The committee was placed in a brief recess.

The committee came back to order.

The primary bill sponsors, Representatives Garcia and Sirota, introduced House Bill 25-1011 to the House Health and Human Services Committee. The bill creates new requirements for child care centers owned by institutional investment entities. An institutional investment entity is defined in the bill as an investment company or a venture capital fund that owns at least 20 percent of a child care center and operates and franchises five or more child care centers. The bill requires child care centers owned by an investment entity to post and update child care pricing on their website. An investment entity must provide 60-day notice to employees and families of any changes to employment, enrollment, and eligibility when acquiring a child care center. The Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC) may require an investment entity to annually submit information about the entity’s general financial condition. If the child care center is found to be non-compliant, the CDEC can take further disciplinary action.

The bill sponsors provided a handout to the committee (Attachment B).

The bill sponsors responded to questions from the committee.

Ms. Allison McMurtry, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

Alison May, representing KinderCare Learning Companies, testified in opposition to the bill.

Shannan Meyer, representing Primrose School at Lowry, Primrose School of Parker, Primrose School of Centennial, testified in opposition to the bill.

Ms. Naomi Janowiak, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

The panel responded to questions from the committee.

Laurie Scoggins, representing the Goddard School, testified in opposition to the bill.

Jenna Borkoski, representing Learning Care Group, testified in opposition to the bill.

Stephanie Branscum, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

Mindy Goldstein, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

The panel responded to questions from the committee.

Dawn Alexander, representing Early Childhood Education Association of Colorado, testified in opposition to the bill.

Kendra Dunn, representing Colorado Department of Early Childhood, testified in opposition to the bill.

Mr. Dean Pappous, representing The Gardner School, testified in opposition to the bill.

Kathlyn McHenry, representing Early Care & Education Consortium, testified in opposition to the bill.

Ms. Sara Flater, representing Mother Forward, testified to amend the bill.

Alethea Gomez, representing Colorado Executives Partnering to Invest in Children (EPIC), testified to amend the bill.

The panel responded to questions from the committee.

The panel responded to questions from the committee.

Ms. Hunter Nelson, representing Small Business Majority, testified in support of the bill.

Elliot Haspel, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.

Heather Tritten, representing Colorado Children’s Campaign, testified in support of the bill.

Additional written testimony was submitted to the committee (Attachment C).

The panel responded to questions from the committee.

The bill sponsors provided closing comments on the bill.

Members of the committee provided closing comments on the bill.