For day four of 7 Days, 7 Bills, I want to tell you about HB 5002 - An Act Concerning Early Childcare and Education.
High-quality and affordable early childhood care and education contribute to a robust economy and help ensure the success of families and future generations.
Connecticut has one of the highest costs of childcare in the country. It's why we crafted and passed a bill in the House to make childcare and early childhood education more affordable and accessible.
This House Priority Bill:
Creates the “Early Childhood Care and Education Fund,” to be used for childcare and early childhood education programs
Establishes the Early Childhood Care and Education Fund Advisory Commission that will report on the health of the Fund and annually update recommendations on how to best use its resources
Invests in teachers and assistant teachers in state-funded school readiness programs and state-funded childcare programs
Requires a study on the availability of space in state-owned properties that may be used for early childhood care and education programs
These are sound investments in our state’s future and will go a long way toward helping parents earn a living and provide for their children’s care and education.
The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration. This year’s session ends on May 8.
