Order will ensure guidance on prioritizing enrollment of children of essential critical infrastructure workers

Order will suspend restrictions on access to state-subsidized child care programs

Order also allows California to take advantage of new federal flexibility to provide pandemic SNAP benefits to children to reduce food insecurity

SACRAMENTO – Today, Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order that will facilitate child care for children of essential critical infrastructure workers by allowing the California Department of Education and California Department of Social Services the flexibility to waive certain programmatic and administrative requirements in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The waivers will focus on current eligibility and enrollment priorities that prevent child care and afterschool programs from serving children of essential infrastructure workers. The waiver will allow eligibility for child care to prioritize essential workers, including health care professionals, emergency response personnel, law enforcement, and grocery workers