Outcry From Child Care Community Sinks State's Attempt to Overhaul Licensing Rules

The state’s attempt to overhaul its childcare rules has been stalled yet again, after childcare providers across the state mobilized against the proposed changes.

The Joint Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules sent the Department of Health and Human Services back to the drawing board after a hearing on the issue Thursday morning.

Thursday's vote came two months after Gov. Chris Sununu intervened to delay an earlier decision on the matter, citing public outcry. An earlier draft of the rules elicited hundreds of pages of public comments, many from daycare owners concerned that the new requirements would make it hard for them to stay in business.

At Thursday's hearing, DHHS officials cited two main reasons for updating the rules: one, federal grant requirements; and two, the fact that the rules haven’t been significantly changed since 2008.

Read more: http://nhpr.org/post/outcry-child-care-community-sinks-states-attempt-overhaul-licensing-rules