HB1155

House Bill 1155 amends the Arkansas Childcare Facility Licensing Act to require childcare facilities to comply with local zoning and land use regulations as a condition of state licensure. The bill explicitly mandates that local governing authorities treat childcare family homes as residential property for the purposes of zoning, land use, fire safety, sanitation, and building codes. Furthermore, it prohibits local authorities from imposing additional regulations on childcare family homes that are not also applied to other residential properties, nor can they enforce requirements stricter than those found in the Arkansas Fire Prevention Code. The bill does, however, allow local authorities to manage traffic and parking concerns on a case-by-case basis. Finally, it authorizes the Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education to establish rules regarding fire safety in consultation with various state departments and professional associations.