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:

• Tuesday, March 12 - ASM Budget Sub 2 @ 9:00 - State Capitol Room 447; Department of Education
• Wednesday, March 13 - ASM Budget Sub 2 @ 1:30 - State Capitol, Room 444, Anti-Poverty, Safety Net Programs for Vulnerable Children and Families.  NOTE: HEARING POSTPONED UNTIL MARCH 20
• Thursday, March 14 - ASM Budget Committee upon adjournment of session - 1021 O Street, #1100; Early Budget Action

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

BILL OF THE WEEK

SB 1112 (Menjivar) Medi-Cal: Families with Subsidized Child Care  

Author: Senator Caroline Menjivar

Senator Caroline Menjivar (she/her/ella) took the Oath of Office on December 5, 2022, and represents Burbank and the San Fernando Valley in California’s 20th Senate District. She is a first-generation American, daughter of Salvadorean immigrants, who was born and raised in the very communities she now represents.

Having attended Encino Elementary, Portola Middle School, Reseda High School, multiple Los Angeles Community Colleges, California State University, Northridge (CSUN), and University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Senator Menjivar knows firsthand how important access to quality public education is for youth and working families.

Click here to view more.

Click here to download a template support letter.

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, you can submit your letter through the California Legislature Position Letter Portal.

If you have any questions, contact TFC staff!

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 Education Committee Bill Hearing - March 20th @ 1:30 p.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 1100
• SEN Education Committee Bill Hearing - March 20th @ 9 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 2100
• ASM Human Services Committee Bills Hearing - April 2nd @ 1:30 p.m. - State Capitol, Room 444

Recently Introduced 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. NOTE: Scheduled to be heard on April 2 in ASM Human Services.
• AB 2476 (Bonta) Childcare services: alternative payment programs. TFC SPONSORED
• AB 2343 (Schiavo) CalWORKs. Childcare Programs

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 Friday 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.

Question: What is the threshold amount for an agency to submit the Equipment Purchase Approval (EPA) form to CDSS?

Answer: CDSS approval is required prior to incurring costs when the total amount equals or exceeds $5,000 per unit cost, including tax, and/or $10,000 in sum, including tax. Private agencies are required to obtain and submit documentation of 3 bids for purchases. Public agencies shall comply with the applicable section of the Public Contract Code (PCC). The prior approval is needed if you are using contract funds in whole or in part for the purchase.

Federal Update

NWLC Federal Update

Federal Government Update:

The US Senate advanced legislation on Friday (3/8) that would fund several federal agencies through September. The Senate is expected to pass the bill and send it to President Biden to sign into law.

Even if approved, the legislation does not end all arguments over government spending for this fiscal year.

Still to come is the debate over a final, much more expensive bunch of bills for the military, homeland security, health programs, financial services, foreign operations, and other annual funding - including ECE programs. Congress faces a March 22 deadline for passing those.

NWLC remains wary of a shutdown or the ultimate fallback — a full-year patch that keeps federal funding static into the fall. More: Reminder, a full-year Continuing Resolution (CR) would result in deep cuts for federal ECE programs.

It is critical that we continue to make the case that FY24 appropriations and any additional funding considered by Congress includes our ECE priorities. More: US Senate advances spending bill, but government shutdown possible | Reuters

⇒ 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. 

Child Tax Credit

As previously reported, the House passed the bipartisan Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act―the tax package that includes an expanded Child Tax Credit (CTC)―and now it’s on to the Senate. More: NWLC Statement on House Passage of Bipartisan Tax Bill

⇒ Please urge your Senators to pass the expanded CTC.

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.   

More: 

• Child Tax Credit 2024 Resources & Social Media (Coalition on Human Needs)

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 future 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)
• The-Child-Care-Stabilization-Act-One-Pager.pdf (senate.gov)

WIC Update - Final Fiscal Year 2024 Spending Bill Provides Full Funding for WIC; Rejects Harmful SNAP Choice Policy Rider

From the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC):

This week, the House passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 (H.R. 4366), a $459 billion, six-bill appropriations package for fiscal year (FY) 2024, including agriculture, securing $7.030 billion in critical full funding for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). A detailed summary of the legislation is available here. The House passed the bill, 339–85, and the Senate is poised to pass the legislation later today in time to ensure delivery to President Biden’s desk before tonight’s midnight deadline. 

As advocates celebrate the full funding victory for WIC and the rejection of the harmful policy rider that would have restricted Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) purchases, the spending bill did include cuts to some anti-hunger programs. Some of these cuts from FY 2023 to FY 2024 include: Farm to School Grants — $14 million to $5 million; School Equipment Grants — $30 million to $10 million; School Breakfast Grants — $3 million to $0; Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program — $26 million to $10 million; and The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) storage and transportation funds — $92 million to $80 million. 

Now that the first six-bill package is expected to pass today, Congress will have until March 22 to clear the remaining six spending bills that include approximately 70 percent of the federal government’s annual discretionary budget.  

Child Care in the State of the Union

Last night, President Biden delivered his State of the Union address. NWLC was glad to hear the President use this opportunity to talk about child care and pre-k.

Excerpts related to ECE:

• To remain the strongest economy in the world we need the best education system in the world. I want to give every child a good start by providing access to preschool for 3- and 4-year-olds. Studies show that children who go to preschool are nearly 50% more likely to finish high school and go on to earn a 2- or 4-year degree no matter their background. I want to expand high-quality tutoring and summer learning time and see to it that every child learns to read by third grade.
• In fact, the Child Tax Credit I passed during the pandemic cut taxes for millions of working families and cut child poverty in HALF. Restore the Child Tax Credit because no child should go hungry in this country!

• Imagine what that could do for America. Imagine a future with affordable child care so millions of families can get the care they need and still go to work and help grow the economy.

Read the fact-checked transcript here: Full 2024 President Biden State of the Union annotated and fact-checked - CNN

Resources - Tax Season & Child Care

From the National Women’s Law Center:

Tax season has arrived! Over half of states offer tax provisions that can help some families cover some of their out-of-pocket, work-related child and dependent care expenses. These provisions reduce the amount of taxes families owe and, in some instances, increase their tax refunds. Families can find out more about their states’ child care-related tax provisions here: States Can Make Care Less Taxing: Tax Credits Related to Child Care, Tax Year 2023.

Many families are also eligible for a range of other state and federal tax credits this tax season. Families can learn more about their tax credit eligibility and about free tax filing assistance options here: You Could Save Thousands This 2024 Tax Season.

Share Your Experience - Take the NAEYC/RAPID Survey

From the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC):

Our partners at the Stanford Center on Early Childhood have been conducting an ongoing survey of child care providers of young children (0-5 years) called RAPID. Since 2021, RAPID has been gathering information and stories from the early care and education workforce nationally, to better understand their needs, experiences and well-being. RAPID and NAEYC are continuing to work together to share educators' experiences directly with policymakers and the advocacy community. If you are eligible and complete the survey, you will receive a $5 Gift Card!

Check Eligibility

Webinar & Report - Care Report Card: What the U.S. Is Getting Right and Wrong

From The Century Foundation and Caring Across Generations:

Care policies impact everyone, but some states are doing better than others in implementing them. On Thursday, March 21 from 1:30 to 2:30 PM ET, join TCF and Caring Across Generations (CAG) as we unveil our new report, which grades all fifty states and Washington, D.C. on a range of care policies—and the scores are illuminating.

TCF and CAG, in partnership with The Care for All with Respect and Equity (CARE) Fund, will bring together care policy experts to explore how pandemic-relief investments supported states to innovate and take action, unpack the consequences of persistent underinvestment in care, and discuss what more must be done at both the state and federal level.

Care Report Card: What the U.S. Is Getting Right and Wrong

Thursday, March 21, 2024 

1:30 PM - 2:30 PM ET 

Featuring:

• Anna Wadia, executive director, CARE Fund
• Laura Valle-Gutierrez, fellow, The Century Foundation
• Jaimie Worker, director of public policy, Caring Across Generations
• Julie Kashen, director, women's economic justice and senior fellow, The Century Foundation
• Special guests (to be announced) 

Live CART and ASL interpretation will be provided.

Event - Rewriting the Playbook: How Women Are Powering the Economy

From the Center for American Progress:

This Women’s History Month, the Center for American Progress is launching its “Playbook for the Advancement of Women in the Economy”: a collection of policy recommendations that center women and the changes women need in policymakers’ economic platforms. The new report will cover a range of federal and state issues that affect women’s labor force participation, such as family planning and paid leave; good, well-paying jobs; and workforce development. With women making up more than half of the U.S. population and with exploding growth in women-dominated industries, an economic agenda for the future must center female workers, by both bringing them into the labor force and helping them maintain the gains they’ve already made.

March 14, 2024

1333 H St NW

Washington, DC

9:30am - 12:30pm ET

Please join the Center for American Progress for an in-person and online half-day event discussing how an economy that delivers for women is an economy that delivers for all. 

Register here.

Op-Ed - Having a Child Shouldn’t Cause Financial Catastrophe

From Lindsay K. Saunders:

I was really proud of how this op-ed tied in paid leave, child care, diaper need, food insecurity, and health access. It's now been picked up a few times! 

Original: Having a Child Shouldn’t Cause Financial Catastrophe - OtherWords

• Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Pennsylvania)
• City Watch (California)
• The Butner-Creedmoor News (North Carolina)

I can't believe it. On the one hand, it feels very weird to put such personal detail out there like this, but on the other hand, real stories really help make a change, and that's all I want. It means a lot to me that my struggles can transform things to prevent others from suffering in the ways that I have.

FACT SHEET: Vice President Harris Announces Action to Lower Child Care Costs for More than 100,000 Families

Vice President Harris is announcing key steps to lower the cost of child care for working families and better support early educators, consistent with the President’s historic Executive Order on Care. Today, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) finalized a rule strengthening the Child Care & Development Block Grant (CCDBG) program, which supports over a million children and their families each month with child care assistance.

Specifically, this landmark rule will:

• Cap co-payments for families participating in CCDBG to no more than 7% of income, saving families in states that do not yet cap co-payments over $200 a month on average
• Encourage states to eliminate co-payments entirely for families of children with disabilities, children experiencing homelessness, children in foster care, children in Head Start, and families at or below 150% of the federal poverty level
• Direct states to pay child care providers more fairly and on time, improving financial stability for 140,000 child care providers and incentivizing more providers to participate in the CCDBG program
• Make it easier for families to access CCDBG subsidies by encouraging states to streamline eligibility and enrollment processes and reduce red tape that can disrupt parent employment, training, and education

Read the entire fact sheet here.

Overview of 2024 CCDF Final Rule: Improving Child Care Access, Affordability, and Stability in the Child Care and Development Fund

The 2024 Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) Final Rule updates regulations (45 CFR Part 98) to help working families afford child care and broadly support child care quality and accessibility in communities. Policies included in this final rule are designed to:

• Lower child care costs for families;
• Improve payments to child care providers;
• Increase child care options for families;
• Make enrollment easier and faster for families; and
• Increase clarity in CCDF requirements

Click here to read the full final rule.

Biden-Harris Administration Announces New Executive Order and Nearly $200M Available in Grants to Expand Registered Apprenticeships

President Biden signed a new Executive Order: Scaling and Expanding the Use of Registered Apprenticeships in Industries and the Federal Government and Promoting Labor-Management Forums. The Biden-Harris Administration has invested more than $440 million to expand the capacity of the Registered Apprenticeship system, supporting the education and training needs of more than one million apprentices across the country. 

In addition, on February 21, 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor announced nearly $200 million in grants to continue to expand Registered Apprenticeships, including $95 million in competitive grants through Apprenticeship Building America, as well as $100 million for the State Apprenticeship Expansion Formula Grant. The department’s Employment and Training Administration will use these funds to support the Investing in America agenda—by expanding access to Registered Apprenticeships in high-demand sectors and occupations including child care and early education, mental health, K-12 education, and nursing.  

Learn more here.

Most Viewed Bills of the Week:

1. H.R.7024 [118th] Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024
2. H.R.2 [118th] Secure the Border Act of 2023
3. H.R.431 [118th] Life at Conception Act
4. H.R.7463 [118th] Extension of Continuing Appropriations and Other Matters Act, 2024
5. S.1409 [118th] Kids Online Safety Act
6. H.R.2670 [118th] National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024
7. S.596 [117th] Treat and Reduce Obesity Act of 2021
8. H.R.82 [118th] Social Security Fairness Act of 2023
9. S.1323 [118th] SAFE Banking Act of 2023
10. H.R.1011 [117th] Life at Conception Act

Thriving Families CA Events

To better support our field, Thriving Families CA will be hosting an informational training for our field in Pomona. We will be offering 3 tracks- one for AP's, one on Strengthening/Engaging Families and one for Executives. More details coming soon.

This Statewide Meeting will be very interactive and bring our field together to share insights and experiences, explore ideas, shape policy, and discuss best practices.



We hope you can join us!

Learn More & Register Here.

Social Media Spotlight

Field Highlights

Final Child Care Rule Is Important Step to Accessibility, Affordability

The Biden Administration has taken an important step in addressing the child care challenges facing families and providers and that are particularly acute for families paid the lowest wages. Today’s final rule on Improving Child Care Access, Affordability, and Stability in the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) is the administration’s latest effort in a strategy to support the families who need care and the providers they depend on.

Click here to view the full article.

Should the government do more to help children? This bipartisan group thinks so

The challenges facing families with young children are legion.

From affording the costly basics — like diapers, clothes and food — to the exhausting search for high-quality, reasonably priced child care, parents and caregivers have their hands full. And it's hard to imagine government, as polarized as it is, agreeing on anything that might help.

And yet. A new report suggests there are bold moves that folks across the political spectrum can agree on...

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

Rate and Quality Advisory Panel- March 13th

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 March 13, 2024, from 9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.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:

• March 13, 2024
• 9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
• Zoom Registration

Child Care Program licensee, provider, and interested partner webinar on March 26, 2024

The Child Care Program (CCP) has released a new Provider Information Notice: PIN 24-05-CCP - CHILD CARE LICENSING WEBINARS.

Primary Audience: ALL COMMUNITY CARE PROVIDERS

Summary: PIN 24-05-CCP provides Zoom registration information for the statewide Child Care Program licensee, provider, and interested partner webinar on March 26, 2024.

An electronic copy of PIN 24-05-CCP - CHILD CARE LICENSING WEBINARS is available for viewing/downloading by clicking on the following link:

PIN 24-05-CCP - CHILD CARE LICENSING WEBINARS

Previous PINs are available at the CCLD website

If you have any questions regarding this PIN, please contact your local Regional Office.

Information & Updates

RELEASED March 8, 2024: Whole Child Community Equity Workgroup Membership Application

Assembly Bill (AB) 2832, also referred to as the “End Racial and Economic Inequities in Childcare in California Initiative,” seeks to bridge the racial and socioeconomic gaps in California’s early childhood education system. This bill requires the California Department of Social Services (CDSS), in consultation with the California Department of Education, to convene the Whole Child Community Equity Workgroup to provide recommendations to CDSS for purposes of developing the Whole Child Community Equity Framework, Whole Child Equity Screening Tool, and recommended uses of the Screening Tool for equitable distribution of early childhood investment and whole child resources.  

The goal of the CDSS Whole Child Community Equity Workgroup is to provide recommendations on the Framework categories essential to support children 0 to 13 years of age, inclusive, as well as the index or set of indicators which should be used in the Equity Screening Tool to classify communities in these categories, and the ways that the categories and indicators may be used to equitably distribute early childhood investments and whole child resources in service of closing the racial and socioeconomic gaps in the State’s early childhood education system. The Whole Child Equity Workgroup will be composed of parents and families, practitioners, researchers, experts, advocates, and other interest holders that bring insight to address racial and economic inequities for California’s children.   

Interested individuals must complete the Whole Child Community Equity Workgroup application for the CDSS to identify workgroup candidates. Please find the link to the Application in English and Spanish. The application includes questions about the personal and professional experiences of prospective workgroup members. The questions are designed to ensure the workgroup addresses the needs of all communities. Please click on the link provided below to begin the workgroup application process. To be considered, the application must be completed and submitted by April 8, 2024.

Please note that if you are selected to participate in the Whole Child Community Equity Workgroup the first meeting is tentatively scheduled for May 30, 2024, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

For technical assistance regarding the mechanics of the application, please email RADDsurveyhelp@dss.ca.gov.   

For general inquiries regarding the CDSS Whole Child Community Equity Workgroup, please contact WCCE@dss.ca.gov.

RELEASED March 8, 2024: CCB 24-04 IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW PART-TIME AND FULL-TIME DEFINITIONS FOR REIMBURSEMENT

This Child Care Bulletin (CCB) provides clarifications and guidance regarding the definition changes to part-time and full-time care pursuant to Senate Bill (SB) 140 (Chapter 193, Statutes of 2023). Additionally, this CCB clarifies the inconsistencies between California Code of Regulations (CCR) section 18075 and Welfare and Institutions Code (WIC) section 10213.5(al) with the codification of SB 140 (Chapter 193, Statutes of 2023). 

Click here to read CCB 24-04.

RELEASED March 5, 2024: Fiscal Year 2023-24 Enrollment, Attendance, and Fiscal Reporting and Reimbursement Procedures for Child Care and Development Contractors

The Fiscal Year (FY) 2023-24 Enrollment, Attendance, and Fiscal Reporting and Reimbursement Procedures for Child Care and Development Contracts, otherwise known as the Child Care Fiscal Handbook, has been posted to the Child Care and Development Fiscal Resources webpage.

The Fiscal Handbook is a manual that aids child care and development contractors in their enrollment, attendance, and fiscal reporting and explains reimbursement procedures. Please note, a listing of important updates is included in the Introduction section.

Please direct any questions regarding the Fiscal Handbook to the Child Care and Development Fiscal Services inbox at ChildDevelopmentFiscal@dss.ca.gov or contact your assigned fiscal analyst.

RELEASED February 7, 2024: CDSS 2023 YEAR IN REVIEW

This CDSS 2023 Year in Review highlights key achievements for the year, which we could not have accomplished without the tremendous efforts and unwavering support from our many partners and the dedication of our extraordinary staff.

Among our many milestones from 2023, we continued to support the delivery of much-needed food and cash benefits to families, issued additional housing supports to help older adults and adults with disabilities, saw the launch of the first pilot programs designed to provide guaranteed income to former foster youth and pregnant individuals, welcomed and supported newcomers, and continued to provide funding for direct services and support to victims of hate incidents.

To see the full report, click here.

Happening This Week, March 11th - 15th:

Monday, March 11th: -TFC Public Policy Committee Workgroup: Simplifying Services for Families (CalWORKs) @ 10:00am -TFC Small/Rural Subcommittee Meeting @ 2:00pm Tuesday, March 12th: TFC Weekly Member Connections Meeting @ 1:00pm. Email to register.

Wednesday, March 13th: Rate and Quality Advisory Panel, 9-11:30am. 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.