AB 2292, authored by Assemblywoman Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, D-Winters, passed out of the Assembly Education Committee this week on a bipartisan  7-0 vote. This bill, which would increase the reimbursement rates for infant and toddler care is a California Legislative Women’s Caucus priority for the year, and the only state budget request the caucus is backing.

The legislation also would create a grant program to help pay for new and renovated child-care facilities, and establishing a fund to recruit a new generation of providers.

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SACRAMENTO – The statewide network of First 5s will gather May 2 at the steps of the State Capitol to honor three legislators with Champion for Children Awards as part of First 5’s 20thAnniversary celebration marking California voters’ approval of Prop 10.  Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood) will deliver the keynote for the award ceremony.

Assemblymembers Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (D-Winters), Joaquin Arambula (D-Fresno), and Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento) are backing efforts this legislative session to increase pay and recruitment of child care providers (Aguiar-Curry, AB 2292); bolster home visiting for CalWORKs families with small children (Arambula, AB 992); and advance more rigorous developmental screening practices (McCarty, AB 11). Senator Mike McGuire (D-Healdsburg) will receive an award earlier in the day as a former commissioner of First 5 Sonoma County.

For too many Americans, the past year has awoken fears that had faded over the past 30 years. President Donald Trump has threatened to rain "fire and fury" down upon North Korea. He has announced a program to build new and more "usable" nuclear weapons. A recent false alarm in Hawaii of an incoming missile attack sent thousands of families running for cover. Anxieties have risen to the point that a majority of Americans do not trust the president to handle a nuclear crisis.

This is not acceptable.

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