HB 477

Enacted

State Department of Education - Family Child Care Homes and Child Care Centers - Regulatory Analysis

Sponsor: Ben Barnes (District 21)Committee: Ways and MeansSubject: Education - MiscellaneousStatus: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 287 (as of Dec 1, 2025)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Requiring the State Department of Education to conduct a thorough analysis of the State's regulatory framework for child care facilities with particular emphasis on regulations that limit a person's ability to register a child care facility, receive a license to operate a child care center, or operate a child care facility in a profitable manner while providing quality care; and requiring an interim and final report be submitted to the Governor and the General Assembly by January 1, 2026, and September 1, 2026, respectively.

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Analysis reads the bill text, the fiscal note, and the witness list. It is generated by Claude and reviewed by nobody, so check the source documents before you rely on it.

Testimony (0)

MGA witness list

FAV 8FavorableFWA 2Favorable with amendmentsUNF 11UnfavorableINFO 4Information only

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	Colmers, Elly	Compass Advocacy	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Kovacs, Lisa	Maryland Association of Local Management Boards	Written (PDF)
FAV	Cano, Christopherlobbyist	SEIU Local 500	Written (PDF)
FAV	Jones, Dana	Women's Caucus	Written (PDF)
FAV	Delegate Barnes, Delegate Barneslegislator	Individual	Oral
FAV	Delegate Barnes, Delegate Barneslegislator	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Harris, Mrs.	Individual	Position only
FAV	Krone, Christinelobbyist	Individual	Position only
UNF	Girouard, Diane	Child Care Aware of America	Written (PDF)
UNF	Hildebrand, William	Eastern Shore of Maryland Volunter Firefighter's Association	Written (PDF)
UNF	Gee, Flora	Maryland Association for the Education of Young Children	Written (PDF)
UNF	Custer, Michael	Maryland State Chapter - International Fire Marshals Association	Written (PDF)
UNF	Peusch, Christina	Maryland State Child Care Association	Written (PDF)
UNF	Houck, Madeline	Maryland State Department of Education	Written (PDF)
UNF	Phillips, Robert	Maryland State Firefighter's Association	Written (PDF)
UNF	Loewenberg, Aaron	New America	Written (PDF)
UNF	Macsherry, Clintonlobbyist	Individual	Written (PDF)
UNF	McKay, Mike	Individual	Written (PDF)
UNF	Morrow, Beth	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FWA	Peusch, Christina	Maryland State Child Care Association	Written (PDF)
FWA	Cano, Christopherlobbyist	SEIU Local 500	Written (PDF)
INFO	Murphy, JD	MD Chesapeake Chapter of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP)	Written (PDF)
INFO	Barnes, Ben	Maryland General Assembly Delegate	Written (PDF)
INFO	Traynor, Owen	Maryland State Police	Written (PDF)
INFO	Krone, Christinelobbyist	Individual	Written (PDF)

Organizations on record

Child Care Aware of AmericaUNF 1

Compass AdvocacyFAV 1

Eastern Shore of Maryland Volunter Firefighter's AssociationUNF 1

Maryland Association for the Education of Young ChildrenUNF 1

Maryland Association of Local Management BoardsFAV 1

Maryland General Assembly DelegateINFO 1

Maryland State Chapter - International Fire Marshals AssociationUNF 1

Maryland State Child Care AssociationFWA 1UNF 1

Maryland State Department of EducationUNF 1

Maryland State Firefighter's AssociationUNF 1

Maryland State PoliceINFO 1

MD Chesapeake Chapter of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP)INFO 1

New AmericaUNF 1

SEIU Local 500FAV 1FWA 1

Women's CaucusFAV 1

Registered lobbyists who testified

FAVCano, ChristopherSEIU Local 500Registered for: SEIU Local 500

FAVKrone, ChristineRegistered for: American Coatings Association; Baltimore Gas and Electric Company; City of Rockville; Coordinating Center for Home and Community Care, The, LLC (dba The Coordinating Center); Greater Washington Society for Clinical Social Work, Inc.; LifeSpan Network…

UNFMacsherry, ClintonRegistered for: Maryland Family Network

FWACano, ChristopherSEIU Local 500Registered for: SEIU Local 500

INFOKrone, ChristineRegistered for: American Coatings Association; Baltimore Gas and Electric Company; City of Rockville; Coordinating Center for Home and Community Care, The, LLC (dba The Coordinating Center); Greater Washington Society for Clinical Social Work, Inc.; LifeSpan Network…