Meeting Public Comments

Jeannine Laughlin

Please vote NO on HSB 8. Iowa has come so far in legislation for the early childhood education and protecting the health, education and well being of the children in early childhood programs. We want to make sure we are providing high quality child care to stimulate brain development and have the safest environments for our youngest children. Child care is not babysitting. When we start to allow teenagers to care and educate our young children, we are subjecting the early childhood profession to the image of babysitters. It is also of great concern that early childhood programs using underage "children" as caregivers are not able to sustain the necessary insurance they need to run their businesses. This legislation would also place undue liability on young aspiring child care professionals.

Jessi Balk

As a mother and a former childcare provider, I have firsthand experience in nurturing and educating young children, particularly those aged zero to twelve. My time in this role has taught me that effective early childhood education requires not only a foundational understanding of child development but also a deep awareness of the emotional and mental health challenges that young children can face. For instance, children experiencing separation anxiety or other mental health crises need caregivers who are equipped with the knowledge and skills to support them through these difficult moments.The proposed legislation, HSB 8, would impose significant liabilities on aspiring childcare professionals, which could deter passionate individuals from entering the field. This would exacerbate the existing shortage of qualified caregivers and make it increasingly difficult for childcare centers to obtain insurance coverage. Ultimately, this would jeopardize the quality of care that our youngest children receive, as they are in critical stages of development during these formative years.It is essential that we prioritize the wellbeing and education of our children by supporting policies that enhance, rather than hinder, the quality of childcare services in Iowa.

Paige Chickering [Save the Children Action Network]

I strongly urge this committee to vote NO on HSB 8. I am grateful that Governor Reynolds has elevated the issue of child care this year and that the Iowa legislature is seriously considering the challenges that this industry faces in our state. However detracting from the quality of care we provide for our youngest learners seems like a poor solution to the problems we face. After discussing this proposed legislation with many child care center directors it is clear that this legislation will make their jobs harder not easier. Canters that have young teenagers working in them want to encourage participation in the child care workforce which is already a huge challenge for this industry that greatly impacts availability of child care slots. If a problem were to rapidly arise, as they often do with young children, while a 16 year old was watching up to 4 infants with no supervision it could be catastrophic to that youth's future. Furthermore centers have concerns over their how this would impact their insurance that have yet to be addressed and parents have shared concerns for the safety of their young children. This bill could have far reaching negative impacts on our child care system. I urge you to consider the concerns of your constituents in this profession before moving this legislation forward. Thank you.