will take effect in 2024, check out the below articles:

• SF Gate: New California laws in 2024 include Airbnb refunds and a state mushroom
• CapRadio: New California laws that might affect your 2024

IMPORTANT DATES, DEADLINES & BILLS

Upcoming dates and legislative deadlines to be aware:

• Jan 10 - Budget must be submitted by Governor 
• Jan 12 - Last day for policy committees to hear and report to fiscal committees fiscal bills introduced in their house in the odd-numbered year
• Jan. 15 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
• Jan. 19 Last day for any committee to hear and report to the floor bills introduced in that house in the odd-numbered year (J.R. 61(b)(2)). Last day to submit bill requests to the Office of Legislative Counsel. 

Upcoming Committee Hearings:

• January 8, 2024 - SEN Human Services @ 3:00pm or upon adjournment of Session

2-Year Bills to Watch for in January:

• AB 51 (Bonta) Early Child Care and Education
• AB 679 (Wicks) Family childcare homes: meals: reimbursement rates.
• AB 1038 (Rendon) Family Childcare home education networks
• SB 533 (Limón) Income taxes: credit: childcare.
• 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.

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: If we received an award notification for the Major Renovation Grant, when can we expect to get funded? We are ready to submit building plans to city for construction approval.

Answer: We will be reaching out in the next few weeks to collect additional documentation and also sending a grant agreement. From there it may be several months until payment. Feel free to reach out to monica.williams@dss.ca.gov for more information.

Question: If we will take advantage of the two days of training to we report those days as operating at 246 or do we report 244 days of operating?

Answer: If you are closed and not serving any children you will submit a Program Narrative Change to your assigned consultant with an updated calendar. For reporting costs associated with two staff training days per contract period review pgs. 32-33 in the Fiscal Handbook.

Federal Update

NWLC Federal Update

Federal Government Update:

Congress returns to DC next week with a long list of urgent priorities, including a deal to pass the national security supplemental request, as well as defense and non-defense spending (the "top-line number") for FY24 appropriations. While the chambers are making progress on a budget deal, the House-led push for cuts to domestic spending, including for critical child care and early learning programs, remains a significant threat. Additionally, a year-long Continuing Resolution (CR) would also result in devastating cuts for the federal programs that we care about. More: Congressional leaders see new hope for a preventing a government shutdown (nbcnews.com)

⇒ Please urge your Members of Congress to support the ECE increases included in the bipartisan Senate LHHS Fiscal Year 2024 Appropriations Bill.

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. 

Supplemental Federal Child Care Funding Update:

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. 

As previously shared,

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

Take Action

• Tell your federal policymakers to fight for funding for child care (NWLC)
• Resources on Head Start NPRM: New Rule Proposed to Improve Head Start Program Quality and Support the Workforce | ECLKC (hhs.gov)
• Child Care Nutrition Enhancement Act engagement toolkit for national orgs (Home Grown)
• Coloring Sheet Action Toolkit (Campaign for Childcare)
• Child Care Cliff Resources (Care Can’t Wait)

Take Action - Urge Congress to Fully Fund WIC

From the National WIC Association, FRAC, MomsRising, the Coalition on Human Needs, and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities:

For decades, Congress has been committed to allocating the necessary resources for WIC to serve every eligible woman, infant, and child. However, members of Congress recently proposed cutting WIC funding and slashing the fruit and vegetable benefit, jeopardizing millions of families' access to critical resources and healthy foods.

With increasing caseloads and rising food costs, it is more crucial than ever to strengthen WIC's capacity to serve mothers, babies, and young children.

By taking action at the link below, YOU can help us ensure that WIC is adequately funded before the January 19 deadline.

Join NWA and Our Partners for a WIC Coalition Call, Featuring Rep. Rosa DeLauro

Next Tuesday, January 9 at 5:00 pm ET, join NWA, FRAC, MomsRising, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, and the Coalition on Human Needs for a timely update and call to action on the need to fully fund WIC. We will be joined by House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro, a longtime champion for WIC, learn about the state of Congressional funding negotiations, plus hear from leading advocates on steps that you can take NOW to raise your voice in support of WIC and what is needed in the coming weeks to protect the longstanding, bipartisan precedent of fully funding WIC to serve every eligible family. Register for that call here.

Join the Next WIC Call-in-Day and Social Media Day of Action

Our next WIC Day of Action is Wednesday, January 10. Join NWA and partners in amplifying the need for full WIC funding. Download the toolkit here and use your WIC voice.

Take Action - Strolling Thunder Recruitment

From ZERO TO THREE:

On April 30, babies and families from all 50 states and the District of Columbia will meet with their Members of Congress as part of ZERO TO THREE’s national Strolling Thunder ^TM event! These families will come to Capitol Hill to remind their policymakers that this country can be a better place for babies. Do you know a family with a story about raising a young child who may want to represent their state and urge Congress to be champions for babies? Please spread the word!

No advocacy experience is necessary! ZERO TO THREE will provide training and support to families before, during, and after their meetings. All travel expenses will be paid. Learn more at http://www.thinkbabies.org/strollingthunder and share this flier with families!

Brief - Immediate Actions the Biden Administration Can Take for DLLs

From Early Edge California, UnidosUS, Children's Equity Project, and national DLL experts:

Early Edge California, a nonprofit organization that works to advance policy changes and investments that will expand access to high-quality Early Learning and Care programs for children from birth to age 8, is pleased to share this set of recommendations for supporting dual language learners (DLLs). 

For nearly two years, Early Edge California has worked to elevate the needs of DLLs at the federal level. As you may know, nearly 7.5 million children between birth and age five in the United States (one-third of all children in this age range) are DLLs. Although extensive research demonstrates children's capacity for multilingual development, misinformation is common and systems and services designed to support them are historically under-resourced. Given these circumstances, there is an important opportunity to develop and extend essential and overdue supports for DLLs and their families across the country.

In 2023, Early Edge California partnered with UnidosUS, Children's Equity Project, and national DLL experts to conduct a comprehensive scan of the latest research and reports that provide federal recommendations for supporting DLLs and identified the most pertinent and critical proposals for the Biden administration.

As a result of this work, Early Edge California and fellow DLL policy leaders released Immediate Actions the Biden Administration Can Take for DLLs, a new set of federal recommendations to support DLLs now. Recommendations fall within a number of categories including governance, data, DLL children with disabilities, workforce, assessments, technical assistance, and supporting prenatal to age 3. The document concludes with a budget request for President Biden and his administration. 

In addition to this effort, Early Edge California has worked with Congress to identify ways to support DLLs. In 2022, we collaborated with Senator Alex Padilla (CA) to include report language in the Fiscal Year 2023 appropriations bill encouraging the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) to support states that choose to develop high-quality and culturally competent dual language immersion preschool programs. This year, we partnered with Senator Padilla and seven other Senators to request robust funding in FY 2024 for ACF to help States develop an asset-based approach to identify and support DLLs in high-quality Early Learning and Care settings.

Early Edge looks forward to partnering with your organization to advance these priorities!

Blog - Putting Advocacy on the Map: Using GIS Technology to Inform Advocacy

From Child Care Aware of America:

CCAoA recently put together a post, Putting Advocacy on the Map: Using GIS Technology to Inform Advocacy, that explores two map dashboards we created with Team for West Virginia Children and First Five Nebraska in 2023. Map dashboards can be incredibly useful tools to help visualize current challenges and opportunities in a state’s early care and education systems in an interactive way, so we hope you’ll check out the blog to learn more about these two resources!

Brief & Video - Preparing and Paying Early Childhood Educators in Washington, DC

From DCAEYC and Under 3 DC:

As many communities continue to struggle with the challenges of recruiting and retaining early childhood educators, our nation’s capital is making great strides and key investments that focus on preparing and paying early childhood educators, and recognizing them as the professionals that they are. Check out this new brief from DCAEYC and Under 3 DC on “Preparing DC Early Educators to Teach and Nurture” and this new video from DCAEYC featuring educators who, in their own words, are empowering themselves personally and professionally by earning credentials that advance their skills, knowledge, and commitment to children, families, and the ECE field.

Webinar - Over the Funding Cliff: The State of America's Child Care Industry in the Absence of Federal Relief Dollars

From The Hunt Institute:

Early Efforts | Over the Funding Cliff: The State of America's Child Care Industry in the Absence of Federal Relief Dollars

Tuesday, January 9 | 2 pm ET 

Saddled with a challenging fiscal model even before the COVID-19 pandemic, America’s child care industry has remained afloat in recent years in large part due to one time federal relief dollars that have now lapsed. What will happen now that we’ve gone “off the funding cliff,” and how might improved public investment benefit both families and the economy? Join The Hunt Institute on Tuesday, January 9, as we explore the current state of child care.

• Michelle Kang, CEO at the National Association for the Education of Young Children
• Dr. Kathryn Anne Edwards, Bloomberg Columnist and Economic Policy Consultant
• Angela Garcia, CEO & Owner of Toy Box Early Learning and Child Care Center

Register here.

Most Viewed Bills of the Week:

1. H.R.2670 [118th] National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024
2. S.596 [117th] Treat and Reduce Obesity Act of 2021
3. S.1323 [118th] SAFE Banking Act of 2023
4. H.Res.57 [117th] Impeaching Joseph R. Biden, President of the United States, for abuse of power by enabling bribery and other high crimes and misdemeanors.
5. H.R.82 [118th] Social Security Fairness Act of 2023
6. S.2226 [118th] National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024
7. H.R.1042 [118th] Prohibiting Russian Uranium Imports Act
8. H.R.1636 [117th] Postal Vehicle Modernization Act
9. S.1111 [118th]ADVANCE Act of 2023
10. S.452 [118th] Nuclear Fuel Security Act of 2023

Social Media Spotlight

Field Highlights

Child-Care Costs at $56,000 Force Parents Into Side Hustles

A dramatic increase in child-care costs since the pandemic is forcing parents to find new ways of making ends meet, from working part time at a daycare for a discount to driving for a ride-share service on weekends.

In a sign of how extraordinary the financial pressure has become — at a time when housing, groceries and other everyday items have also grown more expensive — even workers with full-time positions at the likes of big banks and tech firms are among those embracing such solutions, according to interviews with nearly two dozen parents.



Click here to view the full article.

In new year, California continues to struggle with existential issues

California enters the new year with its existential issues still unresolved, and a new one — an immense budget deficit — threatens to make dealing with them even more difficult.

California has made very little progress, if any, on narrowing its shortage of housing, its levels of homelessness and poverty remain among the nation’s highest, and its population is declining as hundreds of thousands of Californians decamp for other states.

The Legislature’s budget analyst has calculated that California faces a $68 billion gap between revenue and already programmed spending over a three-year period that began in 2022. Annual deficits in the $30 billion range thereafter.

Next week, Gov. Gavin Newsom will quantify his version of the yawning gap and how he proposes to close it, touching off six months of negotiations with the Legislature on a 2024-25 budget.

Click here to view the full article.

CDSS & CDE Information & Updates

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.     

RELEASED January 5, 2024: CCB 23-38: EMERGENCY CLOSURE REQUEST

The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) Child Care and Development Division (CCDD) has recently posted the following document on its Internet website: CCB 23-38: EMERGENCY CLOSURE REQUEST.

The purpose of this CCB is to notify General Child Care and Development (CCTR), Migrant Child Care and Development (CMIG), Family Child Care Home Education Network (CFCC), and Children with Severe Disabilities (CHAN) contractors of the process for submitting an Emergency Closure Request Form.

Read the entire CCB here.

2025-27 CCDF State Plan Update: Amendment #3

The California Department of Social Services (CDSS), Child Care and Development Division (CCDD) has posted the FFY 2022-24 CCDF State Plan - Amendments #3 to the CDSS’ Child Care and Development Fund State Plan webpage.

Per Title 45 of the Code of Federal Regulations, section 98.14(d), CCDD is required to post any changes to their approved state plan after policy changes have been approved by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Office of Child Care.

Click on the link above to see details of the approved changes.

RELEASED December 19, 2023: PIN 24-02 CCLD UPDATED GUARDIAN & BACKGROUND CHECK BEST PRACTICES

PIN 24-02-CCLD supersedes PIN 22-06-CCLD and notifies all Community Care Licensing Division licensees, providers, and applicants of updated best practices when initiating a background check and provides step-by-step instructions on how to navigate the application process in the Guardian System.

The California Department of Social Services (CDSS), Community Care Licensing Division’s (CCLD), Care Provider Management Branch (CPMB) is providing updated recommendations and guidance on the importance of using Guardian to apply for background checks, upload documents and access self-serve options.

Click here to read the entire PIN.

RELEASED December 19, 2023: PIN 23-21 CCP:  PROPERTY OWNER/LANDLORD CONSENT AND NOTIFICATION FORMS – FAMILY CHILD CARE HOMES

The purpose of PIN 23-21-CCP is to explain the purpose and use of Property Owner/Landlord Notification – Family Child Care Home form (LIC 9151(8/14)), Property Owner/Landlord Consent – Family Child Care Home form (LIC 9149 (8/14)) and using the Application for A Family Child Care Home License (LIC 279) for capacity changes.

Family Child Care Home licensees may operate in a property they rent, lease, or own. This property may be any dwelling in which they reside, whether a single-family house or a residence within a multi-unit dwelling. Health and Safety Code Section 1597.40(a)-(b) provides protections for licensees who operate a Family Child Care Home in a rented or leased residence, including but not limited to, prohibiting the use of rental property restrictions or landlords from refusing to rent to a tenant because they operate a Family Child Care Home.

Click here to read the entire PIN.

WEBINAR: Intro to FCCB for Partner Facilitators!

Build your county’s capacity to offer the highly regarded Family Child Care at Its Best (FCCB) workshops. Intro to FCCB for Partner Facilitators is open to all who provide professional development support to Family Child Care or Family Friend and Neighbor care providers and want to facilitate FCCB workshops for their agency or community group. The California Department of Social Services funds these trainings for facilitators, and there is no cost to attend.

If you would like to begin your journey toward becoming an FCCB Partner Facilitator, register for Intro to FCCB for Partner Facilitators here or through the attached flyer.

• Spanish: Thursday, January 11, 2024, 6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.

CA Cost of Child Care / Alternative Methodology Special Meetings

To better understand costs related to serving specific populations of children and families, Prenatal to Five Fiscal Strategies (P5FS) and WestEd are now hosting the next round of ad-hoc meetings. At each meeting participants will discuss program operations, expenses, resources, and supports necessary to provide services related to each topic. 

We encourage participants to plan to attend both meeting dates for a given topic area, as the discussion will build and be inter-related. Feel free to attend more than one topic. 

Register to participate by following the links below:

Geography

• January 8, 2024 10:00am-11:30am 

Migrant Programs

• January 9, 2024 @ 1:00pm-2:30pm 

State Preschool 

• January 10, 2024 @ 1:00pm-2:30pm 

Child Welfare/ACEs 

• January 11, 2024 @ 1:00pm-2:30pm 

Inclusion Works! Webinar Series - Part 3 Registration Open!

The CDSS is partnering with WestEd to offer a free expanded virtual webinar series on inclusion. This training is for all who wish to support inclusion and inclusive practices in their child care and development program, child care home, or in programs they support.

This trio of workshops builds on one another and work best when taken as a series. Using the book and accompanying video series, Inclusion Works! Creating Child Care Programs that Promote Belonging for Children with Disabilities, participants will receive training with optional follow-up technical assistance sessions after each workshop to enhance implementation. The book and videos provide a unique and comprehensive baseline for providing quality inclusion. This series offers a strong foundation in inclusive practices, has self-assessment checklists and other useful forms available for use. Participants will also develop a plan of action for implementing ideas in their settings. Participants will be assigned Inclusion Liaisons who will consult with them following each webinar.

All sessions will be simultaneously interpreted into Spanish and all materials will be available in Spanish.

Virtual technical assistance sessions will be offered regionally after each training.

Part 3: Jan. 18, 2024, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Planning in Inclusive Setting

Register Today!

Happening This Week, January 8th-12th:

Monday, January 8th:

-TFC Public Policy Workgroup: CalWORKs @ 10:00am.

-CA Cost of Child Care / Alternative Methodology Special Meetings: Geography @ 10:00am. Register Here.

-TFC Small/Rural Subcommittee Meeting @ 2:00pm

Tuesday, January 9th:

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

-CA Cost of Child Care / Alternative Methodology Special Meetings: Migrant Programs @ 1:00pm. Register Here.

Wednesday, January 10th:

-CA Cost of Child Care / Alternative Methodology Special Meetings: State Preschool @ 1:00pm. Register Here.

-TFC Public Policy Meeting@ 2:00pm

Thursday, January 11th:

-TFC Public Policy Workgroup on Funding @ 1:00pm

-CA Cost of Child Care / Alternative Methodology Special Meetings: Child Welfare/ACEs @ 1:00pm. Register Here.

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. 

Our annual Holiday Toy Giveaway was yesterday! We served 172 families, giving 362 children 2 new toys and 2 new books each. Plus families got to shop for food, diapers, and wipes. We are so proud to be able to put a smile on the face of some of our 4Cs families this holiday season. If you missed our event, you can find more toy giveaways in Alameda County by visiting 4calameda.org/AlamedaCountyToys

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.