MFN’s Public Policy Committee identifies ten priorities for each session of the Maryland General Assembly. These serve as the basis for deciding which issues will be raised and responded to during the General Assembly session and throughout the fiscal year. Listed below are the priorities for this year and last.

In keeping with our belief that good public policy is the result of a process that invites all the stakeholders to participate and strive to reach consensus, each summer we invite the online community of more than 2,000 interested early childhood advocates to cast their ballots for our Top Ten Public Policy Priorities for the coming year. Our Top Ten Priorities list serves as our focus during the General Assembly session and throughout the year, but it does not preclude us from addressing other issues as they arise.

The reason that some issues remain on the top 10 priorities list from year to year and others come and go may be explained by a variety of factors, including the following:

  1. members of the Public Policy Committee recognize that significant progress has occurred on an issue during one year and less attention is needed the next year;
  2. other groups have assumed more responsibility for a specific issue area, requiring a less extensive investment of MFN time;
  3. particular issues receive significant national attention and press coverage which result in a groundswell of grassroots support;
  4. relevant crises occur in the state which warrant special attention;
  5. some issues are consistently of significant concern because of their fundamental importance to the child care community and mission of MFN; and
  6. some issues remain important because of the lack of progress over the years.

2021-2022 Legislative Priorities

1. Child Care Provider Compensation

2. Child Care Scholarship (Subsidy) Program

3. Comprehensive Services for Children and Families

4. Access to Child Care

5. Family Economic Supports

6. Maryland’s Early Childhood Budget

7. Early Childhood Mental Health

8. Federal Early Childhood Funding and Policy

9. Child Care for Infants & Toddlers

10. Family Child Care

For additional information about our legislative priorities, including more about the issues and a statement of MFN’s position, please download the 2019-2020 Public Policy Handbook.