I am strongly opposed to removing the exemptions for short term care situations like after school programs, summer day camps/Bible schools and any facility with drop off childcare while parents are on-site or nearby (e.g., coworking spaces, gyms, etc.)  These short term childcare options allow parents to balance family, work, and health and wellness in a Northern Virginia environment that often times supports very little in these areas. These options have made it possible for parents to find balance and removing them will hurt many working families and the small business owners who have set up business models to meet these families' needs within current regularions.

It does not make sense for these business to have to meet all the licensing requirements of a full-time daycare center and forcing this regulation will mean that many of the options will be eliminated or become cost prohibitive.  Let's use some common sense for which safety regulations are necessary for a few hours of childcare and which are more fitting for all day childcare centers.

In addition, I strongly feel that these changes should require a public hearing and more broudly promoted awareness of what is being proposed. Many parents and businesses are unaware of this proposal which will have significant negative impacts on our daily lives. These changes should not be allowed to happen without more publicly promoted awareness and education efforts on the part of our Virginia agencies.