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Commission approves final report on child care workforce, urges coordination of fire, zoning and DHS inspections
Summary
The commission approved a final report on child care workforce, availability and regulatory barriers that recommends coordinated inspections, zoning reviews, workforce incentives and pilot employer–nonprofit grants.
The commission approved a final report evaluating Tennessee’s child care workforce, availability and regulatory barriers and offering recommendations aimed at expanding supply, reducing regulatory confusion and supporting worker retention.
Bob Morio, research manager, presented the report prepared in response to Public Chapters 9‑34 and 9‑38 (Acts of 2024). Staff described a suite of recommendations including reestablishing regular regional meetings that include Department of Human Services (DHS) licensing staff and local fire marshal offices; aligning fire‑code inspection requirements for before/after‑school programs run by non‑school entities with Department of Education standards where appropriate; coordinating state and local pre‑occupancy inspections; and encouraging local governments to review zoning ordinances that can restrict home‑based child care (for example, lot‑size limits that make smaller home providers infeasible).
The report also described workforce supports and pilot programs. It highlighted a new three‑year pilot to award $15,000,000 in grants each year to support nonprofit–employer partnerships to expand employer‑sponsored child care (staff cited Tyson Foods’ employer‑sponsored facility and similar models). Staff recommended the state consider a wage supplement program that rewards retention (a companion to the existing Child Care Wages Tennessee program) and to explore allowing child care providers similar access to underused local school properties as public charter schools. The report recommended the General Assembly consider eliminating state and local business taxes on child care providers while offsetting local revenue losses to affected local governments.
Commissioners raised questions about zoning impacts on home‑based providers and local water utility differences; staff emphasized the recommendations are intended to increase coordination rather than impose a single statewide solution. The chairman moved approval and the vice chair seconded; the commission approved the final report by voice vote.
