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IT GETS TO THAT POINT. IOWA GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS IS PITCHING A BILL THAT SHE SAYS WOULD EXPAND EARLY LEARNING OPTIONS FOR IOWA KIDS. CHIEF POLITICAL REPORTER AMANDA ROOKER JOINS US IN STUDIO THIS AFTERNOON. AMANDA, THE GOVERNOR, SAYS SHE WANTS MORE PRESCHOOL PROVIDERS AND CHILD CARE CENTERS TO WORK TOGETHER. THAT’S RIGHT. STACIE JODI. SO THE GOVERNOR’S BILL WOULD LAUNCH A NEW $16 MILLION GRANT PROGRAM. THE GOAL, THE GOVERNOR SAYS, TO INCENTIVIZE PRESCHOOL PROVIDERS LIKE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND DAYCARE CENTERS TO WORK TOGETHER TO PROVIDE MORE ALL DAY CARE FOR IOWA KIDS. I WILL BE REITERATING A COUPLE OF THINGS FROM ECONOMIC DEVELOPERS TO HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS, PEOPLE REPRESENTING INDUSTRIES ACROSS THE STATE TOLD LAWMAKERS WEDNESDAY. IOWANS NEED BETTER ACCESS TO CHILD CARE. THE MORE WE CAN DO TO HELP PARENTS FIND CHILDCARE, ACCESS CHILD CARE AND NOT HAVE TO LEAVE WORK TO TAKE THEIR KIDS FROM ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER. I HOPE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD. RIGHT NOW, THE STATE SPENDS OVER $91 MILLION EACH YEAR FOR STATEWIDE VOLUNTARY PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS, BUT THOSE PROGRAMS ARE ONLY A FEW HOURS EACH DAY. SOME WORKING FAMILIES CANNOT PARTICIPATE IF THE PROGRAM ONLY COVERS A PORTION OF THE DAY, OR WOULD REQUIRE MID-DAY TRANSPORTATION TO CHILDCARE, THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE SAYS THEIR BILL WOULD HELP FIX THAT BY GIVING PRESCHOOL PROVIDERS AND CHILDCARE CENTERS STATE MONEY IF THEY WORK TOGETHER TO PROVIDE ALL DAY CARE FOR KIDS. SENATE STUDY BILL 1135 WOULD ALSO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO UPDATE THEIR PRESCHOOL STANDARDS, ENHANCE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS FOR PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS, AND CREATE NEW STUDENT OUTCOME METRICS. AND THE PROPOSAL WOULD MAKE THE CHILDCARE ASSISTANCE PILOT PROGRAM PERMANENT, WHICH WOULD PROVIDE FREE CHILD CARE TO CHILDCARE WORKERS. SOME EDUCATION EXPERTS ASKED LAWMAKERS TO ALSO CONSIDER FUNDING FULL DAY PRESCHOOL. THEY SAY THAT WOULD HELP WORKING FAMILIES WHO CAN’T AFFORD EXTRA CHILDCARE BUT WANT THEIR KIDS IN PRESCHOOL. WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO WORK WITH YOU TO CONSIDER FUNDING FULL DAY PRESCHOOL FOR THOSE STUDENTS. AT 185% OF POVERTY IN PARTICULAR, THAT HAVE THE MOST BARRIERS TO GETTING TO PRESCHOOL. SO WE LIKE TO ENCOURAGE GIVING THOSE PARENTS THAT FULL CONTINUUM OF CHOICES AS WELL. LAST MONTH, WE ASKED THE GOVERNOR WHY FULL-DAY PRESCHOOL IS NOT IN HER PROPOSAL. IF WE REMOVE FOUR YEAR OLDS FROM THEIR FROM OUR PRESCHOOL, OUR CHILD CARES. IT WOULD. WE WOULD BE TAKING SLOTS OFFLINE. A LOT OF THEM WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN THEIR OPERATION BECAUSE THAT’S HOW THEY CASH FLOW. NOW, SOME PEOPLE IN THE SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING TODAY HAD SOME CONCERNS THAT THE STATE FUNDING GOING TOWARDS THE NEW GRANT PROGRAM WOULD PULL EXISTING MONEY AWAY FROM OTHER STATE EFFORTS THAT HELP IOWA’S YOUNG CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES. BUT THE IOWA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SAID THOSE OTHER PROGRAMS WOULD NOT BE IMPACTED. THE BILL DID ADVANCE THROUGH SUBCOMMITTEE TODAY. AGAIN, THAT IS JUST THE VERY FIRST STEP IN THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS. STACEY, A L