Legislators may have to make exceptions for rural centers, Chumney said. Expand the state's Early Childhood Education Pilot Program, which provides grant money to develop effective preschool programs for at-risk children. An undetermined amount of funding would be required, Chumney said. Restrict who can drive day care vans and buses. The bill would prohibit anyone convicted in the past five years of vehicular homicide, fleeing the scene of an accident or drunken driving from serving as a day-care driver.
Current law requires only vehicle coverage for centers that transport children.
Improved training is viewed by several legislators as a way to reverse the string of child-safety mishaps. The bill would allow DHS to re-establish its standards committee, which recommends regulations, and give it extra duties.