Governor Abigail Spanberger today signed a package of bipartisan legislation aimed at reducing childcare costs for parents, enhancing early childhood education, and empowering small businesses in Virginia to attract and retain employees. The signing ceremony took place at the VCU Health Child Development Center Northside in Richmond, attended by parents, business leaders, and General Assembly members.
Central to the new laws is the Employee Child Care Assistance program, established by House Bill 18 and Senate Bill 3, led by Delegate Adele McClure and Senator Lashrecse Aird. This program will provide matching state funding to employers who help cover their employees' childcare expenses, with a focus on small businesses employing fewer than 50 people. Governor Spanberger emphasized the importance of these measures, saying, “Affordable childcare and early childhood education are not niche issues. They are not luxuries. These are challenges impacting families in every region of Virginia. Today, we’re taking a first step to ease the burden on parents and families across our Commonwealth by creating the Employee Child Care Assistance Program — a new tool that incentivizes employers to help their employees pay for childcare, with the state matching those contributions.”
Governor Spanberger also highlighted the economic benefits, stating, “Childcare is also a matter of economic competitiveness. When a family can’t afford childcare, often times a parent drops out of the workforce altogether. That’s not just a family budget problem, that’s a Virginia economy problem.” Delegate Adele McClure added that the bill offers "an additional lifeline" to families struggling with high childcare costs.
Brian Anderson, President and CEO of ChamberRVA, supported this view, saying, “Access to childcare is critical to maximizing workforce participation and increasing worker productivity.” Further legislation signed includes House Bill 1208 and Senate Bill 134, which mandate annual reporting on early childhood care and education costs, and House Bill 211, directing a comprehensive report on Head Start and Early Head Start programs to strengthen them for the future.