Proposed Utah child care bill would increase tax credit but also unlicensed childcare capacity

Park City Library's daycare facility. Photo: TownLift

Second substitute includes provision that would increase the number of children an unlicensed provider can care for in their home without mandatory safety inspections or training in first aid, CPR

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — A legislative move aimed at modifying Utah’s Child Tax Credit (CTC) has sparked debate among child care advocates and lawmakers. Introduced by Representative Susan Pulsipher, HB153 initially sought to expand the CTC for children ages 1 through 5, offering financial relief to families for expenses like diapers and child care. However, recent amendments to the bill have shifted the focus towards deregulating residential child care, raising safety and quality concerns.

The bill, now labeled HB153 S02, proposes increasing the number of children an unlicensed provider can care for in their home from six to eight without mandatory safety inspections or first aid and CPR training. This change has been met with opposition from various child care and safety organizations, including the United Way of Salt Lake, which supports the original tax credit expansion but criticizes the added deregulation measures.

Critics argue that the amendments could endanger children by allowing unlicensed caregivers to oversee more kids without proper oversight or safety training. The bill’s lack of enforcement mechanisms for unlicensed providers operating without, or failing, background checks is also a significant concern. Some fear that this deregulation could incentivize providers to operate without licenses, reducing the overall quality and availability of child care in Utah.

“What we did do this year is we’re requiring a background check. That’s never been the case,” Rep. Pulsipher said. “This is brand new in this bill. Already licensed people have to have a background check, and so we’re requiring everyone to have a background check. To me that’s a big plus.”

This legislative effort follows previous attempts to relax regulations on unlicensed child care providers in Utah. In 2021, a bill aiming to increase the limit from four to six children was not passed. The limit was later increased under HB 15 in 2022 despite opposition from child safety groups.

TownLift asked if there was a chance for the safety, CPR, and first aid requirements to be implemented for unlicensed childcare providers moving forward, and Rep. Pulsipher said, “I don’t think we’ll be adding it in this bill. This year. I don’t think I could get it passed if I did. But sometimes we have to eat the apple one bite at a time … even the child tax credit was, it was a dogfight to get that at all last year.”

For Rep. Pulsipher, the reason there’s such a fight to require safety protocols for unlicensed is all because of government oversight.

As HB153 S02 moves forward, having passed out of the House Revenue and Taxation Committee on Feb. 13 with a 6-4 vote, it awaits further deliberation in the full House of Representatives. Advocates are urging Utah residents to contact their representatives to oppose the bill’s deregulatory provisions.