HB2219 • 2026

Child care providers

Enhancing the operational efficiency of child care providers.

Budget Children Education Labor

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Representative Ortiz-Self, Representative Cortes, Representative Simmons, Representative Berry, Representative Eslick, Representative Santos, Representative Zahn, Representative Nance, Representative Callan, Representative Kloba, Representative Stonier, Representative Goodman, Representative Reeves, Representative Macri, Representative Fosse, Representative Bergquist, Representative Hill, Representative Bernbaum, Representative Salahuddin
Last action: 2026-02-16
Official status: H subst for
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Child care providers

What This Bill Does

Child care providers

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

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

2219-S.E AMS EDU S5404.1

0 • Early Learning & K-12 Education

ADOPTED

Plain English: 2219-S.E AMS EDU S5404.1 ESHB 2219 - S COMM AMD By Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education ADOPTED 03/03/2026 Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the 1 following: 2 "Sec.

2219-S.E AMS EDU S5404.1 ESHB 2219 - S COMM AMD By Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education ADOPTED 03/03/2026 Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the 1 following: 2 "Sec.
1.
RCW 43.216.255 and 2021 c 304 s 10 are each amended to 3 read as follows: 4 (1) No later than November 1, 2016, the department shall 5 implement a single set of licensing standards for child care and the 6 early childhood education and assistance program.
The department 7 shall produce the single set of licensing standards within the 8 department's available appropriations.

2219-S AMH COUT HARO 812

1547 • Couture

WITHDRAWN

Plain English: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 2219-S AMH COUT HARO 812 1 - Official Print By Representative Couture 2219-S AMH COUT HARO 812 SHB 2219 - H AMD 1547 WITHDRAWN 02/16/2026 On page 1, line 21, after "settings" insert ", which must include an express prohibition on any condition that presents an imminent physical harm to children in care" On page 2, after line 33, insert the following: "Sec.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 2219-S AMH COUT HARO 812 1 - Official Print By Representative Couture 2219-S AMH COUT HARO 812 SHB 2219 - H AMD 1547 WITHDRAWN 02/16/2026 On page 1, line 21, after "settings" insert ", which must include an express prohibition on any condition that presents an imminent physical harm to children in care" On page 2, after line 33, insert the following: "Sec.
3.
RCW 43.216.010 and 2025 c 181 s 1 are each amended to read as follows: The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
(1) "Agency" means any person, firm, partnership, association, corporation, or facility that provides child care and early learning services outside a child's own home and includes the following irrespective of whether there is compensation to the agency: (a) "Child day care center" and "child care center" mean an agency that regularly provides early childhood education and early learning services for a group of children for periods of less than 24 hours; (b) "Early learning" includes but is not limited to programs and services for child care; state, federal, private, and nonprofit preschool; child care subsidies; child care resource and referral; parental education and support; and training and professional development for early learning professionals; (c) "Family day care provider" and "family home provider" mean a child care provider who regularly provides early childhood education and early learning services for not more than 12 children at any given time in the provider's home in the family living quarters 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 2219-S AMH COUT HARO 812 2 - Official Print except as provided in RCW 43.216.692 and subsection (2)(m) of this section; (d) "Nongovernmental private-public partnership" means an entity registered as a nonprofit corporation in Washington state with a primary focus on early learning, school readiness, and parental support, and an ability to raise a minimum of $5,000,000 in contributions; (e) "Outdoor nature-based child care" means an agency or an agency-offered program that: (i) Enrolls preschool or school-age children; (ii) Provides early learning services to the enrolled children in an outdoor natural space approved by the department for not less than four hours per day or fifty percent of the daily program hours, whichever is less; and (iii) Teaches a nature-based curriculum to enrolled children; (f) "Service provider" means the entity that operates a community facility.

2219-S AMH PENN HARO 820

1548 • Penner

WITHDRAWN

Plain English: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 2219-S AMH PENN HARO 820 1 - Official Print By Representative Penner EFFECT: Requires, for family home child care providers, that licensing standards include specific inspection protocols for detecting fentanyl residue, foil, straws, or other paraphernalia in common areas.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 2219-S AMH PENN HARO 820 1 - Official Print By Representative Penner EFFECT: Requires, for family home child care providers, that licensing standards include specific inspection protocols for detecting fentanyl residue, foil, straws, or other paraphernalia in common areas.
2219-S AMH PENN HARO 820 SHB 2219 - H AMD 1548 WITHDRAWN 02/16/2026 On page 1, line 21, after "settings" insert ", and must include, for family home providers, specific inspection protocols for detecting fentanyl residue, foil, straws, or other paraphernalia in common areas" --- END

2219-S AMH COUT HARO 819

1571 • Couture

WITHDRAWN

Plain English: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 2219-S AMH COUT HARO 819 1 - Official Print By Representative Couture 2219-S AMH COUT HARO 819 SHB 2219 - H AMD 1571 WITHDRAWN 02/16/2026 On page 2, at the beginning of line 24, strike "The" and insert "(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, the" On page 2, at the beginning of line 27, strike "(1)" and insert "(a)" On page 2, at the beginning of line 29, strike "(2)" and insert "(b)" On page 2, at the beginning of line 31, strike "(3)" and insert "(c)" On page 2, after line 33, insert the following: "(2) The department may not waive the preservice orientation requirement for any individual who has ever been the subject of a finding of imminent physical harm involving opioids, regardless of whether the individual has completed the orientation previously.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 2219-S AMH COUT HARO 819 1 - Official Print By Representative Couture 2219-S AMH COUT HARO 819 SHB 2219 - H AMD 1571 WITHDRAWN 02/16/2026 On page 2, at the beginning of line 24, strike "The" and insert "(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, the" On page 2, at the beginning of line 27, strike "(1)" and insert "(a)" On page 2, at the beginning of line 29, strike "(2)" and insert "(b)" On page 2, at the beginning of line 31, strike "(3)" and insert "(c)" On page 2, after line 33, insert the following: "(2) The department may not waive the preservice orientation requirement for any individual who has ever been the subject of a finding of imminent physical harm involving opioids, regardless of whether the individual has completed the orientation previously.
Sec.
3.
RCW 43.216.010 and 2025 c 181 s 1 are each amended to read as follows: The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.

2219-S AMH COUT HARO 817

1572 • Couture

ADOPTED

Plain English: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 2219-S AMH COUT HARO 817 1 - Official Print By Representative Couture EFFECT: Requires that child care and early learning licensing standards expressly require that the premises of all licensed settings are absent of high-potency synthetic opioids, fentanyl residue, and drug paraphernalia.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 2219-S AMH COUT HARO 817 1 - Official Print By Representative Couture EFFECT: Requires that child care and early learning licensing standards expressly require that the premises of all licensed settings are absent of high-potency synthetic opioids, fentanyl residue, and drug paraphernalia.
2219-S AMH COUT HARO 817 SHB 2219 - H AMD 1572 ADOPTED 02/16/2026 On page 1, line 21, after "settings" insert ", and expressly require that the premises of all licensed settings are absent of high- potency synthetic opioids, fentanyl residue, and drug paraphernalia" --- END

2219-S AMH PENN HARO 818

1573 • Penner

ADOPTED

Plain English: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 2219-S AMH PENN HARO 818 1 - Official Print By Representative Penner EFFECT: Requires, as part of minimum licensing requirements for child care and preschool programs, that the requirements include a zero tolerance policy for imminent physical harm, defined as the presence of high-potency synthetic opioids or manufacturing equipment in the licensed facility or program space.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 2219-S AMH PENN HARO 818 1 - Official Print By Representative Penner EFFECT: Requires, as part of minimum licensing requirements for child care and preschool programs, that the requirements include a zero tolerance policy for imminent physical harm, defined as the presence of high-potency synthetic opioids or manufacturing equipment in the licensed facility or program space.
2219-S AMH PENN HARO 818 SHB 2219 - H AMD 1573 ADOPTED 02/16/2026 On page 1, line 14, after "section" insert ", which must include a zero tolerance policy for imminent physical harm.
For purposes of this section "imminent physical harm" means the presence of high-potency synthetic opioids or manufacturing equipment in the licensed facility or program space" --- END

2219-S.E AMS MCCU S5805.1

836 • McCune

NOT ADOPTED

Plain English: 2219-S.E AMS MCCU S5805.1 ESHB 2219 - S AMD TO EDU COMM AMD (S-5404.1) 836 By Senator McCune NOT ADOPTED 03/03/2026 On page 1, line 21, after "centers;" strike "and" and insert 1 "((and))" 2 On page 1, line 25, after "paraphernalia" insert "; and3 (e) Allow a child care licensee to require an applicant or 4 employee to submit to drug testing as a condition of hiring or 5 continued employment at the licensee's expense and in accordance with 6 federal and state law" 7 EFFECT: Adds that child care licensing standards must allow a child care licensee to require an applicant or employee to submit to drug testing as a condition of hiring or continued employment at the licensee's expense and in accordance with federal and state law.

2219-S.E AMS MCCU S5805.1 ESHB 2219 - S AMD TO EDU COMM AMD (S-5404.1) 836 By Senator McCune NOT ADOPTED 03/03/2026 On page 1, line 21, after "centers;" strike "and" and insert 1 "((and))" 2 On page 1, line 25, after "paraphernalia" insert "; and3 (e) Allow a child care licensee to require an applicant or 4 employee to submit to drug testing as a condition of hiring or 5 continued employment at the licensee's expense and in accordance with 6 federal and state law" 7 EFFECT: Adds that child care licensing standards must allow a child care licensee to require an applicant or employee to submit to drug testing as a condition of hiring or continued employment at the licensee's expense and in accordance with federal and state law.
END --- Code Rev/CC:jlb 1 S-5805.1/26

Bill History

2026-02-16 House
1st substitute bill substituted.

Official Summary Text

Child care providers

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

AN ACT Relating to enhancing the operational efficiency of child 1
care providers; amending RCW 43.216.255; and adding a new section to 2
chapter 43.216 RCW. 3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:4
Sec. 1. RCW 43.216.255 and 2021 c 304 s 10 are each amended to 5
read as follows: 6
(1) No later than November 1, 2016, the department shall 7
implement a single set of licensing standards for child care and the 8
early childhood education and assistance program. The department 9
shall produce the single set of licensing standards within the 10
department's available appropriations. The new licensing standards 11
must: 12
(a) Provide minimum licensing requirements for child care and 13
preschool programs, subject to subsection (2) of this section;14
(b) Rely on the standards established in the early achievers 15
program to address quality issues in participating early childhood 16
programs; 17
(c) Take into account the separate needs of family care 18
providers, outdoor nature-based child care providers, and child care 19
centers; and 20
(d) Promote the continued safety of child care settings.21
H-2581.1
HOUSE BILL 2219
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session
By Representatives Ortiz-Self, Cortes, Simmons, Berry, Eslick,
Santos, Zahn, Nance, Callan, Kloba, Stonier, Goodman, Reeves, Macri,
Fosse, Bergquist, Hill, Bernbaum, and Salahuddin
Prefiled 12/30/25. Read first time 01/12/26. Referred to Committee
on Early Learning & Human Services.
p. 1 HB 2219
(2) In establishing the maximum group sizes and staff-to-child 1
ratios for child care centers, the licensing standards established 2
and implemented by the department must allow for the following 3
periods of mixed-ratio time in which children of different age groups 4
may be combined, provided the staff-to-child ratio and group size 5
designated for the youngest child in the mixed group are maintained:6
(a) Except as provided in (b) of this subsection, up to 2.5 hours 7
per day, to be used on a schedule established by the center; and8
(b) Up to four hours per day, to be used on a schedule 9
established by the center, if at least 90 minutes of that time is 10
reserved for allowing meal and rest breaks for center staff.11
(3) Private schools that operate early learning programs and do 12
not receive state subsidy payments shall be subject to the minimum 13
health and safety standards as defined in RCW 43.216.395(2)(b), the 14
health and safety requirements under chapter 28A.195 RCW, and the 15
requirements necessary to assure a sufficient early childhood 16
education to meet usual requirements needed for transition into 17
elementary school. The state, and any agency thereof, shall not 18
restrict or dictate any specific educational or other programs for 19
early learning programs operated by private schools except for 20
programs that receive state subsidy payments. 21
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 43.216 22
RCW under the subchapter heading "licensing" to read as follows:23
The department must waive the early learning program preservice 24
requirement to complete a department-provided orientation for any 25
individual who has previously completed the applicable orientation.26
--- END ---
p. 2 HB 2219