Peoria-area child care workers are rallying together to urge lawmakers to restore child-care assistance. State representative Jehan Gordon-Booth sponsored legislation that challenges Governor Bruce Rauner’s changes to the Child Care Assistance Program or CCAP. Earlier this summer Rauner decreased eligibility for CCAP and increased the cost of copays. Gordon Booth says child care workers are hurting even more under chronic state budget woes:
“You see child care centers that are having to lay off because of this, we’ve had child-care centers close because of this impasse. And now you’re seeing women are dropping out of school.”
More than 60 area child and home care workers will travel to Springfield November 10th before the vote on Gordon Booth’s bill. Gordon-Booth’s legislation failed to pass the state House in September by one vote. She says she’s been reaching out to lawmakers to try and secure enough support to pass the measure.