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Public Policy Priorities

Options for Learning is committed to advocating at local, state, and national levels so that all children and families in our service area — especially those who have historically been disenfranchised and under-resourced — have access to a mixed-delivery system of early care and education (ECE) and school-age programs that meet the needs of the whole child and family and uphold the values of all child development professionals.
 
We are fortunate to have an internal team, Advocates in Motion (AIM), that promotes our organization's legislative priorities. Comprising 15 dedicated and passionate staff, AIM does not lobby but rather raises awareness and educates legislators and the community about issues and bills that impact the child care field. Learn more about AIM.
Options for Learning has identified six state bills, four federal bills, and seven nonprofit bills that align with our public policy priorities. 

State bills:
AB 596 (Reyes) Early Learning and Care: Rate Reform;
SB 380 (Limon) Early Learning and Care: Rate Reform;
SB 635 (Menjivar) Early Education and Child Care;
AB 51 (Bonta) Early child care and education;
AB 1245 (McCarty) Community colleges: child care providers: course fee waivers;
AB 1113 (McCarty) The Expanded Learning Opportunities Program: the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System: the After School Education and Safety Program: the 21st-century Community Learning Centers Program.

Federal bills: 
S. 388 [Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)] Child Care for Every Community Act;
H.R. 953 [Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ-11)] Child Care for Every Community Act; 
H.R. 656 [Rep. Castro, Joaquin (D-TX-20)] Head Start for Our Future Act;
H.R. 479 [Rep. Miller, Carol D. (R-WV-1)] Targeting Child Care Funds Based on Poverty Act of 2023.

California Association of Nonprofits (CALNONPROFITS) — General support for nonprofit bills: 
AB 590 (Hart) State-funded assistance grants and contracts: advance payments;  
AB 619 (Fong, V) State government: emergency services: nonprofit service providers;  
AB 696 (Lowenthal) State agency grants and contracts;  
AB 860 (Valencia) Grant programs: administration; 
AB 885 (Rivas, L) Public contracts: nonprofit organizations; 
SB 336 (Umberg) State grant programs: negotiated cost rate agreements; 
SB 557 (Limon) California Prompt Payment Act: nonprofit organizations. 
AIM activities: 
October through December 2022 
  • Meeting with Speaker Anthony Rendon 
  • Meeting with Asm. Mike Fong 
  • Asm. Chris Holden Holiday Shoe Drive Event 
  • Asm. Mike Fong Holiday Event and Toy Drive
January through March 2023 
  • Meeting with Asm. Blanca E. Rubio’s appointed staff Taylor Valmores 
  • Sen. Portantino Holiday Event and Book Drive 
  • Meeting with Asm. Chris Holden and appointed staff Catherine Charles 
  • Meeting with Asm. Blanca Pacheco's appointed staff Kierra Paul 
  • Meeting with Asm. Juan Carrillo 
  • Meeting with Asm. Blanca Pacheco's appointed staff Fabiana Flores 
  • Meeting with Asm. Blanca E. Rubio's appointed staff Wendy Saavedra, Alexa Sanchez, and Denaee Amaya 
  • AIM virtual Read Across America events
  • Attended Duarte Chamber of Commerce San Gabriel Valley Women’s Summit 
  • Meeting with Congresswoman Norma Torres' appointed staff Sophia Siqueiros
  • Attended EveryChild CA Sub. 2 Budget Hearing, ECE Coalition Advocacy Day in Sacramento 
  • Meeting with Sen. Anthony Portantino’s appointed staff Katherine Squire
  • Attended Head Start Advocacy Day in Sacramento 
  • Meeting with Sen. Susan Rubio's appointed staff Paulina Rodriguez   
  • Meeting with Congresswoman Judy’s Chu's appointed staff Maile Plan
  • Meeting with Asm. Pilar Schiavo's appointed staff Miriam Farouk
  • Meeting with Asm. Josh Lowenthal's appointed staff Jessica Sam
  • Meeting with Congresswoman Linda Sanchez 
April through June 2023 
  • Meeting with Sen. Bob Archuleta 
  • Meeting with Asm. Mike Fong's appointed staff Sophia Kwong Kim 
  • Attended Child Care Alliance Advocacy Day in Sacramento 
  • Meeting with Sen. Scott Wilk's Fellow Bryce Pamer 
  • Meeting with Sen. Anthony Portantino's Fellow Katherine Squire 
  • Meeting with Asm. Freddie Rodriguez's Legislative Aide Byron Briones 
  • Meeting with Sen. Caroline Menjivar's Policy Analyst Kimberly Fuentes 
  • Meeting with  Asm. Wendy Carrillo's Legislative Aide Timothy Knox 
  • Meeting with Asm. Blanca E. Rubio's Legislative Director Daniel Folwarkow   
For questions or additional information about AIM, please contact Zinnia Voong, external affairs manager and AIM coordinator, at 626-433-8516.