HB 24-1009

House Bill 24-1009, which has been signed into law and is now effective, requires the Colorado Department of Early Childhood to provide information and services in plain language and in the two most commonly spoken languages other than English in Colorado. This includes helping individuals who want to open or operate a licensed child care program by offering resources and support in their preferred language. The bill also establishes a new bilingual licensing unit within the department and allocates funding for its operation, as well as for updating the mobile licensing application. This will help non-English speaking caregivers navigate the licensing process more easily.

Official Summary

The act requires the department of early childhood (department) to provide education and information in plain language and in prevalent languages to help individuals complete the paperwork required to meet child care licensing compliance requirements. Prevalent languages is defined as the 2 most prevalent languages spoken in Colorado. The department is required to provide services in prevalent languages to individuals seeking to open or otherwise participate in the operation of an early childhood program or facility licensed by the department. The act creates the bilingual licensing unit in the department to help the department satisfy its duties to provide education, information, and services in prevalent languages and requires the general assembly to appropriate $235,000 from the general fund to the department for the 2024-25 state fiscal year and for each state fiscal year thereafter to pay the costs of the bilingual licensing unit's activities. The act also requires the general assembly to appropriate $45,000 from the general fund to the department for the 2024-25 state fiscal year to pay costs associated with updating the department's mobile licensing application. APPROVED by Governor June 6, 2024 EFFECTIVE June 6, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

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