A bill winding its way through the Legislature proposes a creative way to fund early childhood education: imposing a tax on companies that do business with California’s prison systems.

But as the bill faces its first committee hearing Monday, it will see steep hurdles with opposition from business groups.

“It unfairly targets the contractors that are providing goods and services to the prisons,” said Marti Fisher, a lobbyist with the California Chamber of Commerce, which branded the bill a “job killer.”

Fisher said the chamber supports funding for preschool and after-school programs, but added “this is not the way to get there.” (Los Angeles Times, 4/23/17)