“As chair of the Legislative Women’s Caucus and an active member of the Committee on Children & Families, I unequivocally support bill A.8623. It is a much-needed cash infusion for families who have suffered from a lack of access to affordable childcare as we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and as our economy continues to endure volatility.

“If we expect individuals to get back into the workforce and start returning to places of work in-person, we need to provide support by helping these families find safe, affordable childcare. We also cannot allow children who are already in the system to be an afterthought in these initiatives; they are the future generations who will keep the wheels of society spinning for years to come.

“Now is the time to build on the momentum we have generated in this budget so far to ensure we end up ahead of any potential difficulties going forward.”