Policy Picks

As state leaders continue to battle over California's budget, new developments on the health care front are emerging which could affect the outcome of those negotiations.

As the state budget stalemate enters its third week, the impending end of federal stimulus dollars from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act  has raised concerns. 

California marked the start of its new fiscal year on July 1 without actually passing a budget, which poses problems for many service providers in California, including state-subsidized child care centers.

State lawmakers recently unveiled a new plan that would shift a number of state programs to counties, among them is CalWORKs, the state's welfare-to-work program and its accompanying child care.

For the 23rd time since 1986, California lawmakers failed to meet the constitutional deadline (June 15) for submitting a balanced budget to the governor.

The U.S. Congress is currently revising the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) - the nation's signature education law - and some law makers are considering including a focus on early childhood education.

State leaders received another bad piece of budget news when the U.S. Congress recently said it would kill plans to send more aid to California and other states, further jeopardizing children's programs.

By rejecting massive cuts in the governor's proposed May Revise, Democratic legislators sent the governor a clear message - that eliminating programs vital to California's young children is not acceptable.

Leaders on D.C.'s Capitol Hill are focusing much attention on childhood nutrition these days - including the report Solving the Problem of Childhood Obesity Within a Generation and the Child Nutrition Reauthorization Bill.

Governor Schwarzenegger’s May Revise includes two proposals that could decimate state child care in California. Cutting state child care would result in the loss of crucial jobs and more.

In the May Revise budget, released Friday, the governor proposes to eliminate the CalWORKs program and drastically cut child care and other children's programs in his latest budget proposal.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is set to fire the opening salvo in what's expected to be a protracted budget battle this Friday when he releases his May Revise budget, which may include more bad news for California's young children.

Providing a lactation break time during the work day represents an important step in preventative health. Learn how the new health care reform bill has made this possible for many working moms.

Local and national children's health advocates are celebrating passage of the Melanie Blocker Stokes Act aimed at reducing the number of women who suffer from perinatal depression.

First 5 LA has updated its ABCs of Advocacy page to help readers who want to speak on behalf of children's programs. There is also a new bill from Senator Cox.

More than a million children in California rely on the state's Healthy Families Health Insurance program. Learn how the governor's current budget proposals threaten their coverage.   

The new health care reform will ease a major burden for many California families trying to manage the high cost of health care. It will also provide funding for other family-friendly services.

The new health care reform law aligns with First 5 LA's Policy Agenda in several ways, including the extension of CHIP, home visitation and more.

Do policy and advocacy campaigns really work in Los Angeles County? A recent study by the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy says they do with compelling results.

The governor vetoed a budget bill last week that would have reduced the estimated $20 billion budget deficit by $2 billion, without cutting vital children's services.

First lady Michelle Obama has joined forces with the surgeon general and the Department of Health and Human Services to launch a national campaign addressing national childhood obesity.

First 5 LA has put together a recap of the several video interviews featuring L.A. County parents and grantees who spoke up against the proposed First 5 funding grab in Sacramento.

Legislators exclude Governor’s proposed redirection of First 5 funding from current budget solutions; Cox bill dies in committee.

President Obama's proposed Fiscal Year 2011 budget includes several spending increases that could benefit young children. Learn about the potential impacts in the early care and education field.

Legislators continue to seek midyear budget solutions; Cox introduces bill to grab First 5 funding; readers encouraged to join efforts to save First 5 programs.

First 5 LA interviewed several  of the many parents, grantees and stakeholders who testified on behalf of First 5 at the California Assembly budget subcommittee hearing in Sacramento.

More than 50 First 5 grantees and parents testified against the governors proposal to divert First 5 funds, before a state Assembly committee. See video of the testimony.

California Senate Democrats recently took a significant step towards preserving early childhood programs by approving a set of budget solutions that spared First 5 funding.

Evie recounts some of what was heard at the state Assembly budget hearing. Parents came from all walks of life, from compact urban areas to rural towns to big cities to testify. 

Advocates from across the state came together in Sacramento last week to testify at a California Senate budget hearing in opposition to a plan to divert Proposition 10 funding.