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Senate passes bill to broaden where certified child care centers can locate
Summary
The Oregon Senate on third reading approved House Bill 35‑60A to update land‑use rules so certified child care centers can be sited in more zoning types, supporters said the change will help address child care deserts; the bill passed on a wide vote.
The Oregon Senate on third reading passed House Bill 35‑60A, a measure to expand where certified child care centers may be sited across the state, proponents said, to ease capacity shortages that prevent families from finding affordable, nearby care. The bill passed the Senate on a roll call that registered 28 ayes and was declared passed.
"This bill addresses 1 of the most urgent and persistent challenges facing Oregon families, access to affordable, high quality child care," Senator Reynolds said in presenting the bill to the chamber. Supporters said the measure modernizes land‑use law so certified centers are explicitly permitted in additional zoning types and can co‑locate with schools, parks, churches and certain commercial and industrial areas.
Why it matters: Legislators and witnesses described widespread "child care deserts" across both rural and urban Oregon where providers face outdated zoning restrictions that make opening or expanding centers difficult even where demand is high. The bill moves child care siting provisions into the state's land‑use statutes, supporters said, so child care is treated as a foundational element of community planning rather than an afterthought.
Key provisions and debate: Reynolds, the Senate sponsor, told members the bill clarifies that certified child care centers are permitted uses in a wider range of zones, protects family child‑care homes from being treated more harshly than other residential uses, and preserves local authority to set additional requirements for centers in residential zones. "This bill helps to alleviate many of those barriers," Reynolds said.
Senator Neurom Mist (in the chamber record as speaking in support) said the measure is a top priority for the legislative child care caucus and cited local testimony from Wilsonville officials and employers who described how insufficient child care limits workforce participation and business recruitment.
Supporters emphasized that the bill does not mandate local governments to adopt uniform rules; it increases siting flexibility while allowing cities to retain local safeguards and standards.
Outcome and next steps: House Bill 35‑60A passed final passage in the Senate on third reading and was reported passed to the next steps in legislative processing. Implementation of the law will depend on local land‑use updates and the exercise of local permitting authority described in the bill.
Additional detail: Senate debate noted co‑location in affordable housing and assisted‑living facilities as a future implementation area. The measure was carried over from the Senate committee on early childhood and behavioral health and proponents urged a unanimous vote to match the House's earlier unanimous action.
