HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 SHB 2516

                      As Passed House:

                      February 8, 1996

Title:  An act relating to registration of child day‑care facilities.

Brief Description:  Providing for registration of child day‑care facilities.

Sponsors:  By House Committee on Children & Family Services (originally sponsored by Representatives Lambert, Cooke, McMorris, Stevens, Johnson, Sherstad, Pennington and Silver).

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Children & Family Services:  1/23/96, 2/2/96 [DPS].

  Floor Activity:

     Passed House:  2/8/96, 95-0.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN & FAMILY SERVICES

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 11 members:  Representatives Cooke, Chairman; Lambert, Vice Chairman; Stevens, Vice Chairman; Tokuda, Ranking Minority Member; Brown, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Boldt; Buck; Carrell; Dickerson; Patterson and Sterk.

Staff:  David Knutson (786-7146).

Background:  Child day care centers and family day care providers are required to be licensed by the Department of Social and Health Services under chapter 74.15 RCW prior to serving children.  Exceptions to the licensing requirements are provided for relatives caring for children, and neighbors or friends caring for a neighbor's or friend's child where the person is not engaging in a business.  Also, the Department of Social and Health Services allows and pays for recipients of Aid to Families with Dependent Children to contract for unlicensed child care for their children.

Summary of Bill:   Neighbors or friends are exempt from licensing requirements under chapter 74.15 RCW if they care for not more than one family's children on a regular basis and do not advertise.  Parents involved in cooperative child care arrangements are also exempt from licensing.  The department will monitor abuse and neglect reports in unlicensed child day care programs and submit a report to the Legislature on January 1, 1997.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Requested on January 17, 1996.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  Parents should have the choice to select a person who is not licensed to provide day care for their children.

Testimony Against:  State licensing standards are in place to protect children.  Expanding unlicensed child care will put children in danger.

Testified:  (Pro) Susan Danese, citizen; John Doyle, citizen; David Wilhelm, citizen; Sandy Vanderburg, citizen; Julanne Burts, citizen; Holly Weher, parent; Bruce Finlay, parent/lawyer; Lynette McIrvin, parent/day care provider; (Con) Karen Tvedt, Department of Social and Health Services; Cathy Hopkins, State Family Childcare Association; Charlotte Dedman, CCAC; Laura Wells, Child Care Resources; and Betty Marcelynas, OSPI.