2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE
LRB-3779/1
MDE:skw
June 27, 2025 - Introduced by Senators Quinn and Tomczyk, cosponsored by Representatives Goeben, Tucker, Spiros, Kreibich, Brooks, O'Connor, Gustafson, Gundrum, Duchow, Dittrich, Knodl, Nedweski, Murphy, Hurd, Novak, Green, Behnke, B. Jacobson, Kaufert and Allen. Referred to Committee on Mental Health, Substance Abuse Prevention, Children and Families.
SB363,1,2
1An Act to amend 48.65 (1); to create 48.651 (4) of the statutes; relating to:
2allowing certified child care operators to provide care to up to six children. Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Under current law, a person must obtain a license from the Department of Children and Families in order to, for compensation including payments under Wisconsin Shares, provide care and supervision for four or more children under the age of seven for less than 24 hours a day. A person who provides care for fewer than four children under the age of seven for less than 24 hours a day may receive Wisconsin Shares payments if the person is certified by DCF. Under current DCF rules, a person certified by DCF, called a certified child care operator, may care for up to three children who are unrelated to the operator and up to six children in total.
Under this bill, certified child care operators may care for up to six children under the age of seven in total, regardless of whether the children are related to the operator.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
SB363,13Section 1. 48.65 (1) of the statutes is amended to read: SB363,2,9
148.65 (1) No Except as provided under s. 48.651 (4), no person may for 2compensation provide care and supervision for 4 or more children under the age of 37 for less than 24 hours a day unless that person obtains a license to operate a child 4care center from the department. To obtain a license under this subsection to 5operate a child care center, a person must meet the minimum requirements for a 6license established by the department under s. 48.67, meet the requirements 7specified in s. 48.686, and pay the license fee under sub. (3). A license issued under 8this subsection is valid until revoked or suspended, but shall be reviewed every 2 9years as provided in s. 48.66 (5). SB363,210Section 2. 48.651 (4) of the statutes is created to read: SB363,2,131148.651 (4) (a) Except as provided in pars. (b) and (c), a person certified under 12this section may care for up to 6 children under the age of 7, regardless of whether 13the children are related to the provider. SB363,2,1514(b) If the person is caring for 3 children under the age of 2, the person may 15care for up to 5 children in total. SB363,2,1716(c) If the person is caring for 4 children under the age of 2, the person may 17care for up to 4 children in total.
