In November 1998, California voters passed Proposition 10, the California Children and Families Act, which added a 50-cent tax on all tobacco products to fund early childhood development, health care, parent education, and other programs that improve services for children from a prenatal stage through age five and their families.
Funds from Proposition 10 are distributed to each of the 58 counties based on the number of births in that county. These funds are overseen by a local county commission that is responsible for developing a strategic plan to guide funding decisions that are consistent with the intent of Proposition 10.
Proposition 10 is based on evidence-based research which shows that children’s brains develop more during the first five years than any other time. What parents and caregivers do during these first years makes a difference in the physical development of their child’s brain and will impact the rest of their lives.
To view the California Children and Families Act in its entirety go to www.ccfc.ca.gov