STATE LAWMAKERS PAUSE BUDGET NEGOTIATIONS AMID ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY

Last week, top lawmakers in the General Assembly confirmed that negotiations over the 2023 and 2024 state budget have been paused amid concerns over a potential recession in the coming months. While state revenues have so far surpassed expectations this year, concerns remain over high inflation and interest rates, uncertainty over the federal debt ceiling, and some turmoil in the banking sector. 

“We certainly are going to get a lot more information over the next several weeks and try to put something together that makes sense,” said state Sen. George Barker (D-Fairfax) in a recent statement to the press. While both Sen. Barker and House Appropriations Chairman state Del. Barry Knight (R-Virginia Beach) confirmed the pause, they did not specify when negotiations will continue. 

Lawmakers in the House and Senate were unable to reach an agreement on a comprehensive state budget before the 2023 session concluded on February 25. Instead, the General Assembly passed a stopgap budget bill on the last day of session, which only addressed a narrow set of issues. The so-called 'skinny budget' - which allocated additional money for public schools, the state’s revenue stabilization fund, state construction projects, and the Virginia Retirement System trust fund - did not make any changes to existing child care funding.  

The Partnership is continuing to closely monitor the negotiations and urging lawmakers to maximize investments in Virginia's early learning system. 

NEW WHITE HOUSE REPORT UNDERSCORES IMPORTANCE OF ECE INVESTMENTS

Earlier this month, the White House released the 2023 Report of the Council of Economic Advisors, an annual report on the nation’s economic progress over the previous year along with recommendations for policy changes going forward.

Referencing extensive research, the report points to the important dual role of child care for families - (1) contributing to young children's cognitive and social-emotional development and (2) supporting parents' workforce participation. 

"Ensuring that all children have access to high-quality ECE requires investing both in families’ ability to access programs and in the provision of these programs—including supporting workforce improvements and smart capacity expansion. Such investments in ECE can yield significant long-run benefits not only for the affected children themselves but also for society at large," the report states. 

Read the full report here. 

DID YOU KNOW?

Virginia voters agree that policymakers must do more to #InvestInChildCare! Read more on the Partnership's December 2022 poll through our website here. 

PERSPECTIVES ON CHILD CARE

Parents, providers, and business leaders from across state shared their stories on the importance of supporting a strong early learning system. Read the full storybook through our website here.

Interested in sharing your story? Contact us as info@vapromisepartnership.com! 

PARTNERSHIP IN ACTION

This month, Partnership member organizations Save the Children Action Network and Freedom Virginia hosted a special advocacy training focused on candidate engagement.  Participants learned how to effectively engage candidates running for seats in the state legislature, identify campaign events happening in their communities, and get candidates on record talking about child care.

Be on the lookout for additional advocacy training opportunities leading up to General Assembly primaries and general elections later this year! 

CHILD CARE IN THE NEWS

• The Virginian-Pilot | Infant day care in Virginia: Here’s how much it costs where you live
• The Virginian-Pilot | Child care is limited and expensive in Hampton Roads — and it’s not getting easier
• NPR | Child care demand outpaces supply. In rural U.S., there may be no supply
• The Wall Street Journal | Podcast: Child Care Hasn’t Recovered, Keeping Parents at Home
• Bloomberg | Opinion: Everyone Wins When Child Care Is Affordable
• The Hill | Opinion: The rising cost of America’s inaction on child care
• The Daily Yonder | Home-Based Care: Fixing the Childcare Drought in Rural America
• CNBC | 5 of the world’s best countries for working parents—the U.S. isn’t on the list
• The New York Times | A New Child Care Requirement

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