Child care provider supports

AN ACT Relating to providing prelicensing supports to individuals 1
interested in becoming a licensed child care provider; amending RCW 2
43.216.265; adding a new section to chapter 43.216 RCW; and adding a 3
new section to chapter 19.27 RCW. 4
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:5
Sec. 1. RCW 43.216.265 and 2025 c 150 s 3 are each amended to 6
read as follows: 7
The chief of the Washington state patrol, through the director of 8
fire protection, shall have the power and it shall be his or her 9
duty: 10
(1) In consultation with the secretary and with the advice and 11
assistance of persons representative of the various type agencies to 12
be licensed, to adopt recognized minimum standard requirements 13
pertaining to each category of agency established pursuant to this 14
chapter necessary to protect all persons residing therein from fire 15
hazards; 16
(2) To adopt licensing minimum standard requirements to allow 17
children who attend classes in a school building during school hours 18
to remain in the same building to participate in before-school or 19
after-school programs and to allow participation in such before-20
school and after-school programs by children who attend other schools 21
S-3699.3
SENATE BILL 6078
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session
By Senators Slatter, C. Wilson, Bateman, Hasegawa, Nobles, and
Saldaña
Read first time 01/13/26. Referred to Committee on Early Learning &
K-12 Education.
p. 1 SB 6078
and are transported to attend such before-school and after-school 1
programs; 2
(3) To make or cause to be made such prelicensing consultations, 3
inspections, and investigations of agencies as he or she deems 4
necessary; 5
(4) To make a periodic review of requirements under RCW 6
43.216.250(8) and to adopt necessary changes after consultation as 7
required in subsection (1) of this section; 8
(5) To issue to applicants for licenses under this chapter who 9
comply with the requirements, a certificate of compliance, a copy of 10
which shall be presented to the department before a license shall be 11
issued, except that an initial license may be issued as provided in 12
RCW 43.216.315; 13
(6) When a child care center is operated in a dedicated space 14
within an existing building that has more than one use, to calculate 15
the occupancy load of the child care center based only on the area in 16
the building where the child care services are provided.17
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 43.216 18
RCW to read as follows: 19
(1)(a) Within existing resources, the department may provide 20
services to individuals interested in obtaining a child care license. 21
The purpose of these prelicensing supports is to help individuals 22
navigate the licensing application process for child care centers, 23
family home providers, outdoor nature-based child care providers, and 24
school-age child care programs. 25
(b) Prelicensing supports may relate to, but are not limited to, 26
the following topics: 27
(i) Completing the application process; 28
(ii) Understanding licensing requirements provided in the 29
department's rules; 30
(iii) Navigating the complexities of the facilities development 31
process; 32
(iv) Operating a child care facility in different regions of the 33
state; and 34
(v) Accessing information and resources related to the different 35
types of child care licenses. 36
(2) Within existing resources, the department may develop and 37
publish online a child care licensing resource guide for individuals 38
interested in obtaining a license to operate a child care center when 39
p. 2 SB 6078
the individual submits a permit application to a city or county. The 1
child care licensing resource guide must include how individuals can 2
access the prelicensing supports described in subsection (1) of this 3
section and the prelicensing consultations described in RCW 4
43.216.265(3). 5
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 19.27 6
RCW to read as follows: 7
When an individual submits a permit, as required by the city or 8
county, to operate a licensed child care center, the city or county 9
shall inform the applicant that the department of children, youth, 10
and families provides prelicensing supports and publishes a child 11
care licensing resource guide as described in section 2 of this act.12
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p. 3 SB 6078