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Bill Summary · HB 1119

Summary — HB 1119 (North Dakota): Child Care Provider Licensing Study, Program Evaluation, and Advisory Committee

Status: Filed with Secretary of State (04/28/2025). Introduced: Nov 12, 2024. Session: Sixty-ninth Legislative Assembly (ND).

Purpose / Intent

HB 1119 directs a focused, interim review of North Dakota’s child care and early childhood services regulatory framework to identify opportunities to streamline licensing, clarify requirements for providers, improve access to affordable and safe child care, and inform any statutory or rule changes needed.

Key Provisions

  1. Legislative management study (2025–26 interim)

    • The legislative management will study laws, administrative rules, and policies related to child care provider licensing.
    • The study must solicit input from:
      • Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)
      • The Child Care Services Advisory Committee (see below)
      • Child care providers
    • If the Legislative Council conducts a program evaluation of DHHS child care services, that evaluation must inform the study.
    • Deliverable: findings, recommendations, and any implementing legislation reported to the Seventieth Legislative Assembly.

  2. Program evaluation by the Legislative Council (optional / considered)

    • The Legislative Council is directed to consider conducting a program evaluation of DHHS child care services during the 2025–26 interim.
    • Required evaluation elements include:
      • Review of state and federal laws, rules, and policies
      • Assessment of the current child care framework (strengths, challenges, opportunities)
      • Licensing requirements, assistance programs, operator education, staff training/certification, ratios, square‑footage rules
      • Funding sources, expenditures, assistance penetration rates, and resource distribution
      • Review of recently enacted child care legislation and its implementation
    • Report deadline from Legislative Council to legislative management: August 1, 2026.

  3. Child Care Services Advisory Committee (established by DHHS)

    • DHHS will create and staff an advisory committee to review and provide input on child care licensing laws, administrative rules, and departmental policies.
    • Duties:
      • Collaborate on a comprehensive revision of administrative rules
      • Help facilitate regional meetings and focus groups with providers
      • Review and give input on all proposed rules and policy changes related to child care licensing
    • Membership:
      • 2 child care center representatives (appointed by legislative management)
      • 2 group child care representatives (appointed by legislative management)
      • 2 preschool program representatives (appointed by legislative management)
      • 2 House members (selected by House majority leader)
      • 2 Senate members (selected by Senate majority leader)
      • 1 child care expert (appointed by legislative management)
    • Reporting: periodic updates and a final report to legislative management by June 30, 2026. The committee dissolves after delivering the final report.

Who is Affected

  • Primary: Department of Health and Human Services (administrative workload and rule revision duties), licensed and prospective child care providers across the state.
  • Secondary: parents and families relying on child care, local communities (through availability of services), and legislators (who will receive recommendations for potential statutory changes).

Timeline / Procedural Notes

  • Interim study and committee activity scheduled during the 2025–26 interim.
  • Advisory committee final report due June 30, 2026.
  • Legislative Council’s program evaluation report due August 1, 2026 (if conducted).
  • Legislative management will forward findings and any proposed legislation to the Seventieth Legislative Assembly.

Expected Impact

  • The bill does not itself change licensing standards but establishes a structured review process and stakeholder engagement intended to:
    • Identify barriers and inefficiencies in licensing and administration
    • Recommend specific statutory or rule changes
    • Produce guidance for DHHS on revising administrative rules to improve clarity and access to child care services

Note: HB 1119 is a study-and-advisory measure; implementation of substantive regulatory or statutory changes would require subsequent rulemaking by DHHS or new legislation drafted from the study’s recommendations.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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