Nurturing, affordable child care creates stability and opens opportunities for children, families, and all our communities.
Amidst the Federal Administration’s targeted attacks on publicly funded affordable child care, California must acknowledge its vital importance as a crucial lifeline for families, businesses, and our economy.
As the State Legislature begins public hearings on the Fiscal Year 2026-27 State Budget, Child Care Law Center calls on the Legislature to meet the urgent needs of children, families, and child care providers by:
- Funding the 44,000 new publicly funded child care spaces for 26-27 and appropriating funding for the 33,000 new child care spaces for 27-28, as codified in the 24-25 state budget;
- Rejecting the Governor’s proposal to reduce publicly funded child care spaces;
- Ensuring no family is disenrolled from their publicly funded child care;
- Prioritizing the transition to pay child care providers fairly, based on the true cost of care;
- Increasing subsidy payments for child care providers and ensuring the policy is just and equitable;
- Providing financial support for child care providers impacted by the Los Angeles wildfires; and
- Raising additional ongoing state revenue for California’s basic need programs by closing unfair corporate tax loopholes.
Every state budget cycle, California lawmakers have the choice to center justice and equity in their funding and policy decisions. To do this, we urge the Legislature to work with Governor Newsom, the Legislative Women’s Caucus, the Children’s Caucus, and parent and child care provider organizers and advocates to protect and strengthen publicly funded child care in California.
For more details, read our budget letter to the Legislature.
We look forward to engaging with the Legislature at the future budget hearings on child care on April 8 and April 23. And we will continue to work alongside parents and child care providers to fight for racial and social justice, knowing that together we can create the changes we need.
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