20250SB__120099INT INTRODUCED 2026-02-19 2025 SB INT Introduced by Senator Menjivar (Coauthor: Senator Caballero) LEAD_AUTHOR SENATE Menjivar COAUTHOR SENATE Caballero

An act to add

Section 1597.31 to the Health and Safety Code, relating to care facilities. care facilities Family daycare homes. Existing law, the California Child Day Care Facilities Act, provides for the licensing and regulation of child daycare facilities, including family daycare homes, by the State Department of Social Services. Existing law authorizes a small family daycare home to provide daycare for more than and up to children, including infants, if certain conditions are met.

Existing law also authorizes a large family daycare home to provide daycare for more than children and up to and including children, including infants, if certain conditions are met. Existing regulations define infant for these purposes as a child under years of age. This bill would instead define infant for these purposes as a child under months of age. MAJORITY NO YES NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (

a) The Legislature reaffirms the findings and declarations set forth in

Section 1597.30 of the Health and Safety Code:

(1) The Legislature has a responsibility to ensure the health and safety of children in family homes that provide daycare.

(2) There is an extreme shortage of regulated family daycare homes in California, and the number has decreased significantly since 2008.

(3) There continues to be a growing need for child daycare facilities due to the increased number of working parents. Parents need childcare so they can work and attend school, and so their children can thrive.

(4) Many parents prefer childcare located in their neighborhoods in family homes.

(5) There should be a variety of childcare settings, including regulated family daycare homes, as suitable choices for parents.

(6) The licensing program to be operated by the state should be cost effective, streamlined, and simple to administer in order to ensure adequate care for children placed in family daycare homes, while not placing undue burdens on the providers.

(7) The state should maintain an efficient program of regulating family daycare homes that ensures the provision of adequate protection, supervision, and guidance to children in their homes.

(8) The state has a responsibility to promote the development and expansion of regulated family daycare homes to care for children in residential settings. (

b) Mixed-age group care found in family daycare homes achieves social, emotional, and developmental advantages for children through continuity of care in a small group setting. (

c) The department is encouraged to regularly examine family childcare home regulations to promote cogency.

SEC.

Section 1597.31 is added to the Health and Safety Code , to read: 1597.31. For purposes of this chapter, “infant” means a child under months of age.