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SB293 • 2025

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO CHILD CARE LICENSES FOR YOUTH CAMPS.

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO CHILD CARE LICENSES FOR YOUTH CAMPS.

Children Education
Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Paradee
Last action
2026-05-21
Official status
Passed Senate 5/21/26
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary text does not provide specific details on how ACA accreditation differs from OCCL license requirements, but notes that they are similar and equivalent.

Simplifying Licensing for Youth Camps

This act changes how youth camps get licenses by making it easier for accredited camps to qualify and allowing them to receive provider reimbursement.

What This Bill Does

  • It makes it simpler for youth camps that are certified by the American Camp Association (ACA) to get a license from the Department of Education's Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL).
  • If a camp is ACA-certified, OCCL will consider them as meeting all health and safety rules needed for a license.
  • It allows ACA-accredited camps that were previously not licensed to now receive Purchase of Care provider reimbursement.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Youth camps in Delaware
  • Parents who use summer child care services

Terms To Know

American Camp Association (ACA)
An organization that sets health and safety standards for youth camps.
Purchase of Care (POC) program
A state program that pays child care providers to help families with the cost of child care.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The act must be fully implemented by December 31, 2026.
  • It does not change how camps get exempt status or licenses if they are not ACA-accredited.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

SA 1

1 • Paradee

Passed 5/21/26

Plain English: The amendment fixes a spelling mistake in Senate Bill No. 293.

  • Changes the word 'of' to 'or' in line 10 of the bill.
  • This amendment only corrects a typo and does not change any policies or requirements.

Bill History

  1. 2026-05-21 Delaware General Assembly

    Amendment SA 1 to SB 293 - Introduced and Placed With Bill

  2. 2026-05-21 Delaware General Assembly

    Amendment SA 1 to SB 293 - Passed By Senate. Votes: 20 YES 1 ABSENT

  3. 2026-05-21 Delaware General Assembly

    Passed By Senate. Votes: 20 YES 1 ABSENT

  4. 2026-05-12 Delaware General Assembly

    Reported Out of Committee (Education) in Senate with 5 On Its Merits

  5. 2026-04-30 Delaware General Assembly

    Introduced and Assigned to Education Committee in Senate

Official Summary Text

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO CHILD CARE LICENSES FOR YOUTH CAMPS.
This Act simplifies the licensing requirements for youth camps that are accredited by the American Camp Association (ACA) by requiring that the Department of Education's Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) deem a youth camp as meeting all equivalent health and safety requirements necessary for a youth camp license if the youth camp has ACA accreditation through August 30 of the current calendar year. By streamlining the OCCL licensing requirements for youth camps, this Act also increases the availability of summer child care that is eligible for provider reimbursement from the Purchase of Care (POC) program.

Under existing OCCL regulations, a youth camp has the option of applying for either license exempt status or a license. To obtain a license, a youth camp must meet very detailed and specific requirements that are challenging, if not impossible, for many youth camps. ACA accreditation requires that a camp satisfies health and safety requirements that are similar and equivalent, but not identical, to the OCCL license requirements. However, an ACA accredited but license-exempt youth camp is unable to receive POC provider reimbursement because under the state plan for the federal Child Care and Development Fund, license exempt child care providers are not eligible for provider reimbursement.

This Act also codifies the following policies that are in the current OCCL child care licensing regulations:
• A youth camp license and the definition of “youth camp”.
• The requirement that a youth camp must have a valid Division of Public Health permit to be licensed or approved as license exempt.
• The school-age care, programs, and activities that are exempt from child care license requirements.

This Act is effective immediately and § 3003A(c)(4)b. of Title 14 must be implemented no later than December 31, 2026.

This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Legislation Document

SPONSOR:

Sen. Paradee & Rep. Harris

Sens. Brown, Buckson, Cruce, Hansen, Hocker, Hoffner, Huxtable, Lawson, Lockman, Mantzavinos, Pettyjohn, Pinkney, Poore, Richardson, Seigfried, Sokola, Sturgeon, Townsend, Walsh, Wilson; Rep. Gorman

DELAWARE STATE SENATE

153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SENATE BILL NO. 293

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO CHILD CARE LICENSES FOR YOUTH CAMPS.

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

Section 1. Amend § 3002A, Title 14 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows

§ 3002A. Definitions.

For the purpose of this chapter:

(7) “Youth camp” means a child-serving entity that is all of the following:

a. Operating in a space or location that is not otherwise licensed under this chapter.

b. Providing a program of recreational, athletic, educational, or religious instruction or guidance.

c. Taking custody or control of 1 or more school-age children, unattended by the child’s parent or guardian.

d. Operating during 1 of more of the following:

1. The months of May through September for no more than 12 weeks and for 3 or more hours a day.

2. A break in the course of the school year.

Section 2. Amend § 3003A, Title 14 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows and redesignating accordingly:

§ 3003A. Office of Child Care Licensing; powers.

(c) OCCL may prescribe and enforce, by regulation or otherwise, any reasonable standards for the conduct of child care facilities and shall license child care facilities that conform to

the

these

standards. Regulations promulgated under this chapter must include all of the following:

(1) Any application form required to apply for

licensure

any of the following:

a. Licensure

under this chapter.

b. A license exemption.

(2) The specific requirements to obtain, retain, or renew

a

any of the following:

a. A

license under this chapter.

b. A license exemption, including for all of the following:

1. A youth camp that has a valid permit from the Division of Public Health under § 122(3)g. of Title 16.

2. Programs that offer school-age care, lessons, or classes on a limited basis.

(4) A youth camp license as follows:

a. A youth camp license must require that the youth camp comply with all of the following:

1. The youth camp must have a valid permit from the Division of Public Health under § 122(3)g. of Title 16.

2. The health and safety requirements necessary to qualify for Purchase of Care provider reimbursement, established in collaboration with the Department of Health and Social Services under § 512 of Title 31.

b. If a youth camp is accredited by the American Camp Association through August 30 of the current calendar year, the youth camp is deemed as meeting all of the equivalent requirements

under paragraph (c)(4)a.2. of this section

.

Section 3. This Act is effective immediately and § 3003A(c)(4)b. of Title 14 must be implemented no later than December 31, 2026.

SYNOPSIS

This Act simplifies the licensing requirements for youth camps that are accredited by the American Camp Association (ACA) by requiring that the Department of Education's Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) deem a youth camp as meeting all equivalent health and safety requirements necessary for a youth camp license if the youth camp has ACA accreditation through August 30 of the current calendar year. By streamlining the OCCL licensing requirements for youth camps, this Act also increases the availability of summer child care that is eligible for provider reimbursement from the Purchase of Care (POC) program.

Under existing OCCL regulations, a youth camp has the option of applying for either license exempt status or a license. To obtain a license, a youth camp must meet very detailed and specific requirements that are challenging, if not impossible, for many youth camps. ACA accreditation requires that a camp satisfies health and safety requirements that are similar and equivalent, but not identical, to the OCCL license requirements. However, an ACA accredited but license-exempt youth camp is unable to receive POC provider reimbursement because under the state plan for the federal Child Care and Development Fund, license exempt child care providers are not eligible for provider reimbursement.

This Act also codifies the following policies that are in the current OCCL child care licensing regulations:

• A youth camp license and the definition of “youth camp”.

• The requirement that a youth camp must have a valid Division of Public Health permit to be licensed or approved as license exempt.

• The school-age care, programs, and activities that are exempt from child care license requirements.

This Act is effective immediately and § 3003A(c)(4)b. of Title 14 must be implemented no later than December 31, 2026.

This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

Author: Senator Paradee