Senate approves Jackson child care proposal
Too many Maine children and families lack access to quality, affordable child care. At the same time, Maine child care providers continue to operate at a loss to care for our kids. The system isn’t working for anyone and it’s only been made worse by the pandemic.
Jackson child care bill earns bipartisan support in committee
AUGUSTA – The Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee overwhelmingly approved a bill from Senate President Troy Jackson, D-Allagash to expand access to quality, affordable child care in Maine with bipartisan support on Wednesday. The vote was 9-1, with three committee members absent. LD 1712, An Act To Support Children’s Healthy Development and School Success would expand […]
Pres. Jackson’s universal school meal bill earns bipartisan support in committee
AUGUSTA — The Legislature’s Education and Cultural Affairs Committee approved a bill from Senate President Troy Jackson, D-Allagash, to reduce student hunger in a vote of 11-2 last week. LD 1679, An Act To Address Student Hunger through Expanding Access to Free School Meals would make School Breakfast and National School Lunch programs available to […]
President Jackson introduces the Kids First Plan
All children deserve a chance to live a healthy, happy and productive life. Where a kid lives or how much their parents make shouldn’t ever prevent them from getting ahead. Yet, too many children go to school hungry regularly. How can we expect them to learn on an empty stomach? If parents don’t have a safe place to drop their kids off to learn while they go to work, how can we expect parents to make ends meet for their families? And if child care workers aren’t supported, how can we expect them to stay open? Things were difficult before the COVID-19 pandemic. But there is no question that this crisis has had an outsized influence on our kids. The Kids First plan makes Maine kids a priority as we work to normalcy. We must ask ourselves what does it mean to truly put our kids first — and then, follow through.
