In February 2023, the Oregon State Legislature passed SB 599, requiring landlords to allow child care providers to operate in rental properties if tenants meet certain requirements. The bill drew bipartisan support and passed by a large margin. Legislators aimed to ameliorate the state’s shortage of child care options, particularly in rural areas. The law went into effect on January 1, 2024.
To operate in a rental property, tenants must be registered child care providers with the state. Tenants must also tell the landlord that they plan to use the rental unit for child care services.
SB 599 also restricts landlords from raising rent, terminating a tenancy, or taking other retaliatory actions against tenants who choose to operate a family child care program in their rental unit.
Sources:
Botkin, B. (2023, February 15). Senate passes bill that’s expected to expand child care options in the state. Oregon Capital Chronicle.
S.B. 599, 82nd Oregon Legislative Assembly. (2023).
Connections to Key Early Learning Study at Harvard (ELS@H) Findings:
High-quality, affordable early education and care supports children’s healthy development and allows families to work, engage in their own educational pursuits, and/or participate in other aspects of community life. To support children and families in these instrumental ways, research suggests there is a need to expand the availability of early education opportunities across the mixed-delivery system.
Findings from the Early Learning Study at Harvard (ELS@H) show:
- Families rely on a range of formal (e.g., Head Start, center-based care, public pre-K) and more informal (e.g., home-based, relative care) early education settings; when choosing a setting for their child, families balance many logistical constraints and personal preferences.
- But for many families – and especially low- and middle-income families – early education choices remain tightly constrained due to issues of affordability and supply.