Here’s a bill to cheer along this legislative session. Senate Bill 5130 would eliminate the state’s child care licensing fees. That would reduce some of the financial strain on child care providers, keeping more money around for employees and/or cost-containment in child care for workers in the state who are trying to find the most affordable child care possible. 

The bill had a public hearing with no opposition to the idea Jan. 14. It was passed along by the Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee on Jan. 29. Sponsored and co-sponsored by a crew of Democrats, the proposal has a decent chance of making it. 

Adding to that good chance is the fact that child care licensing fees were temporarily suspended for two years during thick COVID-19 times to help providers. Alison Krutsinger, public affairs director for the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), was quoted in a CascadePBS.org story saying, “We saw that as a value-add to the system.” She said it brought efficiency and added, “During that time, we felt, and heard, that it had a positive impact.”

Eliminating child care licensing fees will not get rid of child care licensing. Providers will still apply for new licenses or renewals, and DCYF will continue to review applications to ensure compliance with safety requirements. 

What will be eliminated is $2 million the state collects in licensing fees. That could make the bill unattractive to lawmakers who need to scrape the bottom of every barrel for more money to help them with their overspending problem. (The state’s revenue continues to grow, but revenue has been outpaced by state spending.)

Child care licensing fees are annual costs based on the number of children receiving care. For family-home-care providers, the fee is $30 per year. For centers, the fee starts at $125 for the first 12 children and requires $12 for each additional child. A center providing care to more than 100 children that was described in that PBS story pays $1,500 annually. 

Dana Christiansen, the owner of Tree Hill Learning Centers in Vancouver and Camas, Wash., said, “It’s not a huge amount of money, but it’s something that can make a difference. Every little bit helps.”   

Care providers struggle to balance rising costs with the goal of paying workers good wages and keeping care more affordable for families. 

With no damage to safety standards, possible benefits to workers and hopefully more child care availability in our state, this bill makes sense.