Engrossed House Bill 2317 amends RCW 43.216.010 to revise and expand the statutory definitions and program criteria used for licensing and oversight of early learning and child care programs. The bill, sponsored by Representatives Eslick and others, passed the House on February 11, 2026 and the Senate on March 4, 2026. The amendment updates who and what counts as an “agency,” defines types of programs (for example child day care centers, family day care providers, part‑day, full‑day, and extended‑day programs), and adds or clarifies terms used in licensing and background review. The changes add and refine many specific definitions and requirements: a family home provider limit of not more than 12 children (with cited exceptions); a nongovernmental private‑public partnership definition requiring the ability to raise at least $5,000,000; an “outdoor nature‑based child care” definition requiring at least four hours per day or 50 percent of program hours outdoors; minimum hours for part‑day, full‑day, and extended‑day programs; definitions of conviction and nonconviction information (including arrests and founded child abuse or neglect allegations under chapter 26.44 RCW); “probationary license,” “inspection report” exclusions, low‑income provider and neighborhood thresholds; family resource center duties including having family advocates and assisting families to set goals and written plans; and examples of adverse agency action and enforcement actions (denial, suspension, revocation, modification, nonrenewal, and assessment of civil monetary penalties). Legally, the bill modifies existing law by changing and adding statutory definitions and procedural terminology used in licensing and enforcement; it does not, in the extracted text, create a new crime or expressly change penalty amounts. The definition of “negative action” is incomplete in the provided text, and other possible changes in the remainder of the amendment or the content of the cross‑referenced statutes are not included here.

If enacted, the changes mainly clarify what counts as different types of early learning programs and add specific operating rules that providers must meet: family home providers are capped at 12 children (with some exceptions), part-day, full-day, and extended-day programs have set minimum hours and days, outdoor nature-based programs must deliver a substantial portion of time outdoors, and nonprofit private-public partnerships must show an ability to raise at least $5 million. Practically, child care centers, family providers, outdoor programs, and nonprofits will likely need to adjust schedules, staffing, fundraising plans, and screening processes to meet these thresholds, which could raise operating costs and administrative work and affect which programs qualify for certain roles or contracts. The department and licensing bodies will have clearer grounds for enforcement and the background check rules expand what counts as disqualifying information to include arrests and founded abuse allegations, increasing the risk that applicants or employees are screened out and raising compliance and legal exposure for providers. Family resource centers will need one or more family advocates and must help families develop written plans on request, creating a likely need for new staff or duties. The provided text is incomplete on the full definition of “negative action” and other potential amendments, so some implementation details and effects remain uncertain.