STATEHOUSE (April 21, 2025) – State Rep. Peggy Mayfield (R-Martinsville) recently joined the General Assembly in supporting legislation aimed at easing child care licensing restrictions to help expand access for families throughout the state.
House Enrolled Act 1253 is geared toward broadening access to child care by easing regulations on services offered through schools and other educational institutions. Mayfield said this bill would allow school-based child care programs to serve children from across the entire school corporation, rather than limiting care to just the children of students or staff.
Mayfield said this bill seeks to expand eligibility for child care vouchers by allowing Hoosier families to use waivers for a longer duration. The legislation would extend the validity period from two years to three years.
"Many families in our communities face challenges finding affordable and reliable child care," Mayfield said. ""This legislation would ease unnecessary restrictions so more providers can open their doors and serve Hoosier families."
This legislation would also enable owners of multi-site child care centers to operate under a single license rather than requiring individual licenses for each facility. Mayfield said that this would streamline the process with one application, a single license fee and a more efficient, transparent application process. Child care center owners would gain greater flexibility when expanding to new locations, with each facility still subject to individual inspections to ensure compliance with health and safety standards.
Mayfield said this bill is intended to minimize administrative burdens while improving the efficiency of the licensing process, ultimately lowering child care costs for Hoosier families. The bill also increases the ratio of staff to children while maintaining safety.
House Enrolled Act 1253 passed the House and Senate and now heads to the governor for consideration as a new law. For more information, or to watch session and committee meetings live, visit iga.in.gov.
-30-
State Rep. Peggy Mayfield (R-Martinsville) represents House District 60,
which includes portions of Johnson, Morgan and Monroe counties.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
