HB 1281: Education; require child care learning centers to carry certain amounts of liability insurance coverage and to provide proof of such coverage

Right now, Georgia's Department of Early Care and Learning can only recommend that early care and education programs carry liability insurance; it cannot require it. If a program is told to get coverage and still doesn't have it, current law requires the program to post a notice, tell parents in writing, and keep signed acknowledgments on file, with a penalty that currently 'may' apply. This bill tightens that penalty so the fine (up to $1,000 per infraction) definitely applies when a program skips the notice, parent notification, or recordkeeping steps. More significantly, it adds a brand new requirement specifically for child care learning centers: they must carry liability insurance of at least $50,000 per person and $1 million per occurrence, bought from an insurer licensed in Georgia. Centers that go without this coverage face a $1,000 fine for every day they operate uninsured, and must show proof of coverage, including insurer name and policy number, to the state and to parents.

• Changes the penalty for early care programs that fail to post insurance notices or keep parent acknowledgments from a discretionary fine ('may' apply) to a mandatory fine of up to $1,000 per infraction.
• Creates a new legal requirement that child care learning centers actually carry liability insurance, rather than just being encouraged to.
• Sets a minimum coverage amount of $50,000 per person and $1 million per occurrence, purchased from an insurer authorized to do business in Georgia.
• Imposes a civil fine of $1,000 for each day a child care learning center operates without the required insurance coverage.
• Requires centers to provide proof of coverage, including the insurer's name and policy number, to the Department of Early Care and Learning and to parents, and to keep that proof on site.

Owners and operators of Georgia child care learning centers, who must buy insurance and pay fines if they don't; parents and guardians of children in these centers, who gain a right to see proof of coverage; and the Department of Early Care and Learning, which enforces the new rules.

Families placing children in care would gain a guaranteed financial backstop if something goes wrong at a center, since coverage would no longer be optional. Center owners would face new insurance costs and daily fines for noncompliance, changing the financial calculus of running a child care learning center in Georgia.

• Section 1 amends O.C.G.A. § 20-1A-4 so that failing to post the insurance notice, notify parents in writing, or keep signed acknowledgments 'shall' (not 'may') subject the owner to a civil fine not to exceed $1,000 per infraction.
• Section 2 adds a new subsection (w) to O.C.G.A. § 20-1A-10 requiring every child care learning center to carry liability insurance of at least $50,000 per person and $1 million per occurrence from a Georgia-authorized insurer.
• Section 2 sets a $1,000 per day civil fine for a child care learning center that operates without the required insurance coverage.
• Section 2 requires centers to provide proof of coverage, including insurer name and policy number, to the department and to clients, and to keep that proof available on site.
• Section 3 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-02-17House Second Readers (House)
2. 2026-02-12House First Readers (House)
3. 2026-02-11House Hopper (House)

• Martin Momtahan (R, HD-017)Primary sponsor
• Leesa Hagan (R, HD-156)
• Danny Mathis (R, HD-133)
• Joseph Gullett (R, HD-019)
• Johnny Chastain (R, HD-007)
• Angie O'Steen (R, HD-169)

• child care regulation
• liability insurance
• early childhood education
• consumer protection
• civil penalties