Policy Resource

New Governors are Starting to Think Babies™

Jan 30, 2019

Americans elected 20 new governors in the fall, and ZERO TO THREE is excited that several of these new leaders have already started to Think Babies™ in the first month of 2019! Here are a few highlights:

  • Governor Mike DeWine of Ohio used his first official news conference to highlight an executive order designed to increase the number of overburdened and under-resourced new mothers and infants receiving home visiting services.
  • Governor Gavin Newsom of California proposed a budget that includes increased funding for expanded paid leave, home visiting, child care, and developmental screenings.
  • Governor Jared Polis of Colorado included paid leave in his State of the State address, noting that as a first step, he would include a formal request in the budget to provide paid parental leave for all state employees.
  • Governor J.B. Pritzker of Illinois called for more robust policies to support paid parental leave and affordable child care in his inaugural address.

Help your state leader prioritize their youngest constituents by sharing It’s Time for Governors to Think Babies™, a resource designed just for them. Is your state leader addressing the needs of young children and their families in the new year? Tell us about it at policycenter@zerotothree.org.

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