CAAEYC Public Policy Committee Update

James Moses

Greetings CAAEYC Members:

My name is James Moses and I am the incoming CAAEYC Public Policy Committee Chair for 2019-2021. I am excited about the opportunities that lie ahead and hope to build upon our work during the last two years, under the guidance of our outgoing Public Policy Committee Chair Jean Goulart. Our committee is thankful for her passion and leadership during the last two years and are pleased she will remain a valued member of our team as we move forward.

I currently work for Child Care Resource Center in our Government Relations Department. I have nearly 20 years of experience in California Child Development Programs, operating Alternative Payment Programs, Resource and Referral and Local Planning Councils in San Bernardino County. I look forward to engaging with as many of you as I possibly can and hope you will take time to reach out and introduce yourself and learn more about how you can engage with our public policy team. I can be reached at publicpolicy@caeyc.org. Now on to more important matters.

2019-20 Budget

The Governor released his May revise on May 9 and there was a flurry of activity as many organizations, including ours, began to analyze the budget priorities. CAAEYC, along with our statewide ECE Coalition partners, immediately began advocating with our Assembly and Senate members to help them prepare their own versions of the budget that would build on the recommendations of the Governor and ensure our workforce, children and families are prioritized in our 2019-20 state budget. As the Budget Conference Committee concluded their work, one of the most glaring omissions was any funding to address reimbursement rates. Below are some of the highlights of the 2019-20 budget.

• Additional $93 million statewide to expand the Alternative Payment Program starting July 1, 2019.
• Provide 12 months of full-time continuous eligibility for child care in the CalWORKs Stage 1 program ($60.6 million in budget year, increasing to $74.2 million ongoing).
• $50 million in one-time funds for General Child Care slots, with ongoing slots paid for from Prop 64 growth.
• Caseload increases to CalWORKs Stage 2 and 3 ($157.5 million).
• Cost of Living Adjustment (3.26%).
• One-time investments in child care facilities. $263M for non-98 facilities and $10M for Prop 98 facilities.
• One-time investment in workforce development training. $195 million for the Childcare Early Learning & Care Workforce Development Grant.
• $10 million to facilitate the unionization of family child care providers as outlined in AB 378.
• $10 million yearly through 12/31/21 for additional vouchers for the Emergency Child Care Bridge Program.
• Approves language to expand full-day State Preschool eligibility to all families working full-time in the school attendance area where 80% or more students qualify for free or reduced price meals. Beginning April 1, 2020.
• $50 million in ongoing Prop 98 fund for ASES.
• $300 million in one-time general fund for full-day kindergarten.
• Apply the exceptional needs factor to the part-day state preschool program rate.
• $2.2 million annually for three years to establish the Early Childhood Policy Council.

2019 Legislative Bills of Interest

Your Public Policy Committee tracks current state legislative bills that we believe is of the most interest to our members. In some situations, CAAEYC takes positions on these bills. Typical position letters include; Support, Support with amendments, Oppose, or Oppose unless amendments are adopted. I would like to highlight some of the bills, still alive, that we believe will have a positive effect on the ECE field. Access the full 2019 Legislative Bill List on the CAAEYC website.

• AB 125 (Support) – This bill authored by Assemblymember McCarty is a companion bill to SB 174 (Leyva) and would require the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) to implement a reimbursement system plan that establishes reasonable standards and assigned reimbursement rates that vary based on certain factors. Would require the CDE, by 7/1/20, and annually thereafter, to establish a reimbursement rate target for each contracting agency that meets specific quality standards based on specified elements, including quality adjustment factors for the age range of children proposed to be served by the contracting agency, as a multiplier, which the bill would also require the CDE to establish. In addition, would require the CDE to create the Quality Counts California Pilot Reimbursement Program, upon an appropriation in the annual budget act, targeted to five (5) alternative payment child care systems to allow child care providers to receive higher reimbursement rates based on meeting standards of quality.  Adds specificity to establishing reimbursement rates based on a number of factors.

• AB 324 (Support) – This bill authored by Assemblymember Aguiar-Curry would amend existing law that allocates funding to local child care and development planning councils (LPCs) to address the retention of early educators in state subsidized child care centers to instead require the funds to be used to support their professional development. This bill would open these supports to qualified persons working in licensed programs serving a majority of subsidized children.

• AB 452 (Support) – This bill authored by Assemblymember Mullin would repeal the Child Care Facilities Revolving Fund loan program and require all moneys in the program as of 12/31/19 be transferred to the California Childcare Facilities Grant Fund. Would require, until 7/1/30, the CDE to use the fund to support construction of new childcare centers, or the renovation, repair, or modernization of existing childcare centers and family child care homes that serve children in state subsidized childcare and development programs.

• SB 174 (Support) – This bill, authored by Senator Connie Leyva, is a companion bill to AB 125 (McCarty), would require, until 1/1/21, the regional market rate (RMR) ceilings to be established at the 75th, and thereafter, at the 85th, percentile of the 2018 regional market survey for that region or the regional market rate ceiling that existed in that region on 12/31/17, whichever is greater. The bill would require, on and after 1/1/21, reimbursement to license-exempt childcare providers to instead not exceed 70% of the commensurate rate for both full-time and part-time care. Would require CDE to update the RMR survey methodology to include such factors as age ranges and hours of service. Would require the CDE to create the Quality Counts California Pilot Reimbursement Program upon an appropriation in the annual Budget Act, intended to allow providers to receive higher reimbursement rates and require the CDE to select up to five (5) alternative payment systems to participate in the pilot program.

• SB 234 (Support) – This bill, authored by Senator Skinner, would require a large family child care home (FCCH) to be treated as a residential use of property for purposes of all local ordinances. Would also make void an attempt to deny, restrict, or encumber the conveyance, leasing, or mortgaging of real property for use or occupancy as a FCCH and a restriction related to the use or occupancy of the property as a FCCH. Would prohibit a property owner or manager from refusing to sell or rent or refusing to negotiate for the sale or rental of, or otherwise making unavailable or denying, a detached single family dwelling, a townhouse, a dwelling unit within a dwelling, or a dwelling unit within a covered multifamily dwelling in which the underlying zoning allows for residential use to a person because that person is a FCCH provider. Would require the CDSS to notify applicants for family daycare home licenses that specified housing discrimination remedies are available to a FCCH provider, FCCH applicant, or person who is claiming that any of these protections have been denied.

Get Involved

CAAEYC is a member organization of more than 5,000 early learning educators. Our collective impact can make positive change for our workforce and the children and families we serve. Our advocacy strength lies in our members and centers on advocacy in our local communities. It is our Public Policy Committee goal to ensure you are well informed of current public policy issues and have the tools to advocate and encourage your community to advocate for ECE, children and families. To learn more or to share information regarding the issues that are important to you, please reach out to us at publicpolicy@caeyc.org.

Thank you,
James Moses