Two EveryChild California-supported bills are officially law
Two EveryChild California-supported bills are officially law. Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 902 (Grayson), which focuses on electronic signatures in subsidized child care, and AB 2429 (Rubio), which updates requirements for Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation services. EveryChild California proudly supported both measures and submitted letters of support during the legislative process.
SB 902 (bill text and status), authored by Senator Tim Grayson and led by Child Action, makes a practical but important update to California's subsidized child care system by allowing signatures required under the Child Care and Development Services Act to be completed electronically when they meet the requirements of the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act. The bill also allows documents containing those signatures to be created and stored electronically and gives the California Department of Social Services authority to establish implementation standards, including requirements related to authentication, consent, and record retention. For families, providers, and agencies, the change can reduce reliance on paper forms and in-person signatures and make routine child care administration more accessible and efficient.
AB 2429 (bill text and status), authored by Assemblymember Blanca Rubio and led by Kidango, updates California's Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation framework. Under the new law, early childhood mental health consultants will use an early care and education classroom observation tool at least annually, working with the classroom team to help inform supports and services. The bill also removes the existing requirement that programs administer an Adverse Childhood Experiences screening as part of the consultation model. The changes are intended to give programs greater flexibility in how they implement mental health consultation while keeping the focus on strengthening classroom environments and supporting the adults who care for young children.
We thank Kidango for its leadership on AB 2429 and Child Action for its leadership on SB 902, as well as the authors and partners who worked throughout the legislative process to advance both measures. These bills represent two different pieces of the early learning system, but each addresses a practical challenge facing providers and families: reducing unnecessary administrative barriers and ensuring programs have effective tools to support children's social-emotional well-being.