Take Action to Pass Comprehensive Child Care Legislation This Year!
In early 2021, the Common Start Coalition drafted legislation, originally filed by Reps. Gordon & Madaro and Senators Lewis & Moran, that would make early education and child care more affordable for families, raise pay for early educators, and provide stable funding to providers. On May 18, the Legislature’s Education Committee approved a landmark bill, titled An Act to Expand Access to High-Quality, Affordable Early Education and Care.
Major sections of the Education Committee's legislation are heavily based on the Common Start bill, and we are thrilled that it strongly reflects many of our coalition's core principles and proposed solutions to the childcare crisis (read more about the bill here).
The State Senate passed their version of the bill on July 7, and we are now calling on the House to advance their version of the bill, H.4795, through the House Ways & Means Committee, and to bring it to the floor for a vote this year. Take two seconds and send a letter to your State Representative today!
The time for investment in early education and child care is NOW! We are on the verge of a major victory and the achievement of the first phase of our Common Start vision. Now is the time to make our voices heard and push hard for the affordable, accessible early education child care system we know is possible!
We know that fulfilling our full vision will require a sustained effort to fund this framework and build on it over several years. The Common Start Coalition will continue to work with state leaders this session, next session, and beyond to build the affordable, accessible, high-quality early education and child care system that Massachusetts families deserve.