SACRAMENTO – AB 2292, authored by Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (D – Winters), expands the state’s capacity for child care by increasing the reimbursement rates for infant and toddler care, creating an inclusive grant program to help pay for new and renovated child care facilities, and establishing a fund to recruit a new generation of providers.

This bill is a California Legislative Women’s Caucus priority for the year, and the priority state budget request, “$1 billion for babies,” for the caucus.

To call on legislators and the governor to pass this bill and the budget provision, Aguiar-Curry will be hosting a rally for parents and child care advocates on Tuesday, May 29, at 12:30 p.m. on the south steps of the State Capitol.

“I am working diligently with my legislative colleagues and the governor to pass this measure and the corresponding budget funding. We have an incredible opportunity during this time of economic recovery to make an investment in the next generation of children. AB 2292 will give children the opportunity to realize every bit of their potential. We cannot, and I will not, miss this opportunity. Join me in this fight for our smallest Californians at their most critical moment of development,” said Aguiar-Curry.

AB 2292 is sponsored by First Five California, the Child Care Development Administrators Association, and the Child Care Resource Center.

It enjoys support from 50-plus organizations and is co-authored by Assemblymembers Autumn Burke (D-Marina del Rey), Sabrina Cervantes (D-Corona), Susan Eggman (D-Stockton), Sharon Quirk-Silva (D-Orange County), Blanca E. Rubio (D-Baldwin Park), Marie Waldron (R-Escondido), and Senator Connie M. Leyva (D-Chino).

“When we aren’t addressing family leave policies that allow parents to stay home with newborns, we force parents to go back to work when they struggle to find affordable child care for infants and toddlers. When parents cannot access child care, they remain in jobs that limit their upward mobility or are forced to use care that doesn’t meet the needs of their children. This cycle keeps women and minorities from moving out of poverty and widens the achievement gap for our future workforce,” said Assemblymember Susan Talamantes Eggman (D-Stockton), the acting-interim chair of the Legislative Women’s Caucus.

“Low-income families in California continue to struggle to find affordable child care. As only 15% of children eligible for subsidized child care receive services, it is clear that we must continue to prioritize this issue within our budget and policy discussions. When they can’t find quality and affordable child care, parents are oftentimes forced to leave the workforce, which in turn hurts our economy and children miss opportunities to learn. While we have improved rates for providers, the rates for infant and toddler care are still lagging behind. It is critical that we invest in California’s children by increasing access to childcare for families in our state,” said Sen. Connie M. Leyva (D-Chino), the Vice Chair of the California Legislative Women’s Caucus.

Aguiar-Curry represents the Fourth Assembly District, which includes all of Lake and Napa counties, all of Yolo County except West Sacramento, and parts of Colusa County, Solano County, and Sonoma County.