Bills › 91st General Assembly
Relating to age requirements for an individual to provide child care without supervision
Sponsored by Rep. Jason Gearhart (R)
Where it is now
- Done: IntroducedJanuary 14, 2026
- Stopped: SubcommitteeDied when the General Assembly ended
- Next: House committeeFunnel: by February 20, 2026
- Next: Passes the House
- Next: Senate committeeFunnel: by March 20, 2026
- Next: Passes the Senate
- Next: To the Governor
- Next: Signed into law
Died when the session ended The 2026 session adjourned on May 3, 2026, the General Assembly’s last regular session. Bills that didn’t pass both chambers died. What’s a funnel?
What’s in it
AI summary Under current rules, people must be at least 18 years old to watch children alone at a child care center or preschool. This change would allow 15-year-olds to work without supervision if they finish specific training and have 10 hours of experience watching children with help.1
Read the official explanation
This bill relates to age requirements for an individual to provide child care (provider) without supervision. Under current law, providers must be at least 18 years of age to provide unsupervised child care at a child care center, preschool, or a registered child development home (facility). The bill allows an individual to be a provider at a facility if the individual is at least 15 years of age; the individual has completed certain training approved by the department of health and human services as detailed in the bill; and the individual has at least 10 hours of documented experience providing supervised child care at a facility.
Why it matters. People working in child care centers, preschools, or registered child development homes could provide care without supervision at a younger age. To qualify, these individuals must complete specific training approved by the department of health and human services and have a certain number of hours of documented experience providing supervised care.2