ByRepresentatives Dent, Senn, Griffey, McCaslin, Frame, Chandler, Kilduff, Lovick, Appleton, Eslick, and Reeves

AN ACT Relating to establishing the cost of child care regulations work group; adding a new section to chapter 43.216 RCW; and providing an expiration date.

(1) The cost of child care regulations work group is established. The work group must study: (a) The financial impacts of department licensing regulations on child care businesses; and (b) direct and indirect costs and benefits to child care providers that are associated with participation in the early achievers quality rating system. The study must include an analysis of costs associated with licensing and early achievers requirements that may have a disproportionate economic impact on child care businesses located in rural areas of the state.

(2)(a) The secretary of the department or his or her designee shall convene the first meeting of the work group by July 1, 2019. The work group must meet at least five times between July 1, 2019, and November 30, 2019, and must convene at least two meetings of those meetings in locations east of the crest of the Cascade mountains.

(i) Three licensed family home child care providers selected by a statewide organization representing the interests of family child care providers. At least one family home child care provider must provide child care for children of agricultural workers, speak Spanish as a first language, or be located east of the crest of the Cascade mountains;

(ii) Three licensed child care center providers selected by a statewide organization representing the interests of licensed child care centers. At least one child care center provider must provide child care for children of agricultural workers, speak Spanish as a first language, or be located east of the crest of the Cascade mountains;

(iii) Two foster parents selected by a statewide organization solely focused on supporting foster parents. At least one foster parent must reside east of the crest of the Cascade mountains; and

(iv) Four legislators, consisting of two members of the house of representatives and two members of the senate. The speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint one member to the work group from each of the two largest caucuses in the house of representatives. The president of the senate shall appoint one member to the work group from each of the two largest caucuses in the senate.

(3) The work group shall elect its cochairs, one from among the legislative members and one from among the citizen members.

(4) The work group may seek input or collaborate with other parties as it deems necessary. The work group may contract with additional persons who have specific technical expertise if such expertise is necessary to carry out the mandates of the study. The work group may enter into such a contract only if an appropriation is specifically provided for this purpose.

(5) Legislative members of the work group are reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance with RCW 44.04.120. Nonlegislative members must be reimbursed for travel expenses according to chapter 43.03 RCW.

(7) By December 31, 2019, the work group must submit its findings and recommendations to the governor and the appropriate committees of the legislature.