IdahoDaycare providers would monitor sleeping children and count some children differently
If enacted, Idaho daycare providers would follow specified sleeping-child supervision rules and exclude some provider-owned children from staffing-ratio counts starting July 1, 2026.
What it does
Daycare providers would need to keep sleeping children within sight and normal hearing range, while allowing live video and audio monitoring if the provider remains close enough to help.
For home-based family and group daycares, the provider's own children age five or older would not count toward the staffing-ratio calculation when they are at home.
Argument forAllowing live video and audio monitoring could help providers watch sleeping children while staying close enough to respond quickly.
Argument againstExcluding some provider-owned children from the ratio calculation could allow one staff member to supervise more children in certain home-based daycares.
More detail
Daycare providers would supervise sleeping children from within sight and normal hearing range. The rule covers children sleeping at daycare facilities, including children receiving overnight care. Live video and audio may be used to monitor a sleeping child if the provider stays close enough to give immediate help. The text also applies the sight-and-hearing rule to children swimming, using other bodies of water, or taking part in activities away from the facility. If enacted, these rules would take effect on July 1, 2026.
The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare would not count certain provider-owned children when calculating daycare staffing points and child-to-staff ratios. The exception applies to a provider's own children who are at least five years old when the provider runs a family daycare home or group daycare facility from the provider's home. The general point system assigns different staffing points based on each child's age. Daycare facilities may use stricter child-to-staff ratios than the listed maximum. If enacted, the attendance-counting rule would take effect on July 1, 2026.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed 1st Chamber
- Passed 2nd Chamber
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Apr 2Returned from Governor Brad Little vetoed on April 28, 2026Latest
- Apr 1Delivered to Governor at 4:12 p.m. on April 1, 2026To Governor
- Apr 1Returned Signed by the President; Ordered Transmitted to GovernorMinor
- Apr 1Signed by President; returned to HouseMajor
- Apr 1Received from the House enrolled/signed by SpeakerMajor
- Apr 1Reported Enrolled; Signed by Speaker; Transmitted to SenateMajor
- Mar 31Rules Suspended: Ayes 61 Nays 0 Abs/Excd 9, read in full as required – PASSED - 59-3-8AYES – Alfieri, Barbieri, Beiswenger, Berch, Bingham, Boyle, Bruce, Burgoyne, Cannon(Cannon), Cayler, Cheatum, Crane(12), Crane(13), Dygert, Ehardt, Ehlers, Erickson, Fuhriman, Furniss, Galaviz, Gannon, Garner, Hall(Stone), Handy, Harris, Hawkins, Healey, Hill(Hill), Hostetler, Leavitt, Manwaring, Marmon, McCann, Mendive, Mickelsen, Miller, Mitchell, Monks, Nelsen, Petzke, Pickett, Pohanka, Price, Rasor, Raybould, Raymond, Redman, Sauter, Scott, Shepherd, Shirts(Batt), Tanner(13), Tanner(14), Thompson, Vander Woude, Veile, Weber, Wisniewski, Mr. SpeakerNAYS – Church, Egbert, MathiasAbsent – Cornilles, Green, Haws, Holtzclaw, Palmer, Rubel, Skaug, WheelerFloor Sponsor - EhardtTitle apvd - to enrolMajor
- Vote recorded Rules Suspended: Ayes 61 Nays 0 Abs/Excd 9, read in full as required –. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 31Read first time as amended in Senate; Filed for Second Reading
- Mar 31Reported Engrossed; Filed for First Reading of Engrossed Bills
- Mar 30Bills as Amended Referred to JRA for Engrossing
- Vote recorded Read third time as amended in the Senate –. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 30Returned from the Senate Amended; Held at Desk
- Mar 30House Concurred in Senate Amendments
- Mar 30Returned from the Senate Amended; Held at Desk
- Mar 30Read third time as amended in the Senate – PASSED - 28-7-0AYES – Adams, Anthon, Bernt, Bjerke(Bjerke), Blaylock, Burtenshaw, Carlson, Cook, Den Hartog, Foreman, Galloway, Grow, Guthrie, Harris, Hart, Keyser, Kohl, Lakey, Lenney, Lent, Nichols, Okuniewicz, Ricks, Shippy, Toews, VanOrden, Zito, ZuiderveldNAYS – Rabe, Ruchti, Semmelroth, Taylor, Ward-Engelking, Wintrow, WoodwardAbsent and excused – NoneFloor Sponsor - Bjerke(Bjerke)Title apvd - to HousePassed 2nd Chamber
- Mar 27Read second time as amended in the Senate, filed for Third ReadingMinor
- Mar 26Read first time as amended in the Senate; Filed for Second Reading
- Mar 26Amendments reported printed
- Mar 26Reported out as amended; filed for first reading
- Mar 26Amendments ordered printed
- Mar 26Placed in the Committee of the Whole
- Mar 25Referred to 14th Order for amendment
- Mar 20Read second time; filed for Third ReadingMinor
- Mar 19Reported out of Committee with Do Pass Recommendation; Filed for second readingMinor
- Mar 13Introduced, read first time; referred to: Health & WelfareMinor
- Mar 13Received from the House passed; filed for first reading
- Mar 12Read Third Time in Full – PASSED - 66-2-2AYES – Alfieri, Barbieri, Beiswenger, Berch, Bingham, Boyle, Bruce, Burgoyne, Cannon, Cayler, Cheatum, Cornilles, Crane(12), Crane(13), Dygert, Ehardt, Ehlers, Erickson(Larsen), Fuhriman, Furniss, Galaviz, Gannon, Garner, Green, Hall(Stone), Handy, Harris, Hawkins, Haws, Healey, Hill, Holtzclaw, Hostetler, Leavitt, Manwaring, Marmon, McCann, Mendive, Mickelsen, Miller, Mitchell, Monks, Nelsen, Palmer, Petzke, Pickett, Pohanka, Price, Rasor, Raybould, Raymond, Redman, Rubel, Sauter, Scott, Shepherd, Shirts, Tanner(13), Tanner(14), Thompson, Vander Woude, Veile, Weber, Wheeler, Wisniewski, Mr. SpeakerNAYS – Egbert, MathiasAbsent – Church, SkaugFloor Sponsor - EhardtTitle apvd - to SenatePassed 1st Chamber
- Vote recorded Read Third Time in Full –. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 11Read second time; Filed for Third ReadingMinor
- Mar 10Reported out of Committee with Do Pass Recommendation, Filed for Second ReadingMinor
- Feb 25Reported Printed and Referred to Health & Welfare
- Feb 24Introduced, read first time, referred to JRA for PrintingIntroduced
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