State Rep. Mary Welander, in a photo taken from her Facebook page.
The following is a press release from state Rep. Mary Welander, a Democrat in the state House of Representatives representing Orange, Derby, Hamden, and Woodbridge.
State Rep. Mary Welander was honored to participate in a discussion at the White House to discuss how Connecticut is improving child care. Ninety-one legislators from 41 states convened to share recent child care policy achievements and to support their work to make child care more affordable, increase child care providers, and improve job quality for child care workers.
In the 2023 legislation session, the Connecticut General Assembly passed a state budget that promises to bring expanded child care services by cutting business taxes. The budget also funds pay raises for licensed and unlicensed providers.
“I was honored to meet so many devoted lawmakers from all over the country at the White House. We all share the same passion of supporting children,” said Rep. Mary Welander. “In Connecticut, we’re dedicated to making progress on child care access at the state level. We’re continuously working to make child care more affordable and giving families more options for their children. The budget also ensures that child care workers from communities all over Connecticut are getting better wages, which will in turn improve the facilities where we send our children, but there is more work to be done. Hearing concepts from other leaders across the country is a chance and provides inspiration to continue that progress in Connecticut. I would like to thank Speaker Ritter for this incredible opportunity.”
House Speaker Matt Ritter nominated Rep. Welander to attend the White House child care summit because of her continued work to improve child care and early childhood education. “Rep. Mary Welander is committed to supporting and protecting our children, who are our most valuable asset. Her work impacts children as they begin their educational journeys,” said House Speaker Matt Ritter.
