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Committee backs bill allowing electronic signatures on subsidized childcare forms
Summary
The committee moved SB 902 to recognize electronic signatures under the Child Care and Development Services Act and the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, aiming to ease paperwork burdens for families and providers while preserving a paper option.
Sen. Grayson presented SB 902 to allow signatures required under the Child Care and Development Services Act to be satisfied by electronic signatures compliant with the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act. The bill leaves paper options in place and aims to reduce burdens caused by printing, mailing and hand-delivering documents.
Robin Altomirano, a parent and former teacher, recounted completing necessary paperwork electronically from a hospital and urged the committee to approve the change, saying wet signature requirements can be a significant barrier for busy families. "When my daughter was just 2 months old, she was unexpectedly hospitalized ... I was able to complete the necessary paperwork electronically from my phone while sitting in the hospital," Altomirano said.
Juwen Tan, CEO of MCT Technology and Care Connect, described technical safeguards including identity verification, audit trails and the ability to invalidate signatures when documents change. He said electronic processes can increase accountability and speed up eligibility and payments while the bill preserves paper-based options.
Multiple advocacy and provider groups (Child Action, California Community Action Partnership Association, Thriving Families California Foundation and others) spoke in support. No witnesses in opposition appeared in the hearing room. With a quorum established, the committee moved SB 902 to the Assembly Education Committee and recorded final passage out of the Human Services Committee by roll call (final recorded vote 7–0).
