Child care centers/buildings

AN ACT Relating to child care centers operated in existing 1
buildings; amending RCW 43.216.265; adding a new section to chapter 2
19.27 RCW; and creating a new section. 3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:4
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that there is a need 5
for more child care services for working people. There is a public 6
benefit when communities can use existing buildings rather than 7
permitting new buildings to be built on open land. Churches are one 8
type of building that often have rooms designed for education or care 9
of children that are separate from the main sanctuary or 10
congregational room. The legislature intends to clarify statutes so 11
that building owners, and especially churches, are more likely to 12
offer existing spaces for child care services.13
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 19.27 14
RCW to read as follows: 15
When a child care center is operated in an existing building that 16
has more than one use, the building official must calculate the 17
occupancy load based only on the areas in the building where the 18
child care services are provided. This requirement applies when 19
H-0772.1
HOUSE BILL 1582
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Representatives Caldier, Richards, Eslick, and Nance
Read first time 01/24/25. Referred to Committee on Early Learning &
Human Services.
p. 1 HB 1582
administering and enforcing any of the building codes adopted in 1
accordance with and pursuant to the authority in this chapter.2
Sec. 3. RCW 43.216.265 and 2018 c 58 s 42 are each amended to 3
read as follows: 4
The chief of the Washington state patrol, through the director of 5
fire protection, shall have the power and it shall be his or her 6
duty: 7
(1) In consultation with the secretary and with the advice and 8
assistance of persons representative of the various type agencies to 9
be licensed, to adopt recognized minimum standard requirements 10
pertaining to each category of agency established pursuant to this 11
chapter necessary to protect all persons residing therein from fire 12
hazards; 13
(2) To adopt licensing minimum standard requirements to allow 14
children who attend classes in a school building during school hours 15
to remain in the same building to participate in before-school or 16
after-school programs and to allow participation in such before-17
school and after-school programs by children who attend other schools 18
and are transported to attend such before-school and after-school 19
programs; 20
(3) To make or cause to be made such inspections and 21
investigations of agencies as he or she deems necessary;22
(4) To make a periodic review of requirements under RCW 23
43.216.250(8) and to adopt necessary changes after consultation as 24
required in subsection (1) of this section; 25
(5) To issue to applicants for licenses under this chapter who 26
comply with the requirements, a certificate of compliance, a copy of 27
which shall be presented to the department before a license shall be 28
issued, except that an initial license may be issued as provided in 29
RCW 43.216.315;30
(6) When a child care center is operated in an existing building 31
that has more than one use, to calculate the occupancy load based 32
only on the area in the building where the child care services are 33
provided. 34
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p. 2 HB 1582