In a landmark legislative year for early childhood advocacy, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed six bills into law that were either co-sponsored or supported by First 5 LA as part of the agency’s 2019 State and Federal Advocacy Agenda. The bills span all four of First 5 LA’s priority areas: early care and education, health systems, family supports and communities. The following is a snapshot of the five bills supported by First 5 LA, not including AB 1004, which was the first bill signed into law co-sponsored by the agency (see related story here).
Check out next month’s Early Childhood Matters newsletter for further details on the impact of state and federal legislation signed into law supported by First 5 LA in an analysis penned by First 5 LA Public Policy and Government Affairs Director Peter Barth.
EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION (ECE)
Child Care Collective Bargaining: This bill provides that family childcare providers have the right to form, join, and participate in the activities of a provider organization of their own choosing for the purpose of representing them and bargaining on matters related to the terms and conditions of their employment.
Family Daycare Homes: Under existing law, the California Child Day Care Facilities Act, the State Department of Social Services licenses and regulates family daycare homes. Under existing law, a small family daycare home, which may provide care for up to 8 children, is considered a residential use of property for purposes of all local ordinances. Existing law authorizes a city, county, or city and county to either classify a large family daycare home, which may provide care for up to 14 children, as residential use of the property or to provide a process for applying for a permit to use the property as a large family daycare home. This bill instead requires a large family daycare home to be treated as a residential use of property for purposes of all local ordinances, allowing large family childcare homes that provide care for up to 14 children to avoid costly and burdensome zoning and permitting requirements in order to help serve more kids and families.
HEALTH
Implicit Bias: This bill mandates hospitals that provide perinatal care, alternative birth centers and primary care clinics to implement implicit bias trainings for all staff providing perinatal care. The bill would also require these programs to identify existing provider biases, create measures that decrease implicit biases and stereotypes, and develop more culturally inclusive and appropriate communications and service delivery strategies.
FAMILIES
Public Charge: This bill asks the Legislature to condemn the Trump Administration’s proposal to expand the definition of public charge for immigrants seeking to legally adjust their status. In addition, ACR 1 urges the federal government to reconsider and roll back the proposed regulation. The resolution asserts several declarations regarding the importance of immigrants to the State of California, how the proposal will weaken our economy, and weaken the health, and prosperity of children and families.
COMMUNITIES
State and Local Board Participation: This bill makes any person at least 18 years of age and a resident of California eligible to hold an appointed civil office, regardless of that person’s citizenship and immigration status.
