Governor Gavin Newsom has a $10 million plan to consolidate the state's confusing array of child care programs that are administered by multiple state agencies.
The first-term Democratic governor wants to create a new state agency called the Department of Early Childhood Development. It would combine the state's subsidized child care programs for low-income adults under one agency. California has 6.5 million children 12 and younger and 57% of them are eligible for state services. Some child care providers say that money would be better spent on boosting their already underfunded programs. But others say simplifying the process would make things easier for parents and providers.