The state budget is a crucial opportunity to get things right for the work of child care and the families counting on us in Maryland. The Governor’s budget proposal for child care is a strong start in a challenging time.
The final state budget details are up to the Delegates and Senators in the General Assembly. They are getting their process started now.
First up: Subcommittee hearings
- The House Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Education and Economic Development will hold a hearing on the MSDE Early Childhood budget on Wednesday, February 21 at 1:00.
- The Senate Budget and Tax Subcommittee on Education, Business and Administration will hold a hearing on the MSDE Early Childhood budget on Friday, February 23 at 11:30.
Our communities are represented by members on these Committees! Find out the committee membership details here. Any of us can advocate to the Committee though! We can all communicate with them, even if our own Delegates and Senators are on other committees.
We are so glad to see that submitting written testimony online is an option again this year. This means we can be involved right from where we are! Your testimony is your story about why you want them to invest in child care.
Please mark your calendar and let’s prepare together!
| House Budget hearing is February 21 | Senate Budget hearing is February 23 |
| Download a Word document with sample testimony you can personalize: (HOUSE budget testimony sample for February 2024)
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Download a Word document with sample testimony you can personalize: (SENATE budget testimony sample for February 2024)
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| Join the Child Resource Center Connect team for virtual office hours on February 16 between 1 and 2 PM! | Join the Child Resource Center Connect team for virtual office hours on February 21 between 1 and 2 PM! |
| Submit your testimony online using your own MyGA account on February 19 between the hours of 8 AM and 6 PM | Submit your testimony online using your own MyGA account on February 22 between the hours of 8 AM and 6 PM |
Our state legislators need to hear from us. Together with partners across the state, we are urging Maryland legislators to:
- Protect the Child Care Scholarship (CCS) budget,
- Remain committed to recent policy progress – expanded family eligibility, waived family copays and increased payment rates to child care providers, and
- Work with the field of early care and education leaders to ensure a strong and effective system of CCS policies and practices.
