Oregon lawmakers give Office of Child Care more clout

A bill that has received final legislative approval will give the Oregon Office of Child Care more enforcement tools to ensure the health and safety of children in licensed child care facilities and other settings.

House Bill 2027 – which passed the Senate on a 28-0 vote Wednesday – gives the office more tools to investigate and hold licensed child care providers accountable.

This new authority includes the ability to take evidence, depose individuals, compel appearance of witnesses and production of documents, require answers to interrogatories and inspect the premises when investigating any regulated subsidy facilities, as defined by the Early Learning Division.

“When parents drop their children off at a child care facility regulated by the state, they should be confident their children will be safe and nurtured,” said Sen. Sara Gelser (D-Corvallis), who carried the bill on the Senate floor. “This bill will give the Office of Child Care the tools to gather information, inspect facilities and hold providers accountable for meeting the highest standards for safety and quality care for children.”

Child care facilities can include day nurseries, nursery schools, child care centers, certified or registered family child care homes or similar entities. Child care providers must be licensed, registered or certified with the Office of Child Care within the Early Learning Division of the Oregon Department of Education.

House Bill 2027 now goes to Gov. Kate Brown for her signature.