House Committee advances Fiona McFarland's child care access proposal

Bill aims to expand before- and after-school child care, shield in-home providers from insurance cancellations, and create new state-supported early learning fund

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

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A proposal by Sarasota Republican Rep. Fiona McFarland to expand before- and after-school child care access, shield in-home providers from insurance cancellations, and create a new state-supported early learning fund cleared its latest House Committee. The bill would revise statutory definitions, adjust licensing standards for family and large family child care homes, and address insurance protections for in-home providers. It also creates the 'Brighter Futures Program' to help fund early learning and child care needs statewide.

Why it matters

The bill is meant to ease the financial strain facing Florida families, as current law creates regulatory hurdles for childcare once the instructional day ends. Expanding access to wraparound services for the state's youngest public school students could benefit over 900 pre-K students in Leon County alone, particularly in rural areas where options are limited.

The details

HB 765 aims to expand access to early learning, ease regulatory burdens on providers, and create new funding streams to help families struggling with rising child care costs. It revises statutory definitions, adjusts licensing standards for family and large family child care homes, and addresses insurance protections for in-home providers. The bill also creates the 'Brighter Futures Program' to help fund early learning and child care needs statewide.

  • The House Budget Committee discussed the bill on Monday, February 17, 2026.
  • If approved by the Legislature and signed by the Governor, the bill would become law on July 1.

The players

Fiona McFarland

Sarasota Republican Representative who proposed the bill to expand child care access and create new funding.

Brooke Brunner

Director of early learning for Leon County Schools, who testified that current law creates a regulatory hurdle for childcare once the instructional day ends.

Chrissy Tillman

A foster parent from rural Leon County, who testified that extended care is not available to pre-K students at her daughter's elementary school, forcing her to restructure her work schedule.

Alexis Calatayud

Miami Republican Senator who filed a similar bill, SB 1690, which has cleared two of three Senate Committee stops.

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What they’re saying

“Until your child is old enough to go to a VPK or Kindergarten program you have to pay out of pocket. If you are a working family, usually that means, depending on your income, you have to stay home because child care tuition is $16,000 a year.”

— Fiona McFarland, Representative (floridapolitics.com)

“Under current law, public schools may serve pre-K students during the instructional day under a statutory exemption. However, when the instructional day ends, a DCF child care license is required to continue serving those same students in the same building. The children do not change, the facility does not change, the staff do not change. The safety requirements do not change. Only the regulatory designation changes.”

— Brooke Brunner, Director of early learning, Leon County Schools (floridapolitics.com)

“In Woodville we have one daycare, it does not provide transportation and has limited availability. The nearest alternatives are 30 minutes away in Tallahassee. Families in places like Fort Braden, Chipley, Live Oak and countless other rural communities face the same impossible situation.”

— Chrissy Tillman, Foster parent, Leon County (floridapolitics.com)

What’s next

The Committee advanced the bill to its final stop at the Health & Human Services Committee. A similar bill, SB 1690, was filed by Miami Republican Alexis Calatayud and has cleared two of three Senate Committee stops. If approved by the Legislature and signed by the Governor, the bill would become law on July 1.

The takeaway

This bill aims to address the significant financial and regulatory barriers that Florida families face in accessing affordable and accessible child care, particularly in rural areas. By expanding before- and after-school options, shielding in-home providers from insurance issues, and creating new funding streams, the proposal seeks to ease the strain on working families and ensure more children have access to early learning opportunities.