The Covid-19 pandemic worsened a child care crisis, and it's costing U.S. businesses billions

State Senator Nancy Skinner, a Democrat representing parts of the Bay Area and chair of the California Women's Caucus, said the group continues to prioritize early child care and education. The group advocated for a $2 billion increase in the state's spending over the course of the past two years toward early care and education, for a total of $6.5 billion.

The Caucus' current focus is maintaining steady rate reimbursement rates for child care providers as the state stares down a budget deficit.

"We have low unemployment, but many sectors of the economy are looking for workers," Skinner told CNBC. "If your family is in a situation where you can't go to work because you don't have adequate child care, or you can't afford child care, then you cannot fulfill that job that's sitting there, vacant and waiting for you."

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