Thursday, May 01, 2008
News from Ready4K...
900 families waiting for child care assistance need your help!
Legislators from the House and Senate continue to meet in conference committee to negotiate a budget bill, including the Senate's proposal to cut $9 million in unspent child care assistance ("basic sliding fee") by reallocating it to the state's general fund instead of to Minnesota counties where families are on waiting lists for child care assistance.
Your voice can make a difference for these children and families right now! Please make two quick phone calls a.s.a.p. this week urging conference committee leaders to support working families by using that $9 million dollars as it was intended - to help families access affordable child care! Take action.
On the policy side (non-funding issues, including the Child Care Assistance Barriers Task Force and stronger SIDS language), the Department of Human Services "technical bill," SF 3170 (Torres Ray), has passed the Senate and its companion bill, HF 3376 (Walker), is nearing final passage. The bills have some differences, so a conference committee to work them out will be appointed following the bill's passage in the House. We will track this closely and keep you up to date.
Our child care bill tracking chart has more information on specific child care bills, and the status of other early childhood bills this session, check out Ready 4K's legislative center (click on "Up to Date Bill Tracker" link).
900 families waiting for child care assistance need your help!
Legislators from the House and Senate continue to meet in conference committee to negotiate a budget bill, including the Senate's proposal to cut $9 million in unspent child care assistance ("basic sliding fee") by reallocating it to the state's general fund instead of to Minnesota counties where families are on waiting lists for child care assistance.
Your voice can make a difference for these children and families right now! Please make two quick phone calls a.s.a.p. this week urging conference committee leaders to support working families by using that $9 million dollars as it was intended - to help families access affordable child care! Take action.
On the policy side (non-funding issues, including the Child Care Assistance Barriers Task Force and stronger SIDS language), the Department of Human Services "technical bill," SF 3170 (Torres Ray), has passed the Senate and its companion bill, HF 3376 (Walker), is nearing final passage. The bills have some differences, so a conference committee to work them out will be appointed following the bill's passage in the House. We will track this closely and keep you up to date.
Our child care bill tracking chart has more information on specific child care bills, and the status of other early childhood bills this session, check out Ready 4K's legislative center (click on "Up to Date Bill Tracker" link).
// posted by Tammy Wachter @ 3:59 PM 
