SB 1200
Family daycare homes.
Vote required
Majority
Fiscal committee
No
Appropriation
No
Current location
Appropriations
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Bill overview
This bill modifies the definition of ‘infant’ within the California Child Day Care Facilities Act, specifically for family daycare homes. Currently, an infant is defined as a child under 2 years of age. This bill changes that definition to a child under 18 months of age. The bill’s purpose is to address a shortage of regulated family daycare homes and to align the definition with parental preferences for earlier childcare options.
Key provisions
- Defines ‘infant’ as a child under 18 months of age in family daycare homes.
- Addresses a shortage of regulated family daycare homes in California.
- Recognizes the preference of many parents for neighborhood-based childcare.
- Encourages a variety of childcare settings, including family daycare homes.
- States that the licensing program should be cost-effective and streamlined.
- Highlights the social, emotional, and developmental benefits of mixed-age group care.
- Promotes the development and expansion of regulated family daycare homes.
Who is affected
- Family daycare home providers
- Parents of young children
- The State Department of Social Services
- Childcare facilities
Notable changes
- Changes the definition of ‘infant’ from under 2 to under 18 months of age.
- Reinforces the need for a sufficient number of regulated family daycare homes.
Arguments in favor
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SB1200:v99#DOCUMENT
Bill Start
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
Senate Bill
No. 1200
| Introduced by Senator Menjivar (Coauthor: Senator Caballero) |
| February 19, 2026 |
An act to add Section 1597.31 to the Health and Safety Code, relating to care facilities.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 1200, as introduced, Menjivar. Family daycare homes.
Existing law, the California Child Day Care Facilities Act, provides for the licensing and regulation of child daycare facilities, including family daycare homes, by the State Department of Social Services. Existing law authorizes a small family daycare home to provide daycare for more than 6 and up to 8 children, including infants, if certain conditions are met. Existing law also authorizes a large family daycare home to provide daycare for more than 12 children and up to and including 14 children, including infants, if certain conditions are met. Existing regulations define infant for these purposes as a child under 2 years of age.
This bill would instead define infant for these purposes as a child under 18 months of age.
Digest Key
Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO
Bill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a) The Legislature reaffirms the findings and declarations set forth in Section 1597.30 of the Health and Safety Code:
(1) The Legislature has a responsibility to ensure the health and safety of children in family homes that provide daycare.
(2) There is an extreme shortage of regulated family daycare homes in California, and the number has decreased significantly since 2008.
(3) There continues to be a growing need for child daycare facilities due to the increased number of working parents. Parents need childcare so they can work and attend school, and so their children can thrive.
(4) Many parents prefer childcare located in their neighborhoods in family homes.
(5) There should be a variety of childcare settings, including regulated family daycare homes, as suitable choices for parents.
(6) The licensing program to be operated by the state should be cost effective, streamlined, and simple to administer in order to ensure adequate care for children placed in family daycare homes, while not placing undue burdens on the providers.
(7) The state should maintain an efficient program of regulating family daycare homes that ensures the provision of adequate protection, supervision, and guidance to children in their homes.
(8) The state has a responsibility to promote the development and expansion of regulated family daycare homes to care for children in residential settings.
(b) Mixed-age group care found in family daycare homes achieves social, emotional, and developmental advantages for children through continuity of care in a small group setting.
(c) The department is encouraged to regularly examine family childcare home regulations to promote cogency.
SEC. 2.
Section 1597.31 is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read:
1597.31.
For purposes of this chapter, “infant” means a child under 18 months of age.