Indy Standard

The Indiana General Assembly has given its approval to State Representative Dave Heine's legislation, which aims to simplify child care licensing in an effort to increase access for families across the state. House Enrolled Act 1253 is designed to broaden access by relaxing regulations on services provided by schools and other educational institutions.

According to Representative Heine, the bill allows school-based child care programs to accommodate children from the entire school corporation, without restricting care to only the children of students or staff. Additionally, the bill seeks to expand eligibility for child care vouchers by extending the validity period from two years to three years.

"Child care access is a major concern for Hoosier families, and this bill provides a practical solution to increase availability and help providers operate more efficiently," said Heine. "House Enrolled Act 1253 is an important step toward eliminating regulations that limit access to care."

The proposed legislation also allows owners of multi-site child care centers to operate under a single license, rather than requiring a separate license for each facility. According to Heine, this change aims to streamline the process with one application, a single license fee, and a more efficient, transparent application process. Child care center owners would have greater flexibility in expanding to new locations, while each facility would still undergo individual inspections to ensure compliance with health and safety standards.

Heine stated that the bill is intended to reduce administrative burdens and improve the efficiency of the licensing process, ultimately lowering child care costs for families in Indiana.

House Enrolled Act 1253 has passed both the House and Senate and is now on its way to the governor for consideration as new legislation.