The COVID-19 crisis has created new challenges and opportunities for county leaders to invest in child care. Providing emergency child care for essential workers has proved a critical component of supporting the many county employees serving on the front lines of the pandemic response. Meanwhile, local economic recovery from the COVID-19 crisis hinges on the ability of many county residents to access child care so that they can return to work. This legislative brief provides an overview of the county role in supporting access to safe, high-quality child care for our residents, summarizes legislative proposals to shore up the child care industry, and analyzes the implications of those proposals for county governments. Updated January 14, 2021.