Governor Kate Brown signed a $100 million dollar childcare bill in Bend. During a visit to Bloom Children’s Center, the Governor signed the legislation, House Bill 40-05, to fund childcare services. During remarks before the signing, Governor Brown said access to childcare is the biggest barrier parents’ face when returning to the workforce. The bill provides $21 million for childcare workforce recruitment and retention; a $22 million dollar grant to expand provider capacity to serve more children; and $17.3 million to community-based organizations to launch new providers.  The bill provides $27 million to increase childcare subsidy rates to 2020 market rates. Brown later toured the Health Careers Center and paramedicine facilities at Central Oregon Community College, which will also receive funds through the Future Ready Oregon package. The initiative supports Oregon’s workers hit hardest by the pandemi by connecting them to good-paying careers in health care, manufacturing, and technology.