The House Health & Welfare Committee has voted to delay a decision on SB 1112, the day-care licensing bill, after an hours-long hearing at which testimony was overwhelmingly in favor of the bill. "Regulation by itself won't solve these problems," said Rep. Steven Thayn, R-Emmett. "Regulation has a place, but if we don't increase the role of the parents in the process, we're not going to get to the heart of it." Plus, he said, "There is going to be a cost factor to this." Rep. Lynn Luker, R-Boise, said, "It is imposing what I feel is too much regulation from the state down." But both said they saw merit in requiring criminal background checks, which Idaho doesn't now require for small day-care operators. Rep. Janice McGeachin, R-Idaho Falls, proposed applying the bill to day-cares with seven or more unrelated children, rather than four or more. Thayn said he'd also like to propose other amendments to the bill. But a motion to send the bill to the House's amending order died, 7-9. A motion to pass it as-is died, 4-12. The motion to hold the bill at the call of the chair then passed on a voice vote.

---

---