Los Angeles Wildfires Resources & Updates

Read more on TFC's Los Angeles wildfires resources & updates webpage.

California State Budget, Legislature & The Capitol

California Budget Updates



On January 10th, Governor Newsom released his 2025-26 Proposed Budget.

To support our field keeping up with budget related information, TFC will host updates and information on our Budget Page. any questions.

Upcoming Budget Hearings:

• Wednesday, March 12, 2025 - Assembly Budget Subcommittee 2 on Human Services @ 1:30 p.m. - State Capitol Room 126
• Department of Social Services
• Proposal for a Multi-agency Office on Foster Care
• Department of Social Services
• Foster Care and Child Welfare Services
• Community Care Licensing
• Program Updates and Priority Issues of Interest
• Governor’s Budget Proposals
• Department of Child Support Services
• Program Updates and Priority Issues of Interest
• Governor’s Budget Proposals

Click here to go to TFC's Budget Page.

TFC's Featured Bill of the Week

SB 290 (Smallwood-Cuevas) CalWORKs

Author: Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas

Lola Smallwood-Cuevas was elected to the California State Senate in 2022, representing the 28th District that encompasses the communities of Ladera Heights, View Park, Arlington Heights, Arlington Park, Baldwin Hills, Carthay, Century City, Cheviot Hills, Crenshaw, Del Rey, Downtown, Hyde Park, Jefferson Park, Leimert Park, Mar Vista, Mid City, South Los Angeles, University Park, West Adams, and West Los Angeles.

Senator Smallwood-Cuevas spent two decades serving as an educator, labor organizer and community activist. Raised by a single mother who worked as a homecare worker, CNA and registered nurse, Senator Smallwood-Cuevas grew up in a working family who moved to California in search of a better education, good union jobs, and a pathway to self-sufficiency.

Her personal and professional goals have always been centered on making a more equitable California for working families. Her leadership and work experience have shaped her understanding of politics, public policy, and how to adapt systems change for the betterment of all Californians.

As a longtime resident of South Los Angeles, Senator Smallwood-Cuevas is a wife and mother of two who has spent her life’s work dedicated to improving the tangible conditions of working families.

How to Support a Bill

As bills move through California’s legislative process, they are presented to and heard by several committees who may recommend amendments and vote on whether or not the bill should continue through the legislative process.

As legislators decide how to vote, they consider public opinion as expressed through position letters. To support a bill, you can submit your letter through the California Legislature Position Letter Portal.

If you have any questions, contact TFC staff!

Important Dates, Deadlines,

Hearings, and Bills

Dates & Deadlines:

• April 10, 2025 - Spring recess upon adjournment.

Upcoming Bill Hearings:

• ASM Revenue and Taxation - March 10th @ 2:30 p.m. - State Capitol, Room 126
• AB 397 (Gonzalez) Young Child Tax Credit
• INFO HEARING - SEN Human Services - Tuesday, March 11th @ 9:30 a.m. - 1021 O Street, Room 2200
• Hunger in California
• ASM Human Services - Tuesday, March 11 @ 1:30 p.m. - State Capitol, Room 437
• AB 79 (Arambula) Public social services: higher education
• AB 276 (Bennett) Background checks
• AB 319 (Jackson) Foster youth: trauma-informed, therapeutic continuum of care.
• AB 320 (Bennett) Public social services: eligibility: income exclusions.
• Joint Hearing: SEN Labor, Public Employment and Retirement, and ASM Labor and Employment - Wednesday, March 12 @ 9 a.m. - 1021 O Street Room 1100
• L.A. Wildfires: Ensuring an Equitable Recovery for Workers

Recently Introduced Bills to Watch:

The following bills of interest have been introduced. You can follow these bills and more on TFC's State Legislation page on our website. Please note that TFC does not formally support nor oppose any bill listed unless explicitly stated.

• AB 318 (Alanis) Child daycare: application: fees.
• AB 363 (Bryan) Community colleges: CalWORKs Recipients Education Program: eligibility and services.
• AB 607 (Rodriguez, Celeste) CalWORKs: Home Visiting Program
• AB 636 (Ortega) Medi-Cal: diapers.

Legislative Resources:

• See the full 2025-26 Legislative Calendar here.
• Visit TFC's Legislation Page to find a comprehensive list of bills of interest.
• Visit TFC's Budget Page for full budget bill details, as well as budget hearing video archive links.
• Click here to view all the bills that the Assembly and Senate introduced this legislative year.
• Click here to view legislative committee information, rules, and position letter deadlines.

Did You Know?

Child Care Q&A's

NOTE: If you have a question you would like answered or researched, please email.

Question: Will child care provider Cost of Care monthly payments continue?

Answer: Yes. Enacted in the 2024-25 Budget and referenced to continue in the 2025-26 Proposed Budget, this monthly amount will continue.

Federal Update

Congratulations to Kim McDougal for becoming a new board member of Child Care Aware of America!

Kimberly McDougal, Senior Vice President of Social Services for the YMCA of San Diego County, a TFC member, was announced as a new board member of national research nonprofit Child Care Aware of America. A blog post interviewing Kim will be published later in March. Read more about the YMCA of San Diego County here.

New Bipartisan, Bicameral Proposal to Make Child Care More Affordable | First Five Years Fund

U.S. Senators Katie Britt (R-AL) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) along with U.S. Representatives Mike Lawler (R-NY) and Salud Carbajal (D-CA) have introduced the Child Care Availability and Affordability Act and the Child Care Workforce Act. The bills were first introduced in 2024 and were re-introduced last week. This bipartisan, bicameral legislative package aims to make child care more affordable and accessible by strengthening existing tax credits to lower child care costs and increase the supply of child care providers. Read more here.

The U.S. Chamber sent a letter to Congress on March 6th in support of this legislation. Read the letter here.

The First Five Things to Know About: The Britt-Kaine Bipartisan Child Care Plan

Introduced by Senators Katie Britt and Tim Kaine this bipartisan child care plan would fine-tune three existing provisions in the tax code.

• The legislation would broaden the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC) – the only tax credit that specifically helps parents pay for child care – by making the credit refundable for low- and middle-income working families and expanding the maximum amount parents can receive to $2,500 for families with one child and $4,000 for families with two or more children.
• It would strengthen Dependent Care Assistance Plans (DCAP) by increasing the amount of pre-tax dollars families can put into a child care assistance plan (similar to a Flexible Spending Account) from $5,000 to $7,500. 
• And it would bolster the Employer-Provided Child Care Tax Credit (often referenced as 45F), supporting businesses who want to provide child care to their employees and allowing small businesses to work together to provide child care to employees.
• Here is an explainer of the three tax provisions.

New Factsheet: Cuts to SSBG, TANF Would Eliminate Child Care for 40K Children, Disrupt Care for Millions More | Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP)

"Child care access for close to 40,000 children across the country is at risk in addition to vital supports and services for families if we do not protect SSBG and TANF funding. This fact sheet provides background information about SSBG and TANF programs and highlights the number of children whose child care would be impacted by threatened cuts."

Read the factsheet here.

TFC Sponsored Bill AB 1808 (Nguyen) Highlighted in NWLC Report!

The National Women's Law Center recently published "Work in Progress: State Child Care and Early Education Updates 2024" highlighting noteworthy investments and policy changes made by states in 2024 to support child care and early learning. We are pleased to announce that AB 1808, authored by Assemblymember Stephanie Nguyen and sponsored by Thriving Families CA in 2024, was listed as a noteworthy policy that lifts up the needs of families.

AB 1808 created a consistent 24-month eligibility period for all income-eligible families within CalWORKs, aligning it with other subsidized child care programs. This change helps to eliminate disparities, streamline processes, and reduce burdens on families accessing child care support.

Read the report here. California's section is found on page 6.

Click here to read the most recent weekly federal update from the National Women's Law Center.

Federal Government Update

House Speaker Johnson (R-LA) aims to hold a vote on Tuesday (3/11) on a bill to fund the government through September 30, a move needed to avert a partial shutdown of agencies late next week (3/14), he told reporters on Thursday.

The bill, a continuing resolution (CR), that would fund the government at current levels for the remainder of FY25, could be unveiled as soon as this weekend, said Johnson, who leads a narrow 218-214 majority. 

⇒ Because costs rise every year, it is crucial that ECE programs receive increased funding every year to simply maintain their current reach. Insufficient funding increases or flat funding act as a cut, reducing the number of people served and narrowing the reach of the programs.

Johnson can afford to lose no more than one Republican vote on legislation that lacks support from Democrats, who oppose Trump's agenda including the spending and federal job cuts being pushed by billionaire Trump adviser Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency.

One House Republican, fiscal hawk Rep. Massie (R-KY), has already said he intends to vote against the measure because it will not include DOGE-identified cuts to spending programs. Massie was the lone Republican to oppose a House budget blueprint for advancing the Trump agenda last week.

The CR would also need to clear the Senate, where Republicans hold a 53-47 majority, before it could be sent on to Trump to sign it into law. More: US House Republicans aim for vote to avert government shutdown on Tuesday | Reuters

            ⇒ Urge your federal policymakers to fight for funding for child care 

As a reminder, Congress is conducting two separate budget processes. They are concurrently working on annual appropriations for FY25, which determines discretionary yearly spending (e.g., CCDBG, and Head Start), and a reconciliation bill, which affects mandatory spending (e.g., Medicaid, and SNAP).

Reconciliation 

What this means and why it matters:

• Republican majorities in both chambers are planning to eliminate and cut funding to programs that families, children, and early educators rely on in order to pay for harsh immigration policies and tax cuts for billionaires and corporations. With less revenue available, CCDBG, Head Start, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Medicaid, the Social Services Development Block (SSDBG), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and many others remain at risk.
• We know that federal funding for programs serving our communities is woefully inadequate, and further cuts would be devastating.

What’s next:

• As a reminder, each chamber passed its own distinct budget proposal. Agreeing to the same budget blueprint in both chambers is step one in advancing the President’s agenda via the fast-track reconciliation process—and we’re not even there yet. 
• If Republicans are going to advance a bill that can become law, they’ll need to take a third step, one in which both chambers agree to the same budget proposal. 
• Bottom line: there’s a long way to go before this agenda is even close to becoming law.
• Please continue to speak out about the critical importance of maintaining access to federal funding, not cutting funding for children, families, and educators, and increasing those funds through annual appropriations.
• More on reconciliation: Budget Reconciliation Talking Points and Background (Child Care for Every Family Network)

Layoffs at the Administration for Children and Families

This week, in a letter shared first with POLITICO, Rep. Fernández (D-NM) and over 40 members of the Democratic Women’s Caucus asked Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whose agency has jurisdiction over those programs, to “immediately reinstate any [Administration for Children and Families] federal employees whom HHS fired and not remove any others.”

“While Elon Musk believes that women and families who benefit from these programs are parasites, we know that these programs provide hard-working families with crucial services,” the lawmakers wrote in the letter Thursday. “Further, it is the dedicated federal workers who allow these essential services to support families across the nation.” More: Musk’s layoffs target offices that aid women and children - POLITICO

Also, this week, our collective advocacy is having an impact: President Trump convened his Cabinet in person on Thursday to deliver a message: You’re in charge of your departments, not Elon Musk.

According to two administration officials, Trump told top members of his administration that Musk was empowered to make recommendations to the departments but not to issue unilateral decisions on staffing and policy. Musk was also in the room. More: Trump puts new limits on Elon Musk - POLITICO

Most Viewed Bills of the Week:

1.H.Con.Res.14 [119th] Establishing the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2025 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2026 through 2034.

2.H.R.8281 [118th] SAVE Act

3.H.R.22 [119th] SAVE Act

4.H.R.10127 [118th] Restoring Trade Fairness Act

5.H.R.1161 [119th] Red, White, and Blueland Act of 2025

6.S.4621 [118th] No Tax on Tips Act

7.H.R.25 [119th] FairTax Act of 2025

8.H.R.561 [119th] Overtime Pay Tax Relief Act of 2025

9.H.R.722 [119th] Life at Conception Act

10.S.5 [119th] Laken Riley Act

CDSS & CDE Information & Updates

**Reminder** (CDSS – CDMIS) CDD-801A & CDD-801B Lock Schedule

Attention: Program Directors, Executive Directors, Software Vendors, Listserv, and Active CDSS – CDMIS Users.

This email serves to inform all CDSS – CDMIS contractors of the upcoming lock schedule for the CDD-801A and CDD-801B.

CDD-801A report periods are locked ninety (90) days after the report due date. This provides agencies additional time to review and update information submitted. Once a report period is locked for the CDD-801A, users trying to access data will receive the following message: “The cut-off date for entering CDD-801A data for the selected month/year has passed. CDD-801A data may no longer be entered for the selected report month/year.”

Read more here.

PIN 25-04-CCLD - Fee Waivers in Response to the January 2025 Fires and Windstorm Conditions in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties

CCLD has released a new Provider Information Notice (PIN),

PIN 25-04-CCLD - Fee Waivers in Response to the January 2025 Fires and Windstorm Conditions in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties

PIN 25-04-CCLD notifies Adult and Senior Care (ASC), Child Care Program (CCP),and Children’s Residential (CRP) Program licensees and providers that the Director of the California Department of Social Services will be using the authority provided in the Governor’s Proclamation and State of Emergency Executive Orders N-2-25 and N-3-25 to waive licensing fees for those impacted by the January 2025 fires in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties.

Upcoming Thriving Families CA (TFC) Events

Thriving Families CA (TFC) is excited to announce an informational training event in Anaheim, CA designed to empower our community and foster collaboration.

This Statewide Meeting presents a unique opportunity for participants to come together, share valuable insights and experiences, and explore innovative ideas that will shape policies and enhance best practices in our field.

Over the course of two enriching days, attendees will have the chance to engage in a multi-track workshop format, catering to diverse interests and ensuring that every stakeholder finds relevant and impactful content.

Together, we can strengthen our collective efforts to create THRIVING environments for children and families.

We hope you can join us!

Learn More and Register Here!

March 2025 Monday Morning Update Sponsor

Social Media Spotlight

Follow TFC on social media!

We would love for you to tag us in your posts and use the hashtag #TFC2025

On Our Reading List

Information & Updates

Happening This Week, March 10-14, 2025:

Monday, March 10th:

• TFC Small/Rural Contractors Meeting @ 2:00 pm

Tuesday, March 11th:

• CalHR Monthly Forum from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
• TFC Weekly Member Connections Meeting @ 1:00 pm. Email to register.

Thursday, March 13th:

• TFC and CDSS Bi-Monthly Meeting @ 10:00 am

Thriving Families California is committed to supporting our field with a coordinated calendar. Click here to see current calendar of events. If you have an event to add, email us and it will be added.

The Weekly Good

An uplifting way to start the week, for those of us who need a break from the chaos that is our lives.

During this time where we are all stressed, it would be great to celebrate the positive. Each week we will celebrate everyday heroes, inspiring movements and great things happening in our field. 

Thank You to Our Generous 2024-25 Thriving Families CA (TFC) Champions!

We appreciate the tremendous support from our 2024-25 TFC Champion Members. These members have stepped up, making it possible for TFC to support our field with more tailored support of individual organizations, ability to pay for legal, advocacy and social media supports, enhanced regional trainings, improving data collection, and more.