Senate Bill 359 proposes to amend the regulations surrounding the hiring of assistant child care teachers in Wisconsin. Currently, individuals must be at least 18 or 17 years old, depending on their qualifications, to serve in this role. The bill seeks to lower the minimum hiring age to 16 years, provided that the individual has completed early childhood education training. This change aims to expand the pool of potential assistant child care teachers while maintaining existing requirements for those providing sole supervision to children.

Additionally, the bill clarifies the conditions under which assistant child care teachers can provide sole supervision. It stipulates that an assistant child care teacher who is at least 18 years old and has completed the required training may supervise children in a full-day center only if a child care teacher is present on the premises. The bill also retains the current law's provisions regarding the time limits for supervision during specific hours and activities, ensuring that safety and oversight remain priorities in child care settings.