SB26-020 Child Care Provider Licensing & Quality Digital File System
Summary
Colorado SB26-020 proposes requiring the Department of Early Childhood to expand a digital provider file system integrating professional development, background checks, and policy documents. The bill mandates phasing out third-party inspections by July 1, 2026, with standardized training protocols. It creates provisional license provisions (up to 9 months) for facilities awaiting local zoning resolution and establishes a child care licensure and quality task force to report recommendations by January 1, 2027.
What changed
SB26-020 introduces multiple requirements for Colorado's child care licensing system. The bill requires the Department of Early Childhood to expand a digital file system housing professional development records, background checks, and policy documents. The department must begin phasing out third-party inspectors by July 1, 2026, and establish standardized training for personnel and contractors. The bill permits provisional licenses for facilities awaiting local zoning resolution and requires local authorities to conclude approval processes within 9 months.
Child care providers should monitor this bill as it advances through the legislature. If enacted, operators may see changes to inspection processes and potential new provisional license options. Local governing authorities will face new timelines for processing child care facility approvals. The task force recommendations due January 1, 2027, may signal further changes to the licensure system.
What to do next
- Monitor SB26-020 as it progresses through the Colorado legislature
- Prepare for transition from third-party to department-conducted inspections by July 1, 2026
- Review provisional license provisions if operating in jurisdictions with zoning disputes
Archived snapshot
Apr 11, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
SB26-020
Child Care Provider Licensing & Quality
| Type | Bill |
|---|---|
| Session | 2026 Regular Session |
| Subjects | Children & Domestic Matters Education & School Finance (Pre & K-12) |
Concerning measures related to child care provider licensing, and, in connection therewith, increasing reliance on trained personnel from the department of early childhood, imposing certain requirements in connection with regulation by local governing authorities, and creating a task force.
Recent Bill (PDF) Recent Fiscal Note (PDF) Bill Summary:
The bill requires the department of early childhood (department) to make reasonable efforts to expand and standardize the use of a digital data platform as a centralized digital file system for certain child care provider information (digital provider file system). The digital provider file system must integrate the professional development information system currently administered by the department and must house records related to staff background checks and child care provider policy documents, consistent with applicable privacy protections.
Current law permits the department to authorize or contract with a third party to investigate and inspect a facility applying for certain types of child care licenses. The bill requires the department, on or before July 1, 2026, to begin phasing out its reliance on third parties where feasible and to prioritize the use of department personnel to conduct the investigations and inspections instead. The department shall establish standardized training, protocols, and supervision for department personnel and authorized or contracted third parties.
The bill permits the department to grant a provisional license for up to 9 months to a child care facility that has satisfied all state-level licensing standards pending resolution of a delay or dispute with a statutory or home rule city, town, city and county, or county where the facility is situated (local governing authority) that prevents compliance with applicable zoning and land use development regulations. A local governing authority that imposes requirements related to the inspection, permitting, licensing, or approval of a child care center or family child care home beyond the state-level licensing standards (local approval process) shall prioritize provisionally licensed child care facilities so that the local approval process concludes within 9 months, and limit, or, in certain cases, provide exemptions from, associated fees.
The bill creates the child care licensure and quality task force (task force) to study and report on recommendations for a streamlined and easy-to-use child care licensure and quality system in the state (study). The task force shall report on its findings and recommendations before January 1, 2027, to the education committees of the house of representatives and the senate, the governor, and the department. The performance of the study is dependent upon the task force's receipt of sufficient gifts, grants, and donations.
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
Prime Sponsors
Scott Bright
Senator
Matt Ball
Representative
Emily Sirota
Representative
Ryan Gonzalez
Committees
Senate
Share:
If you require reasonable accessibility accommodation to access this content, please email accessibility@coleg.gov.
Status
Under Consideration
Introduced
Under Consideration
Upcoming Schedule
1 meeting
Apr 13
Senate Third Reading of Bills - Final Passage - Consent Calendar
10:00 AM Senate Chamber
Related Documents & Information
| Date | Version | Documents |
|---|---|---|
| 04/10/2026 | Engrossed | |
| 01/14/2026 | Introduced |
| Date | Version | Documents |
|---|---|---|
| 02/26/2026 | PA1 |
| Date | Version | Documents |
|---|---|---|
| 04/02/2026 | First Revised Fiscal Note | |
| 02/25/2026 | Fiscal Note Memorandum | |
| 01/29/2026 | Initial Fiscal Note |
| Date | Version | Documents |
|---|---|---|
| 04/07/2026 | SA1 |
| Activity | Vote | Documents |
|---|---|---|
| Refer Senate Bill 26-020 to the Committee of the Whole and with a recommendation that it be placed on the consent calendar. | The motion passed on a vote of 7-0. | Vote summary |
| Hearing Summary | Committee Report: PDF | |
| Activity | Vote | Documents |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Adopt amendment L.001 | The motion passed without objection. | Vote summary |
| Adopt amendment L.003 | The motion passed without objection. | Vote summary |
| Adopt amendment L.004 | The motion passed without objection. | Vote summary |
| Adopt amendment L.005 | The motion passed without objection. | Vote summary |
| Adopt amendment L.006 | The motion passed without objection. | Vote summary |
| Adopt amendment L.007 | The motion passed without objection. | Vote summary |
| Refer Senate Bill 26-020, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations. | The motion passed on a vote of 6-0. | Vote summary |
| Hearing Summary | Committee Report: PDF | |
| Date | Amendment Number | Committee/ Floor Hearing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 02/25/2026 | L.007 | SEN Education |
| 02/25/2026 | L.006 | SEN Education |
| 02/25/2026 | L.005 | SEN Education |
| 02/25/2026 | L.004 | SEN Education |
| 02/25/2026 | L.003 | SEN Education |
| 02/25/2026 | L.001 | SEN Education |
- Amendments passed in committee are not incorporated into the measure unless adopted by the full House or Senate.
** The status of Second Reading amendments may be subsequently affected by the adoption of an amendment to the Committee of the Whole Report. Refer to the House or Senate Journal for additional information.
| Date | Location | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 04/10/2026 | Senate | Senate Second Reading Passed - No Amendments |
| 04/10/2026 | Senate | Senate Second Reading Special Order - Passed - No Amendments |
| 04/10/2026 | Senate | Senate Committee on Appropriations Refer Unamended - Consent Calendar to Senate Committee of the Whole |
| 02/25/2026 | Senate | Senate Committee on Education Refer Amended to Appropriations |
| 01/14/2026 | Senate | Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Education |
Prime Sponsor
Rep. R. Gonzalez | Rep. E. Sirota
Sponsor
(None) Co-Sponsor
(None)
Quick Links
Named provisions
Related changes
Get daily alerts for CO Legislature Bill Search
Daily digest delivered to your inbox.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime.
Source
About this page
Every important government, regulator, and court update from around the world. One place. Real-time. Free. Our mission
Source document text, dates, docket IDs, and authority are extracted directly from CO Legislature.
The summary, classification, recommended actions, deadlines, and penalty information are AI-generated from the original text and may contain errors. Always verify against the source document.
Classification
Who this affects
Taxonomy
Browse Categories
Get alerts for this source
We'll email you when CO Legislature Bill Search publishes new changes.
Subscribed!
Optional. Filters your digest to exactly the updates that matter to you.