Let’s Keep Momentum Going As End of Legislative Session Nears

Dear Advocates,

Here are a few updates in the final days of the Legislative Session this year.

First: the Child Care Bills, SB95 and SB96 are both moving swiftly. A HUGE thank you to everyone who has sent messages and made calls to your legislators to encourage support. The bills are now in the final steps in the State House, where we are hoping that they will be fast-tracked and passed.

Second: THANK YOU! Your advocacy efforts over the last weeks in response to the proposed budget cuts to child care in Alaska have been amazing! This included:

• thread, joined by several partners, rallying on the Capitol steps. The rally featured bi-partisan support from legislators, and 140 parents, community members, advocates, and kids. Thank you to those who joined.
• Legislative office visits with parents. thread has focused on meetings with key legislative offices to educate them on the importance of child care investments and policy. Your stories make a difference and support our message. We thank the parents and their children who joined thread in our most recent visit to the capital, who shared their incredible stories about why early childhood programs are important to their family.
• Over 2,000 messages were sent to legislators over five days and 50 phone calls were made from advocates from around the state.

Thank you for your incredible advocacy!

Third: The FY26 Operative Budget is in the final stages of the legislative session. Even though we have made some considerable progress sharing the need to restore child care funding, nothing is guaranteed until we see the funding officially back in the budget and the legislature passes it. thread is working to ensure the Budget Conference Committee knows our priorities and how critical child care and early childhood funding is to Alaska.

Keep the momentum going by calling your State House member!