Senator Whitley Champions Office of Early Childhood
Contact Name: Marina Altschiller
Phone: (603) 271-3375
CONCORD – Today, the Senate voted Ought to Pass with Amendment on SB 326, Senator Becky Whitley’s (D-Hopkinton) bill to direct the commissioner of the Department of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the commissioner of the Department of Administrative Services, the commissioner of the Department of Education, the Office of the Child Advocate, and the Council for Thriving Children, to develop a plan to create the Office of Early Childhood by November 1, 2022. The bill will next go to the House for a public committee hearing.
After the vote, prime sponsor Senator Becky Whitley (D-Hopkinton) issued the following statement:
“Nothing is more important than the first years of a child’s life. Research tells us that what happens in the earliest years makes a critical difference in children's readiness to succeed in school and in life. In addition to the benefits for the child, the return on investment in early childhood through a lifetime of higher earnings, improved education outcomes, and reduced criminal justice costs is unmatched. I am proud to have sponsored this legislation and look forward to bringing SB 326 before the House.”
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