Assembly Bill 350 aims to update the licensing regulations for family and group child care centers in Wisconsin. Currently, child care centers providing care for four to eight children are classified as family child care centers, while those caring for nine or more children are classified as group child care centers. The bill proposes to redefine these classifications, allowing family child care centers to care for four to 12 children and group child care centers to care for 13 or more children. Additionally, the bill mandates the Department of Children and Families (DCF) to amend its rules accordingly and to ensure that licensed centers have sufficient staff and space to accommodate the new capacity limits.

The bill also includes several amendments to existing statutes, such as changing the biennial licensing fees associated with the number of children cared for, and updating training requirements for child care providers. Specifically, it removes the previous maximum of eight children for family child care centers and replaces it with 12, while also establishing a new definition for group child care centers. Furthermore, the bill requires DCF to revise its administrative code to align with these changes, ensuring that the definitions and regulations for family and group child care centers are consistent with the new law.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 48.65(3)(a), 48.65, 66.1017(1)(a), 66.1017