AUGUSTA - Rep. Cheryl Golek, D-Harpswell, presented LD 1520 at a public hearing before the Education and Cultural Affairs Committee on Monday, which would direct the Maine Department of Education and the Maine Department of Health and Human Services to study placing child care facilities in secondary schools.
The study would focus on providing child care to the infants, toddlers and preschool children of school employees, along with other community members as space allows. The study would also explore how facilities could be incorporated to provide a learning environment for child care education and child development courses for secondary school and adult education students.
"Child care is a necessity, not a luxury," said Golek. "We need to think outside the box to find innovative ways to increase access to affordable child care, which will help Maine families make ends meet and allow our small businesses to recruit and retain a strong workforce. This legislation will bring key stakeholders to the table to study whether adding child care facilities to secondary schools can be part of the solution."
The Legislature's Education and Cultural Affairs Committee will hold a work session on the bill in the coming weeks.
Golek, a member of the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee and the Joint Select Committee on Housing, is serving her first term in the Maine House and represents Harpswell and part of Brunswick.
Contact:
Brian Lee [Golek], c. 305-965-2744