HOUSE BILL REPORT
HB 1212
As Reported by House Committee On:
Local Government
Title: An act relating to the siting of child care centers.
Brief Description: Concerning the siting of child care centers.
Sponsors: Representatives Alvarado, Duerr, Reed, Berry, Leavitt, Mena, Macri, Callan, Fosse, Simmons, Peterson, Street, Wylie, Kloba, Ormsby and Hill.
Brief History:
Committee Activity:
Local Government: 1/21/25, 1/24/25 [DPS].
Brief Summary of Substitute Bill
  • Requires child?care centers to be permitted as outright permitted uses in all zones except industrial zones.
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Majority Report: The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.Signed by 7 members:Representatives Duerr, Chair; Parshley, Vice Chair; Klicker, Ranking Minority Member; Stuebe, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Griffey, Hunt and Zahn.
Staff: Elizabeth Allison (786-7129).
Background:

Zoning and Conditional Uses.

Zoning codes have designations for land uses including outright permitted uses, conditionally permitted uses, and prohibited uses.? An outright permitted use means the land use is allowed outright in a given zone, subject to the local jurisdiction's zoning codes.? A conditionally permitted use means the land use must meet certain conditions, such as mitigation of foreseeable negative impacts, in order to be permitted.? A prohibited use means a parcel of land may not be developed in certain listed manners.

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Periodic Comprehensive Plan Updates.

Cities and counties that plan under the Growth Management Act must update their comprehensive plans on a staggered cycle every 10 years.
Summary of Substitute Bill:

Cities and towns are required to allow child care centers as outright permitted uses in all zones except industrial zones.? Cities may impose reasonable restrictions on the permit.? Cities that plan under the Growth Management Act and are required to update their comprehensive plan in 2027 must incorporate this requirement by adopting or amending through ordinance, and incorporate into their development regulations, as part of their next comprehensive plan update. ?All other cities must implement the requirements within two years of the bill's effective date.
Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:

The substitute bill changes the timeline for implementation to 2027 for cities planning under the Growth Management Act that are required to update their comprehensive plan in 2027, and to two years after the bill's effective date for all other cities.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Effective Date of Substitute Bill: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.
Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

(In support) Sixty-three percent of residents live in a child?care desert, meaning there are more children than child?care slots available.? This bill is good for the economy because people can work when they have child?care.? Child care siting is not a required part of planning like parks and housing are.? New development affects child?care.? Steps have been taken in Washington to address this issue but more can be done.? Zoning that limits where child care facilities can be sited, such as conditional use permits, needs to be changed.? This bill requires cities to modify their ordinances to allow child care centers in all zones, except incompatible zones such as industrial zones.? Washington needs to make communities accessible to all.? There is a need for child care centers in neighborhoods that are walkable.? Some other potentially incompatible zones include open space and light industrial.? The timeline for implementation for some counties would be 10 years.? This should be examined.

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(Opposed) None.
Persons Testifying:

Stephanie Smith, Learning to Grow; Bryce Yadon, Futurewise; Carl Schroeder, Association of Washington Cities; and Rachel Mazur.
Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.