WA HB1033

Counties may adopt ordinances to license and regulate child care centers and family home providers starting July 1, 2026, covering premises safety, staffing qualifications, child welfare, and recordkeeping requirements

Counties must notify the Department of Children, Youth, and Families 60 days before implementing local ordinances, after which the state department will no longer regulate or bear civil liability for locally licensed providers

Counties with local licensing must report quarterly to the department on their ordinances and licensed providers, and the department must maintain a public website list of counties with local licensing programs

Locally licensed providers may participate in the working connections child care program and early achievers program, with participation required for state subsidy payments but no specific rating level mandated

The department must contract for a third-party analysis of local licensing utilization and stakeholder perceptions, with a report due to the legislature by October 1, 2030