On February 18, Director of Intergovernmental Affairs Dominic Butchko testified before the Environment and Transportation Committee in support of HB 785 – Common Ownership Communities and Zoning Authorities – Operation of Family Child Care Homes – Limitations with amendments.
This bill places certain restrictions on cooperative housing corporations and local jurisdictions in relation to regulating the number of children allowed in a family child care and large family child care homes.
The need for additional childcare capacity is something recognized not only by counties, but also largely by the workforce they employ. Counties support the goal of HB 785 and share in the urgency of advancing child care options. Counties offered a procedural amendment to restrain county authority but retain the ability to reflect infrastructure limitations where they pose a major concern.
The central concern for counties is that childcare homes may be in areas where there may not be sufficient infrastructure to support them. Creating a high standard for such a finding, as suggested, would allow the jurisdiction to balance these competing goals effectively.
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