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Committee reviews substitute easing timeline for child care staff qualifications and creating stakeholder group
Summary
Substitute House Bill 16-48 would extend timelines for childcare staff to meet qualification requirements and preserve an experience-based competency pathway; sponsors and providers said the extension removes a barrier that is keeping providers closed or understaffed and urged the committee to pass the substitute.
The House Appropriations Committee heard staff briefing and remote public testimony on substitute House Bill 16-48, which would alter licensing timelines and pathways for child-care staff qualifications.
Staff explained the substitute: instead of a fixed August 2026 deadline, the bill extends the timeline so that staff must meet educational credential requirements within five years of hire or by the August date if later, and preserves an experience-based competency demonstration pathway for providers who have at least five years of continuous work in licensed childcare. The substitute removes a prior requirement that DCYF develop an online community-based pathway in statute; the substitute instead requires DCYF to convene a stakeholder group to identify strategies to improve staff qualification requirements and verification and to report to the Legislature by Dec. 1, 2026. The bill also prohibits DCYF from requiring in-service training as part of the experience-based demonstration and directs the agency to minimize stakeholder-group costs (virtual meetings encouraged).
The fiscal note for the underlying bill included costs to develop a community-based pathway; staff told the committee the substitute's removal of that requirement would significantly reduce the fiscal impact. The substitute does include fiscal assumptions for convening a stakeholder group; staff estimated a potential cost if the group met in person with travel reimbursement, but said virtual meetings would lower the cost materially. DCYF told the committee it could absorb minor IT updates to extend timelines in its licensing systems.
Testimony from child-care providers and associations emphasized workforce shortages: providers described classrooms and new centers that could not open because staff cannot meet the existing certificates despite years of experience. Providers and advocates urged the committee to move the substitute to prevent further closures and to keep existing, experienced caregivers in the workforce while the state continues training access efforts.
No committee action was taken Tuesday; staff will provide updated fiscal documents if requested.
