Lawmakers seek to create 'universal' child care - Salem News
By Christian Wade
As child care centers struggle to recover from the pandemic, and parents search for options as they return to work, lawmakers are proposing an overhaul of the industry.
A proposal to create a system of universal child care in the state over the next five years has more than 80 co-sponsors in the Legislature and would pump hundreds of millions of dollars into the industry.
Backers say the proposal will provide expanded child care options for parents returning to work, and will help fill a void in early education opportunities that existed prior to the pandemic.
“The child care industry has really been hammered by the pandemic,” said Rep. Paul Tucker, D-Salem, who signed onto the proposal. “And parents lost options as they start to return to work. It’s something we desperately need to address.”