Legislation on Child Care

In the story “Democrats Unveil Package of Child Care Bills” (Part I, April 16) The Times incorrectly said that the press conferences on the child-care crisis facing California were prompted by a radio address by the Gov. George Deukmejian on April 2.

Nothing can be further from the truth. Indeed, it is only very recently that the governor has taken a public posture indicating support for the need for more child-care resources.

Assembly Democrats have long been aware of the importance of child care, of the need for more--and better--child care. That’s why there is now an Assembly Select Committee on Child Care. The committee was established in 1987.

Earlier in the year, in-house informational pieces on the child-care crisis were published and disseminated to Assembly Democrats well in advance of the governor’s remarks.

Furthermore, the Speaker’s office initiated a Task Force on Child Care in February, and the work of that Task Force culminated in the series of statewide press conferences on April 15. Moreover, the Speaker’s statewide radio address dealt with the child-care crisis on March 26.

While the article states that the governor has urged the Legislature to support more child-care legislation, the story does not state--as we articulated at our various press conferences--that the governor has vetoed more than 22 bills since 1984 that specifically deal with the recommendations that the governor now says he will support.

ASSEMBLYMAN THOMAS M.

HANNIGAN

Majority Floor Leader

D-Fairfield

ASSEMBLYMAN DOMINIC L.

CORTESE

Chairman, Assembly Select

Committee on Child Care

D-San Jose