1. AB 1897 (Mullin) - Child Care Facility License
Option
Request for Letters of Support and Hearing
Testimony
Dear AB 1897 Stakeholders,
Thank you so much for your support last year of AB 762, integrated childcare
license, toddler component option (extension from 30 to 36 months). As you may
know, we are working again this year in support of AB 1897 Child Care Facility License
Option - Birth through Entering First Grade and we need your support. The Committee
on Human Services, chaired by Assembly Member Susan Bonilla, will be hearing AB
1897 on March 29th at 1:30pm. We need letters of support from you as soon as
possible (see Sample Letter of Support below).
As you are aware, AB 1897 would require the California Department of Social
Services, Community Care Licensing (CDSS-CCL) to, in consultation with community
stakeholders, adopt regulations on or before January 1, 2018, to develop and
implement a birth to entering first grade facility license option for child care centers.
The bill would require the regulations to include age-appropriate transition times, as
specified, that the single integrated license option must list the age groups of children
being served at the child care center, and a requirement that all other licensing
regulations shall also apply to a birth to entering first grade facility license opt ion.
http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201520160AB1897
We respectfully request the letters of support be directed to the Assembly
Committee on Human Services, attention Assembly Member Susan Bonilla in
anticipation of the hearing on March 29th. Please send your letters to Miriam Farouk
at miriam.farouk@asm.ca.gov in Assembly Member Kevin Mullin's office and she will
make sure all of the committee members receive a copy. We also request that you cc
Wendi Mahaney-Gurahoo at wendi@caheadstart.org on these communications.
Committee on Human Services Members:
Susan A. Bonilla (Chair) (D)
Shannon L. Grove (Vice-Chair) (R)
Ian C. Calderon (D)
Patty Lopez (D)
Brian Maienschein (R)
Mark Stone (D)
Tony Thurmond (D)
We sincerely thank you for your assistance on AB 1897, and look forward to working
with you towards this broader goal of a fully integrated child care facility license
option. If you can attend the Hearing on March 29th at 1:30pm, please contact
Wendi Mahaney-Gurahoo as soon as possible as she will coordinate our hearing
efforts. Also, if you would like to further discuss AB 1897 with Wendi or have her
speak to your group, please contact her either by phone (949) 244-4812 or by email

2. wendi@caheadstart.org to set up a time to meet.
Our very best,
The CHSA Team
(Date):
The Honorable Susan Bonilla
Assembly Human Services Committee, Chair
1020 N St., Room 124
Sacramento, CA 95814
Re: Support for AB 1897 (Mullin) - Integrated Child Care Facility License
Option
Dear Assemblymember Chu,
(Agency/Individual) is pleased to support AB 1897 to create an option for an
Integrated Child Care Center License for child care centers serving children from birth
through entering first grade. The purpose of AB 1897 is to create an Integrated
Childcare Facility License that will be an additional option that providers can choose
when applying for or renewing their facility license. A single license option will reduce
the administrative burden on severely underfunded childcare centers and the
California Department of Social Services, Community Care Licensing (CDSS-CCL) so
that they both can focus on providing a safe and healthy environment for California's
children.
California is one of only two states in the country which employ a separate infant -
toddler license. Other states employ a single license for early childhood centers,
mandating developmentally appropriate standards based on the age of the children
served. Even in California, Family Child Care providers are not subject to the dual-
license requirement: only private fee, state and federally funded center-based
programs. Developmentally, one of the most important factors in a young child's
social-emotional growth is continuity of relationships. Unfortunately, siloed licenses
that ignore transitional considerations force California providers to arbitrarily move
children out of one classroom and into another based on birthdates, to the exclusion
of other factors.
AB 1897 would require the CDSS-CCL to, in consultation with community
stakeholders, adopt regulations on or before January 1, 2018, to develop and
implement a birth to entering first grade license option for child care centers. The bill
would require the regulations to include age-appropriate transition times, as specified,
a requirement that a single integrated license option list the age groups of children
being served at the child care center, and a requirement that all other licensing
regulations that apply to a child care center shall also apply to a birth to entering first
grade facility license option.
On behalf of the children, families, and child care providers in California, we thank you
for your leadership in supporting AB 1897 and look forward to working with you and
other supporters of this important legislation to ensure passage this year.

3. Sincerely,
(Agency/Individual Name and Contact Information)