Committee backs code changes to ease childcare licensing costs, adds volunteer screening requirement

The General Services Public Works Committee on Jan. 13 recommended that the City Council approve several amendments to Municipal Code Chapter 5.68 (Childcare Facilities) intended to reduce costs for childcare providers and update licensing rules.

The committee voted to forward the proposed changes, as amended to require an Idaho court database name-based search for volunteers who visit less than 12 hours per month and to require volunteers be supervised by a licensed provider at all times.

The recommended amendments would: eliminate a routine TB test requirement for childcare staff at initial licensure (staff said the test costs about $45–$60 and is not required by the state); allow non-licensed parent or grandparent volunteers to visit a childcare facility up to 12 hours per month without completing full licensing requirements; update cross-references to recent zoning-code changes; permit a single employee to operate certain in-home childcare facilities; allow 16- and 17-year-olds to hold provider licenses subject to training and supervision; and change renewal background-check procedures so the city mirrors the state’s five-year Idaho State Police (ISP) fingerprint-based check, using a name-based Idaho courts database search in the intervening years.

Deputy City Clerk Kelly Setters, who presented the draft amendments, said the TB-test removal mirrors state practice and that an infectious-disease specialist advised Idaho is currently low risk and the test is not needed. Setters also cited licensing cost savings: providers would avoid the city’s annual fingerprint/background check fee (currently about $62) and instead pay for a name-based search (about $10.50) in years between the five-year ISP check.

Committee members asked for safeguards for volunteers. One councilmember said they investigate crimes and urged at least a name-based Idaho court search for volunteers given children’s vulnerability; another asked staff to check whether the school district’s volunteer-screening process could offer ideas or compatible systems. Setters said initial licenses would still receive the full background check and that staff routinely check the Idaho courts database and the national registry when processing licenses.

A councilmember moved to approve the amendments with an amendment specifying that a person who visits a childcare facility fewer than 12 hours per month must undergo an Idaho court database search and be supervised by a licensed provider; the motion was seconded and passed by voice vote. The committee directed that the item be placed on the full council agenda for final consideration.

The committee did not provide a numerical roll-call tally in the meeting minutes; the motion passed by voice vote.