Oppose Childcare
Workforce Standards Board
Updated 02/18/2026
Embedded Files
Join Our 2026 Waitlist Today
More Bureaucracy Won’t Fix Child Care — Investment Will
More Bureaucracy Won’t Fix Child Care — Investment Will
No Clear Funding Plan: This bill would create a Childcare Workforce Standards Board with no clear funding plan and is scheduled to be heard in committee on Friday, February 20.
Redundant: 2SHB 1128 proposes the creation of a Childcare Workforce Standards Board. This new board would add another layer of regulation on top of the existing oversight already by multiple organizations Statewide including:
Department of Labor & Industries (L&I): Enforces wage and hour laws, workplace safety, and labor protections across all industries, including child care.
DCYF Child Care Licensing Regulations: Sets and enforces standards for safe, high-quality care, including staff-to-child ratios, qualifications, and provider compliance.
DCYF Early Learning Advisory Council & Provider Supports: Provides guidance, technical assistance, and policy recommendations for child care providers, supporting workforce development without creating a new bureaucracy.
HB 1648 Staff Qualifications Workgroup: Develops pathways for staff to meet licensing requirements while maintaining professional standards.
State Wage/Compensation Design Team: Reviews and recommends compensation strategies for child care staff, focused on equity, sustainability, and retention.
City and County Oversight: Local jurisdictions already regulate zoning, permitting, health and safety requirements, and in some cases wage standards—adding another layer of workforce oversight and compliance for providers.
Bureaucratic Confusion: When providers must answer to multiple governing bodies, administrative complexity grows. Expanding oversight further diverts time and resources from children and classrooms — and increases operational costs that impact tuition.
Childcare Cuts: At a time when childcare providers are struggling with rising costs, staffing shortages, and limited resources, duplicative regulation does not solve the core issue facing our industry: the lack of sustainable funding. Childcare Subsidy currently pays only 85% of the Market Value, with more cuts to the WCCC Subsidy in the works.
We believe efforts should focus on meaningful investment and practical solutions that strengthen childcare access and affordability — not additional bureaucracy.
We believe efforts should focus on meaningful investment and practical solutions that strengthen childcare access and affordability — not additional bureaucracy.
How You Can Help
How You Can Help
We urge you to contact members of the Senate Labor & Commerce Committee using the email list and copy/paste email below to express your opposition to 2SHB 1128. You may use the message above or share your own perspective about how this bill would impact your program, staff, and families.
You can also formally register your opposition (CON) here:
👉 https://app.leg.wa.gov/csi/Testifier/Add?chamber=Senate&mId=33948&aId=170641&caId=28311&tId=3Your voice matters. Please take a moment today to stand up for childcare providers and the families we serve.
Thank you for advocating for sustainable child care funding over added bureaucracy.
Thank you for advocating for sustainable child care funding over added bureaucracy.
Email List, Senate Labor and Commerce Committee:
CC:
Email: Copy/Paste
Subject: Please Vote NO on 2SHB 1128 — Protect Child Care Access for Families
Hello,
I am writing as a community member to respectfully urge you to vote NO on SHB 1128 when it is heard in the Labor & Commerce Committee on February 20.
While this bill is described as support for the child care workforce, it would create a new regulatory board on top of the oversight that already exists through DCYF, Labor & Industries, and more regulatory bodies. Adding another layer of regulation does not solve the real problem facing child care in Washington — a lack of sustainable funding.
Child care providers are already operating on very thin margins. Families are struggling with affordability, and subsidy reimbursements do not reflect the true cost of care. Creating new wage, training, and employment standards without stable, long-term funding risks becoming an unfunded mandate.
The likely outcome is fewer child care slots, longer waitlists, and potential program closures — making it even harder for working families to access reliable care.
Washington does not lack regulation — it lacks meaningful investment in child care.
If the Legislature wants to support families and the workforce, the solution is to stabilize funding and expand access to care, not add additional bureaucracy.
Please vote NO on 2SHB 1128.
Thank you for your time and for your service to Washington families.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[City]
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse