ICYMI: Governor Spanberger Takes Bipartisan Action to Lower Childcare Costs for Families

RICHMOND, VA - Governor Abigail Spanberger yesterday signed bipartisan legislation into law aimed at lowering the cost of childcare for Virginia parents - and reiterated her commitment to continuing to make life more affordable for families across the Commonwealth.

Alongside parents, educators, and state leaders in Richmond, Governor Spanberger signed House Bill 18 and Senate Bill 3, establishing a new program that offers matching state funding to employers that cover childcare expenses for their employees. The new law builds on Governor Spanberger's work together with the General Assembly to expand paid family and medical leave to more than 3 million Virginians and improve healthcare coverage for Virginia mothers and families, particularly women who face the highest risks.

Read below for coverage from across the Commonwealth of Governor Spanberger's focus on lowering childcare costs for parents and families:

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Richmond Times-Dispatch: Va. adopts employee childcare assistance program after vetoes from previous governor

After two vetoes under the previous governor, Virginia has now adopted an employee childcare assistance program that aims to incentivize employers to contribute to the childcare costs of their employees.

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Gov. Abigail Spanberger framed the new law as an economic issue.

"When a family cannot afford childcare, oftentimes a parent - and the numbers bear it out, oftentimes a mom - drops out of the workforce altogether," Spanberger said. "That doesn't just create a family budget issue; that creates a challenge for our economy. We are competing against 49 other states for the best talent in the United States and for the businesses that follow that talent. If childcare costs are driving parents out of the workforce, we are losing that competition before it even starts, and the costs are staggering."

8News [Richmond]: Spanberger signs bills to address affordable childcare crisis

On Wednesday in Richmond, Gov. Abigail Spanberger ceremonially signed bills she says will help make childcare more affordable in Virginia.

The bills signed include legislation to create the Employee Child Care Assistance Program.

The program would incentivize businesses to contribute to their employees' childcare costs by matching the amount of money businesses contribute with state funds.

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"Because when a family cannot afford childcare, oftentimes a parent, and the numbers bear it out, oftentimes a mom, drops out of the workforce altogether. That doesn't just create a family budget issue, that creates a challenge for our economy," Spanberger said.

CBS6 [Richmond]: Spanberger signs law to help Virginia employers cover workers' childcare costs

Gov. Abigail Spanberger was joined by legislators and members of her administration on Wednesday for the ceremonial signing of a new law that aims to improve access to quality childcare.

At the VCU Health Child Development Center on Richmond's Northside, Spanberger said the Employee Childcare Assistance Program will incentivize employers to contribute to childcare costs for their employees. The Virginia Early Childhood Foundation will match funds that businesses contribute to workers' childcare costs.

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"We are competing against 49 other states for the best talent in the United States and for the businesses that follow that talent. If childcare costs are driving parents out of the workforce, we are losing that competition before it even starts. And the costs are staggering in Virginia. Full-time childcare can run $15,000, $18,000, $20,000 a year," Spanberger said.

Spanberger also signed bills to strengthen Head Start and early childhood education programs.

FOX 5 [Washington, DC]: Governor Spanberger signs new bills into law to lower childcare costs

Childcare could be getting more affordable in Virginia. Today, Governor Abigail Spanberger signed a new package of bills aimed at supporting parents.

One of the programs will incentivize employers to help pay for childcare costs, and the state will match those contributions. Other bills strengthen the state's head start and early childhood care and education programs.

7News [Washington, DC]: Governor Spanberger signs bills aimed at lowering childcare costs for parents

Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger signed new legislation aimed at lowering childcare costs across the state. The new law creates a program that offers matching state funding to employers that cover childcare expenses on behalf of their employees.

"Children who spend time in quality early childhood programs do better in school. They do better in life, and they contribute to their communities and our economy in ways that demonstrate that that early investment that we as communities make in our kids matter."

Small businesses with fewer than 50 employees are given priority in the program.

13 News Now [Norfolk]: New laws signed by Governor Spanberger to expand access to affordable childcare

Governor Spanberger signed bipartisan legislation today aimed at strengthening early childhood education and expanding access to affordable, quality childcare. The measures create an employee childcare assistance program designed to encourage Virginia employers to help cover childcare costs for their workers.

Spanberger also signed legislation to strengthen Head Start and other early childhood care and education programs.

WSLS [Roanoke]: Gov. Spanberger signs bipartisan legislation aimed at lowering childcare costs for parents

Gov. Spanberger announced Wednesday that she had signed a package of bipartisan legislation Wednesday focused on lowering childcare costs for parents, strengthening early childhood education and empowering small businesses to better recruit and retain talented employees.

"Affordable childcare and early childhood education are not niche issues. They are not luxuries. These are challenges impacting families in every region of Virginia," said Governor Abigail Spanberger. "Today, we're taking a first step to ease the burden on parents and families across our Commonwealth by creating the Employee Child Care Assistance Program - a new tool that incentivizes employers to help their employees pay for childcare, with the state matching those contributions."

WDBJ [Roanoke]: Governor signs bills designed to lower childcare costs

Governor Abigail Spanberger has signed a package of legislation "focused on lowering childcare costs for parents, strengthening early childhood education, and empowering small businesses to better recruit and retain talented employees,"

May 27, 2026, Spanberger took pen to paper in Richmond with parents, business leaders, General Assembly leaders, and Lieutenant Governor Ghazala Hashmi at the VCU Health Child Development Center Northside. She signed House Bill 18 and Senate Bill 3, led by Delegate Adele McClure (D-2) and Senator Lashrecse Aird (D-13), to create the Employee Child Care Assistance program.

The new law is designed "to establish a program to offer matching state funding to employers that cover childcare expenses on behalf of their employees, with priority going to small businesses with fewer than 50 employees."

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