Child daycare: application: fees.

Assembly Member Alanis proposes modernizing California's child daycare licensing procedures through legislation that would require the Department of Social Services to accept electronic applications and credit card payments by January 2028. The measure maintains existing application options while expanding payment methods beyond the current system of business and personal checks.

The bill establishes a comprehensive fee structure based on facility type and capacity, with initial application fees ranging from $73 for small family daycare homes to $2,420 for large daycare centers. Additional administrative fees address specific scenarios, including facility relocations (50% of application fee), capacity changes ($25), and late payments (50% surcharge on annual fees). The legislation prohibits local jurisdictions from imposing additional business licenses, fees, or taxes on small family daycare homes.

Revenue generated from these fees would fund health and safety monitoring, licensing compliance activities, and administrative operations. The Department must analyze fee amounts every five years and obtain approval from the Department of Finance and legislative budget committees before utilizing collected funds. Failure to pay required fees and penalties constitutes grounds for license denial or forfeiture under the proposed framework.