Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz speaks as Wisconsin gov. Tony Evers listens before President Joe Biden speaks at an event to promote his infrastructure agenda at University of Wisconsin-Superior, Wednesday, March 2, 2022, in Superior, Wis. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D), Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (DFL) and Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly (D) have all taken major steps in the past two weeks to fill child care funding gaps after billions of dollars in pandemic relief expired this month.

On Oct. 16, Evers announced $170 million in emergency funds to the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families. Under the directive, the Child Care Counts Stabilization Payment Program will continue to see funding at current levels until 2025. The program offers eligible child care providers monthly payments to help with staffing and financial hurdles. According to a press release from Evers’ office, his plan will provide direct relief for at least 4,400 child care providers in Wisconsin.

“I hear nearly every day from small businesses, farmers and producers, school districts, and hospitals and healthcare sectors among other industries, who face significant challenges finding workers to fill available jobs — challenges finding workers to fill available jobs — challenges that we know will only be exacerbated by the looming child care crisis facing our state,” Evers said in a video message. “So, it’s unconscionable that, even as Wisconsin has the highest surplus in state history, Republicans won’t pass my comprehensive workforce plan to address our state’s generational workforce challenges and prevent the collapse of our state’s child care industry.”

In August, Evers called a special session of the state Assembly to look at his proposed $1 billion investment in child care services and workforce programs. However, the GOP-controlled state legislature immediately criticized and rejected the plan for spending too much money, even with a historically large budget surplus that has reportedly surpassed $7.1 billion.

Similarly, Walz announced a new program called “The Great Start Compensation Support Payment Program” that went into effect on Oct. 16. Over the next two years, $316 million will be allocated to boost wages and benefits of child care providers and early educators in Minnesota, with $130 million each year after that.

“Minnesota’s economy doesn’t work without child care providers,” Walz said in the press release announcing the program. “Without the dedicated care they provide, parents can’t work, and children miss early learning opportunities critical to brain development. We are boosting the pay and benefits those providers receive to grow the workforce and reflect the critical work they do each and every day.”

In addition to child care, Walz has been working with the recently elected Democratic trifecta to implement popular economic relief policies in Minnesota. These laws include paid family and medical leave expansion, free school lunch and labor law reform.

In Kansas, Kelly announced 11 million additional dollars to the Child Care Capacity Accelerator Grant to create more than 1,400 child care slots in the state. This is the second round of funding after Kansas awarded $43 million to create 4,211 new slots in June.

“Building off the grants announced this summer, this funding will be transformational for families and communities across the state,” Kelly said in a statement last Friday. “Expanding access to high-quality, affordable child care will spur economic growth by allowing more families to participate in the workforce and support the healthy development of Kansas children.”