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Committee unanimously backs renaming ‘family day homes’ to ‘home based child care’
Summary
HB 258 would update Virginia Code terminology by replacing the term “family day home” with “home based child care.” Attorney advice in committee confirmed the change is non-substantive; the subcommittee voted 9–0 to report the bill.
Delegate Maggie Simons introduced HB 258 to replace the statutory phrase “family day home” with “home based child care,” saying the new term is clearer for parents and better reflects the operations of small, home-operated childcare businesses. The bill was described in committee as a non-substantive terminology change intended to reduce confusion.
Delegate Simons said that Virginia faces a childcare shortage and that clearer statutory language will help providers and families understand available options. “Home based childcare is much clearer, more modern, and better reflects what these providers actually do,” Simons said. Grace Reeve of Child Care Aware Virginia told the committee the change is a “simple, common-sense” update that respects the work of home-based providers.
The committee attorney (Brian) confirmed the bill does not change substantive definitions and is a terminology update only. With no opponents testifying, the committee moved to report the bill and the clerk recorded a 9–0 vote to report HB 258 out of subcommittee.
The bill will advance as a non-substantive statutory language update; no fiscal or substantive changes to licensing or regulation were adopted at this hearing.
