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HB 1325

Substitute Child Care Provider Pool Pilot Program - Established

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Jason Buckel and 16 co-sponsors

Maryland establishes a substitute child care provider pool pilot program to deploy qualified substitutes across licensed facilities and address chronic staffing shortages.

Referred Education, Energy, and the Environment
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Bill Summary · HB 1325

Legislative bill overview

HB 1325 establishes a pilot program in Maryland to create a pool of substitute child care providers who can fill staffing gaps across licensed child care facilities. The program would develop a coordinated system to quickly deploy qualified substitutes when regular providers are unavailable, addressing chronic staffing shortages in the child care sector.

Why is this important

Child care provider shortages directly affect working families' ability to maintain employment and children's access to quality care. By creating a substitute pool, the bill aims to reduce facility closures or reduced hours caused by staff absences, while potentially improving job flexibility and income opportunities for substitute providers in an underserving field.

Potential points of contention

  • Funding and sustainability: The pilot's cost, funding source, and long-term viability are unclear; states with similar programs have faced budget constraints
  • Provider quality standards: Questions about whether substitute pools adequately maintain background checks, training requirements, and continuity of care standards across different facilities
  • Labor concerns: Substitute providers may lack benefits, job security, or fair wages compared to permanent staff, potentially exploiting workers while appearing to solve staffing problems
  • Implementation complexity: Coordinating substitutes across multiple independent child care facilities requires significant administrative infrastructure and buy-in from providers

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

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