Press Release

Sen. Blakespear Introduces Bill to Increase Child Care Options for Military Families

SB 1401 allows those certified by the U.S. Department of Defense to provide home child care to provide it immediately in California

SACRAMENTO – Sen.  Blakespear, D-Encinitas, has introduced legislation to help ease the shortage of child care options for military personnel by allowing people who are certified to provide child care in their homes by the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) to provide it in California without a state license.

The DOD provides many types of child care for military personnel, including child development centers on bases and family child care (FCC) provided in homes. SB 1401 would make it easier and quicker for those approved by DOD to provide family child care to start operating in California.

“This is a simple, sensible step we can take to better support military families,” Blakespear said. “Having access to reliable child care is essential for all working families, including the fine men and women serving in the U.S. Armed Forces to protect us. SB 1401 reduces red tape so home child care providers can open more quickly on and near military bases.”

Like other child care options, those for military families have long wait times. In 2022, more than 4,000 children were on the wait list for Navy child care centers in San Diego alone.

Furthermore, the DOD estimates there is nearly a 50 percent deficit in the number of FCC providers needed. That forces many military families to turn to more expensive and less convenient civilian child care options.

By creating a state licensure exemption for FCC providers who are already certified by the DOD, SB 1401 would help providers — 87% of whom were military spouses in 2021 — by reducing the administrative burden associated with completing time-consuming, expensive and sometimes redundant state child care licensure requirements. A waiver means these spouses can start earning income much faster after a move, preventing financial instability with their families and helping to reduce the shortage of child care in their new location.

Several states, such as Connecticut, Alaska, and Montana, have already approved this waiver.

SB 1401 is sponsored by the DOD.

Camp Pendleton is in Sen. Blakespear’s district, and she recently toured a Camp Pendleton child development center to talk with military families about their struggles to find child care. (Photos below.)

Blakespear represents Senate District 38, which covers northern San Diego County and part of Orange County. To learn more about the district and Sen. Blakespear, visit her Senate website. 

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Sen. Blakespear toured the De La Luz Child Development Center at Camp Pendleton on Feb. 23 and talked with staff and military families about the importance of child care and the struggle to find it. Standing on the left is Tina Williams, director of the center. Photos Courtesy of DOD.

Sen. Blakespear toured the DeLuz Child Development Center at Camp Pendleton on Feb. 23 and talked with staff and military families about the importance of child care and the struggle to find it. Standing on the left is Tina Williams, director of the center. Photos Courtesy of DOD.

Sen. Blakespear toured the De La Luz Child Development Center at Camp Pendleton on Feb. 23 and talked with staff and military families about the importance of child care and the struggle to find it. Standing on the left is Tina Williams, director of the center. Photos Courtesy of DOD.