Bill > HB1582

This bill addresses the need to facilitate child care services in existing buildings, particularly those owned by churches or other multi-use facilities. The legislature recognizes a shortage of child care services for working people and wants to encourage the use of existing spaces rather than constructing new buildings. Specifically, the bill requires building officials to calculate the occupancy load (the maximum number of people allowed in a space) for child care centers based only on the areas directly used for child care services, not the entire building. This means that if a church or other building wants to use a portion of its space as a child care center, the building code requirements will be more flexible, potentially making it easier and less expensive for organizations to offer child care services. The bill amends existing state regulations to clarify that when determining fire safety and licensing requirements, only the specific child care areas will be considered for occupancy calculations, which could help reduce barriers to establishing child care centers in existing community buildings.

Education

https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1582&Year=2025&Initiative=false