Senate approves pilot to convert unused state buildings into childcare centers after heated debate

Senator Escamilla, a state senator, pushed the Senate to approve Senate Bill 189, a measure that would let the Division of Facilities Construction and Management (DFCM) retrofit a small number of underused state-owned buildings and lease them at no cost to private or employer-run childcare providers.

Escamilla said the proposal targets rural childcare “deserts” and is intended as a small pilot focused on areas where access is most limited. "We are not buying new or leasing new facilities," Escamilla said on the floor. "We own these facilities; we will retrofit them and enter into a lease with a private entity to run the childcare center." She added the bill reserves roughly 40% of seats for state employees, the National Guard, military families and low-income households.

The bill’s sponsor said the state would not run childcare centers or provide direct operating subsidies. Instead, DFCM would offer the facility at no cost to a private operator, while the operator would be responsible for day-to-day management and staffing. Escamilla told colleagues the program grew out of work by the Women in the Economy subcommittee and the governor’s Economic Opportunity Commission.

Senator Brammer, a state senator, questioned whether retrofitting state-owned property to house private childcare creates a long-term obligation for the state and could amount to subsidizing private businesses. Brammer asked whether retrofits would create an incentive for the state to maintain operations out of a desire to justify past capital expenditures. Escamilla answered that the program would be limited to facilities already owned and maintained by the state, and that the approach was designed to be one tool among several to address access and cost issues.

Senator Baldry and others argued the state’s recent study shows significant gaps in childcare access. Escamilla said the state ranked near the top among states in lack of access in some measures, and that the pilot is one way to address both access and cost pressures that many families face.

The Senate called the question and passed the bill by recorded vote. The measure will be sent to the House for further consideration.

Why this matters: Lawmakers described the change as a targeted, cost-limited pilot aimed at rural areas where private markets have not provided affordable, local childcare. Supporters said the program could help working families while opponents warned of the risk of long-term state involvement in a traditionally private market.