The Iowa Legislature > Committees & Schedules > Meeting Public Comments Print Icon Print

Meeting Public Comments

Subcommittee meeting and times are as follows:
HSB 8
A bill for an act relating to child care center staff requirements for providing flex care to children up to five years of age.(See HF 382.)
Subcommittee members: Wood-CH, Ehlert, Weldon
Date: Wednesday, January 22, 2025
Time: 8:15 AM - 8:30 AM
Location: RM 103
Names and comments are public records. Remaining information is considered a confidential record.
Comments Submitted:

01-21-2025
Tabitha Simms-Quigley
As a mom, aunt, and community member, I'm strongly against HSB 8. 16 year olds shouldn't be shouldered with the responsibly of unsupervised care of children, even in short time frames. Even the most welltrained 16 year old child working in a caregiving role needs to have help. Knowing how quickly things go from fine to lifethreatening is enough to keep this age out of the workforce, not expanding the workforce. I have heard this is similar to life guarding. With all due respect, this is very different. Life guards are there for life saving, but every pool I've been in requires care givers to be within arms length. A 16 year old child care worker is engaging with children, and also responsible for saving a life. That's too much to do unsupervised. Thank you