HB204 • 2025

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO CHILD CARE LICENSING.

Children Education

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Romer
Last action: 2026-01-15
Official status: Lieu/Substituted 6/18/25
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not provide specific details on how many complaints the unit will handle or what changes it might bring.

Creating a Special Team for Handling Childcare Complaints

This act establishes a dedicated unit within the Office of Child Care Licensing to handle complaints about licensed childcare providers in Delaware.

What This Bill Does

Establishes a new unit called the Child Care Complaint Investigative Unit within the Office of Child Care Licensing.
Requires this unit to receive, investigate, and document complaints related to licensed child care facilities and providers.
Creates clear policies for investigating complaints and administering consequences.
Maintains a confidential record-keeping system of all complaints, findings, and resolutions.

Who It Names or Affects

Licensed childcare providers in Delaware
Individuals who file complaints about child care facilities

Terms To Know

Child Care Complaint Investigative Unit: A special team within the Office of Child Care Licensing that handles and investigates complaints about licensed child care providers.
Substantiated complaint findings: Information from investigations that confirms a complaint is true, which can be made public under certain conditions.

Limits and Unknowns

The act does not require new funding and uses existing resources.
It is unclear how many complaints the unit will handle or what specific changes it might bring to current practices.

Bill History

2026-01-15 Delaware General Assembly
HS 1 for HB 204 - Assigned to Appropriations Committee in House
2025-06-18 Delaware General Assembly
Substituted in House by HS 1 for HB 204
2025-06-18 Delaware General Assembly
HS 1 for HB 204 - Reported Out of Committee (Education) in House with 9 On Its Merits
2025-06-05 Delaware General Assembly
Introduced and Assigned to Education Committee in House

Official Summary Text

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO CHILD CARE LICENSING.
This Act establishes a dedicated Child Care Complaint Investigation Unit within the Office of Child Care Licensing, under the Department of Education, to ensure timely, transparent, and accountable responses to complaints involving licensed child care providers. It requires no new funding and is to be implemented within existing staffing and resources.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Legislation Document

SPONSOR:

Rep. Romer & Sen. Poore & Sen. Lockman

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE BILL NO. 204

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO CHILD CARE LICENSING.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:

Section 1. Amend Chapter 30A, Title 14 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 3009A. Child Care Complaint Investigative Unit.

(a) The Department must establish a Child Care Complaint Investigative Unit within the OCCL. The Child Care Complaint Investigative Unit is responsible for the intake, investigation, resolution, and documentation of complaints received concerning licensed child care facilities and providers in this State.

(b) The Child Care Complaint Investigation Unit must do all of the following:

(1) Receive and document complaints related to alleged violations of child care regulations, including health and safety standards, supervision, licensing requirements, and staff conduct.

(2) Create clear policies, procedures, and consequences for complaint investigations.

(3) Outline processes for substantiating complaints and administration of consequences.

(4) Coordinate with the Division of Family Services and appropriate law enforcement entities when a complaint involves suspected child abuse, neglect, or criminal conduct.

(5) Maintain a centralized, confidential record-keeping system of all complaints, findings, and resolutions.

(6) Prepare and submit an annual public report summarizing the number and nature of complaints received, the outcomes of investigations, and any resulting enforcement actions.

(c) The Department must ensure that substantiated complaint findings are accessible to the public through a searchable online database consistent with applicable privacy laws and regulations.

(d) All personally identifiable information concerning children, families, and complainants must remain confidential and may not be disclosed except as permitted or required by law. Complaint reporting may not be confidential, but identifying information must remain confidential and may not be disclosed except as permitted or required by law.

Section 2. In implementing this Act, the Department of Education must assign personnel and resources to the Child Care Complaint Investigation Unit from within existing Office of Child Care Licensing staff and operational resources.

Section 3. This Act is effective immediately and is to be implemented no later than 90 days from the date of the Act’s enactment.

SYNOPSIS

This Act establishes a dedicated Child Care Complaint Investigation Unit within the Office of Child Care Licensing, under the Department of Education, to ensure timely, transparent, and accountable responses to complaints involving licensed child care providers. It requires no new funding and is to be implemented within existing staffing and resources.