History of First 5
About Proposition 10
Approved by voters in 1998, Proposition 10 is the ballot initiative that
established the California Children and Families Program and the State Commission.
It also authorized the establishment of county commissions.
Proposition 10, also known as the Children and Families Act of 1998, added
a 50-cent-per-pack tax on cigarettes to fund education, health and child care
programs that promote early childhood development from prenatal to age five.
The California Children and Families Commission, created
by Proposition 10, supports children from prenatal to
age five by creating a comprehensive and integrated system
of information and services to promote early childhood
development and school readiness.
Prop. 10 is designed to:
- Provide funding for community health care, quality child
care and education programs for young children and families,
customized to meet local needs;
- Educate Californians via a statewide public education
campaign on the importance of early child development;
- Provide assistance to pregnant women and parents of
young children who want to quit smoking.
Regardless of residency status or income level, all California
children from prenatal to age five and their families
are eligible for services, which may include:
- Education on the importance of nurturing children;
- Child care skills for parents and child care providers;
- Prenatal and postnatal maternal and infant nutrition
- Child development, health care and social services
not provided by existing programs;
- Education and training on the avoidance of tobacco,
drugs and alcohol during pregnancy;
- Domestic violence prevention and treatment.
Studies have shown that a child's experiences in the first
years of life have a profound impact on educational, social
and economic outcomes. Prior to Prop. 10, California spent
little on children during these important developmental
All revenue generated by Prop. 10 is collected in the
California Children and Families Trust Fund Account, set
up within the State Treasury.
- Eighty percent of the approximately $700 million collected
each year is allocated to community trust funds established
by each County Commission. Allocations to each county
are based on the number of births, according to the
birth mother's county of residence. Before disbursing
any fund locally, County Commissions must develop strategic
plans based on extensive public input. California parents,
families and community groups are invited to participate
in local forums and provide input on how the money should
be spent to best meet local needs.
- Twenty percent of the revenues are allocated to the
State Commission for statewide expenditures, including
a public education campaign, educational materials and
training, technical support for the local County Commissions,
education and training of child care providers, and
research and development. Only one percent will be used
for administrative functions of the State Commissions.
- The revenue generated from Prop. 10 will supplement
the limited number of existing early childhood development