HB1281: HB1281 Education; require child care learning centers to carry certain amounts of liability insurance coverage and to provide proof of such coverage

Right now Georgia law only requires the Department of Early Care and Learning to recommend that licensed early care programs carry liability insurance; if a program declines, it must post a notice and get signed acknowledgments from parents. This bill leaves that recommendation system in place for early care programs generally but adds a separate, mandatory rule specifically for child care learning centers. Under the new rule, every child care learning center would have to buy liability insurance from an insurer licensed in Georgia, with coverage of at least $50,000 per person and $1 million per occurrence. A center that fails to carry this coverage would face a civil fine of $1,000 for each day it operates without it. Centers would also have to give proof of coverage, including the insurer's name and policy number, to the Department of Early Care and Learning and to every client, and keep that proof available on site. The bill does not include a stated effective date beyond the standard process, and it repeals any conflicting laws.

• Adds a new requirement in O.C.G.A. § 20-1A-10 that every child care learning center carry liability insurance with minimum limits of $50,000 per person and $1 million per occurrence.
• Imposes a civil fine of $1,000 per day on a child care learning center's owner for operating without the required insurance coverage.
• Requires centers to give proof of coverage, including the insurer's name and policy number, to the Department of Early Care and Learning and to each client.
• Requires centers to keep that proof of coverage available on site at all times.
• Keeps in place the existing system in O.C.G.A. § 20-1A-4 where the department recommends (rather than requires) liability insurance for other licensed early care programs, with notice and fine provisions for those that decline coverage.

Child care learning centers and their owners, who must buy and prove insurance coverage or face daily fines; parents and guardians who use these centers, who would receive proof of coverage; and the Department of Early Care and Learning, which enforces the requirement and collects proof of coverage.

Families sending children to a covered center would have documented proof that the center carries insurance to pay for injuries or losses, something not currently guaranteed. Centers would face new insurance costs and daily fines of $1,000 if they operate without the required coverage.

• Section 1 revises O.C.G.A. § 20-1A-4(9), keeping the department's power to recommend liability insurance to early care programs generally, with existing notice-to-parents and up to $1,000 per infraction fine rules for programs that decline.
• Section 2 adds 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 an insurer licensed in Georgia.
• Section 2 sets a civil fine of $1,000 per day for a child care learning center that operates without the required coverage.
• Section 2 requires centers to provide proof of coverage, including insurer name and policy number, to the department and to each client, 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 education
• consumer protection