| OLYMPIA – Last night, the Washington State House of Representatives passed House Bill 2219, which will help child care providers operate more efficiently while maintaining strong health and safety standards.
Washington continues to face a child care shortage, making it harder for working families to find care and for providers to keep their doors open. HB 2219, sponsored by Rep. Lillian Ortiz-Self, addresses these challenges by updating licensing rules to give providers more flexibility in how they operate—without lowering standards or compromising safety.
Click here or below to watch Rep. Ortiz-Self’s floor remarks:
The measure:
- Allows limited mixed-age groups for short periods of the day, ensuring staffing ratios and group sizes are based on the needs of the youngest children.
- Reduces duplication in licensing requirements.
- Streamlines training requirements for experienced providers.
“These are practical fixes that give providers more leeway to manage their day, support their staff, and keep doors open,” said Ortiz-Self, a Mukilteo Democrat who has served on education, early learning, and human services committees for much of her tenure in the House. “This bill is about making our child care system work better—for kids, for providers, and for parents—while keeping safety front and center.”
Ortiz-Self’s legislation maintains Washington’s strong commitment to child safety by preserving existing health and safety requirements and ensuring licensing standards continue to align with quality guidelines.
“This bill reflects what we’ve heard directly from child care providers and parents,” Ortiz-Self added. “It delivers much-needed flexibility while maintaining the high standards Washington families deserve.”
The bill now heads to the Senate for consideration. |
