RICHMOND, VA – Today, Virginia House Democrats passed House Bill 18 (HB18) and House Bill 211 (HB211) – legislation that provides working families with affordable childcare options – lowering costs and allowing parents to stay in the workforce while raising a family.
HB18 establishes the Employee Child Care Assistance Program to provide matching funds in order to incentivize employers to contribute to the child care costs of their employees.
HB211 declares it the goal of the Commonwealth to offer evidence-based Head Start and Early Head Start programs to each family in the Commonwealth that is eligible to enroll a child in such a program.
“As a mother myself, I understand firsthand the challenges of finding high-quality childcare, especially options that are affordable for my family,” said Delegate Adele McClure, Patron of HB18. “That’s exactly why I introduced HB18 – to address affordability directly, and partner with businesses to support working families and lower the cost of childcare.”
“We know that early childhood education is incredibly important for our children and their success,” said Delegate Debra Gardner, Patron of HB211. “By establishing Head Start programs as a Commonwealth priority, HB211 puts our kids first, addresses the rising costs of childcare, and eases the burden on working parents.”
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