Senate Health & Welfare advances debate on bill to license early childhood educators; vote deferred

The Senate Health & Welfare committee reviewed S.206 (draft 3.1), a bill to establish licensure for early childhood educators and create a new chapter in Title 26, and agreed to resume consideration for a possible vote the following day.

Unidentified Speaker 2, who introduced the draft, said the bill sets up a board of early childhood educators, defines regulated programs, and adds individual licensure requirements. On definitions, Speaker 2 noted the bill clarifies that a “program or program regulated by CDD” means programs approved by the Department for Children and Families’ Child Development Division (CDD) — licensed or registered family child care homes and licensed center‑based child care and preschool programs — and explicitly excludes programs operated by public schools. Speaker 2 also said the exemptions list includes “an individual who works exclusively in a public school.”

The draft adds variance and transitional‑licensure language. Speaker 2 said the board would also be able…