Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Childcare Transparency And Insurance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Childcare bill would expand provider posting requirements; centers warn insurance market makes compliance costly
Summary
House Bill 1282 would expand provider posting and online disclosure requirements, require DCYF to improve access to inspection and Early Achievers rating data, and direct the agency to set daycare liability limits in rule.
House Bill 1282, which the House Human Services, Youth & Early Learning Committee heard, would expand transparency requirements for childcare providers, direct the Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) to improve online access to licensing history and Early Achievers ratings, and require daycare liability insurance with minimum limits to be set by DCYF rule.
Staff described the bill’s major provisions: DCYF must maintain a single source of information for parents on licensing history, inspection reports, enforcement actions, and Early Achievers ratings and must improve the accessibility of that information online. Providers must prominently post license information, DCYF’s toll-free number, notice of pending enforcement actions, and a DCYF-produced poster explaining how to access inspection and rating data. Childcare centers and outdoor nature-based providers must carry daycare insurance; family-home providers may choose to do so. The bill directs DCYF to set minimum liability limits in rule and to make recommendations to update statutory minimum limits by Dec. 1 of the year specified in the bill. Staff said daycare insurance policies must have liability limits of at least $100,000 per occurrence under current draft language and that providers must give notice to parents and DCYF when coverage lapses.
Representative Paulette, the bill sponsor, said the measure is aimed at ensuring parents can find “the essential information that I would think that each of us would want to know when enrolling our child in a child care center,” and called attention to difficulty locating Early Achievers ratings on DCYF’s website.
During public testimony, witnesses were sharply divided. Several childcare-center leaders, testifying for the Washington Child Care Centers Association (WCCA), opposed the bill and warned that the state’s childcare insurance market has deteriorated sharply: they reported premium increases, denials, and carriers pulling back from the market. Susan Brown, a licensed provider, said the bill “imposes unsustainable financial burdens on providers” and could push costs to families. Laura Murphy, who operates Taylor Tots in Yakima and said her annual insurance rose from about $8,000 to $20,000, told the committee “we would encourage you to support us in finding reasonable insurance solutions rather than imposing more guidelines.”
Several providers noted that some of the bill’s posting requirements duplicate existing rules and argued the solution is to address insurance availability and affordability rather than add regulatory steps. Others — including a testifier with longstanding legal experience, Stu Jacobson, and supporters of parental notification of license suspensions — argued increased transparency and clearer notice would help parents notice enforcement actions and improve child safety.
The committee closed the hearing on HB 1282 without taking immediate action. Staff and the sponsor said some portions of the bill could be addressed administratively by DCYF, while other parts would require statutory change; the sponsor indicated willingness to work with DCYF and stakeholders on amendments.
