Idaho Bills

Amends and repeals existing law to revise provisions regarding daycare licenses.

Since 2020, the Idaho Legislature has approved over $574 million in federal and state funds for the Idaho Child Care Program. However, during that time the number of licensed facilities in Idaho has gone down, the number of available seats has gone down and even industry advocates say there is a childcare crisis in our state. This bill is the first step toward addressing that crisis in a new way by seeking to make it easier for people to start and operate childcare businesses while ensuring the health and safety of Idaho children. The bill does the following: • Clarifies the definition of "supervision" so there is a common standard across the state; • Provides clarity to new providers who apply to the Department of Health and Welfare for a license; • Recognizes the diverse types of providers by allowing for age-appropriate, community-appropriate and provider-appropriate approaches to ratios of adults to children; • Requires a review of existing administrative rules for the childcare program and tells DHW to bring legislation in 2026 to put the rules into code. • Eliminates the current two-tier regulatory system for childcare, placing licensing responsibility at the state level.

Amends and adds to existing law to revise provisions regarding the licensing of daycare facilities.

Thisbillmoves19sectionsofIDAPA16.06.03relatingtoDaycareLicensingintocode. Thisinsertsintostatute a long-standing administrative rule and returns legislative authority to the elected lawmakers.