ColoradoColorado shifts child care licensing work toward state specialists
The law also limits some extra local fees and calls for a licensing review, but the review and report depend on available donations.
What it does
The executive director must adopt rules requiring licensed child care facilities to keep employee records up to date in the department's professional development system.
Where feasible, the department must begin shifting licensing investigations and inspections to its own specialists by July 1, 2026. It must also set shared training, procedures, and supervision.
Local authorities that add child care licensing requirements must prioritize applications they have delayed or disputed when reasonably practicable, and limit some extra fees under a department rule.
A task force must review child care licensing and recommend a streamlined system that maintains the quality of current settings. Its review and report depend on available gifts, grants, or donations.
Argument forState specialists and shared training could help make child care inspections and licensing decisions more consistent across Colorado.
Argument againstLocal governments could have less room to set fees for extra child care inspections and approvals, except for health and sanitation reviews.
More detail
The executive director must adopt rules requiring licensed facilities to keep employee records current in the department's professional development information system. The requirement applies to facilities licensed under this part of Colorado law.
Where feasible, the department must begin phasing out outside help for licensing investigations and inspections, and prioritize its own licensing specialists. This applies to investigations and inspections for original or renewed licenses and permanent licenses after a probationary or provisional license. The phaseout does not cover required health and sanitation inspections or related plan reviews conducted by the department or a local public health agency. The department must begin phasing out this reliance on or before July 1, 2026.
Local governing authorities that add requirements beyond state licensing standards must prioritize certain applications and limit certain fees. These requirements apply to local authorities that impose additional requirements on child care centers or family child care homes. Authorities must prioritize applications for centers or family child care homes with which they have had a dispute or caused a delay, when reasonably practicable. The fee limit applies to local fees for inspections, permits, licenses, or approvals beyond state licensing standards, up to a reasonable maximum set by department rule. The fee limit does not apply to required health and sanitation inspections or related plan reviews conducted by the department or a local public health agency.
The department must convene a task force to review child care licensing and recommend ways to streamline the system. The task force includes appointed representatives of child care providers, families, local government, state agencies, schools, and related groups. The task force may begin work only after the executive director finds that it has enough gifts, grants, or donations; its review and final report also depend on available money. Members serve without pay or expense reimbursement. Initial appointments are due by July 1, 2026. The first meeting is due within three weeks after the executive director finds enough donations, or by August 1, 2026, whichever is later. The task force must report by January 1, 2027, and this section ends July 1, 2028.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Jun 1Governor Jared Polis SignedBecame Law
- May 22Signed by the President of the SenateMajor
- May 22Signed by the Speaker of the HouseMajor
- May 22Sent to the GovernorTo Governor
- May 8Senate Considered House Amendments - Result was to Concur - Repass
- Vote recorded REPASS. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded CONCUR. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded CONCUR. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded REPASS. Result: pass.Upper
- May 7House Third Reading Passed - No AmendmentsPassed House
- Vote recorded BILL. Result: pass.Lower
- May 6House Committee on Appropriations Refer Unamended to House Committee of the WholeMinor
- Vote recorded Refer Senate Bill 26-020 to the Committee of the Whole. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded Refer Senate Bill 26-020 to the Committee of the Whole. Result: pass.Lower
- May 6House Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Committee
- Apr 30House Committee on Finance Refer Unamended to AppropriationsMinor
- Vote recorded Refer Senate Bill 26-020 to the Committee on Appropriations. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded Refer Senate Bill 26-020 to the Committee on Appropriations. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 23House Committee on Education Refer Amended to FinanceMinor
- Vote recorded Refer Senate Bill 26-020, as amended, to the Committee on Finance. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 13Senate Third Reading Passed - No AmendmentsPassed Senate
- Vote recorded BILL. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded BILL. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 13Introduced In House - Assigned to EducationMinor
- Apr 10Senate Committee on Appropriations Refer Unamended - Consent Calendar to Senate Committee of the WholeMinor
- Vote recorded Refer Senate Bill 26-020 to the Committee of the Whole and with a recommendation that it be placed on the consent calendar. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 10Senate Second Reading Special Order - Passed - No Amendments
- Apr 10Senate Second Reading Passed - No AmendmentsMinor
- Feb 25Senate Committee on Education Refer Amended to AppropriationsMinor
- Vote recorded Adopt amendment L.004. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded Adopt amendment L.003. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded Adopt amendment L.007. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded Adopt amendment L.001. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded Adopt amendment L.005. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded Refer Senate Bill 26-020, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded Adopt amendment L.006. Result: pass.Upper
- Jan 14Introduced In Senate - Assigned to EducationIntroduced
Education