Existing law, the California Child Day Care Facilities Act, sets forth requirements for licensure as a day care center.

This bill would require, on and after January 1, 2027, when the state constructs, acquires, or receives as a gift any office building that can accommodate state employees, or when additions, alterations, or repairs are made to any existing state-owned office building, priority to be given to licensed child care providers, as defined, that seek to contract with the Director of General Services (director) to use a part of the space as a day care center, as defined. The bill would subject the use of the space as a day care center to terms and conditions set forth by the director, including as to cost. The bill would prohibit the state from charging rent to licensed child care providers using the space as a day care center, as specified, if the provider is a nonprofit entity and accepts subsidies.

This bill would authorize the director to secure other space not attached to a state-owned office building for use as a day care center if funds are made available for those purposes and the director determines one of certain conditions exist. The bill would also authorize existing state-owned office buildings to be retrofitted to accommodate a day care center at the director’s discretion, to the extent that state funds are made available for those purposes. The bill would set forth priority for enrollment of children in day care centers established pursuant to the bill’s provisions.

This bill would require compliance with local and state safety building codes for day care centers in state-owned office buildings. The bill would exclude from the bill’s provisions office buildings used or owned by the state that provide care or 24-hour residential care for patients, inmates, or wards of the state.

The bill would make related findings and declarations, including findings and declarations related to a gift of public funds.