Sen. Burgin files bill in North Carolina Senate to reform child care regulations

A new bill filed by State Sen. Jim Burgin seeks to enhance child care services in North Carolina by introducing regulatory reforms and increased flexibility for providers, according to the North Carolina State Senate.

The bill, filed as SB 528 on March 25 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Child Care Regulatory Reforms & Flexibilities.’

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill introduces a series of regulatory reforms and flexibilities to improve child care in North Carolina, specifically focusing on qualifications and rating systems for teachers and child care centers. It allows work experience to substitute for formal credentials for lead teachers and administrators and introduces increased maximum group sizes for toddlers under enhanced requirements. The bill clarifies rules for multiuse child care centers and offers exemptions for school-age children’s facilities in terms of building code requirements. Additionally, the Weikart Youth Program Quality Assessment is added as a tool for assessing out-of-school child care programs. These measures aim to expand access to and improve the quality of child care services across the state. The bill is effective upon becoming law.

Of the three sponsors of this bill, Burgin proposed the most bills (64) during the 2025 regular session.

Bills in North Carolina follow a multi-step process before becoming law. A lawmaker starts by filing a bill, which is assigned to a committee for review. The bill must be read three times in each chamber. If one chamber changes the bill after the other passes it, both must agree on the final version. Once both chambers approve the same bill, it goes to the governor, who has 10 days (or 30 if the legislature is not in session) to sign, veto, or let it become law without a signature.

You can read more about the bills and other measures here.

Burgin graduated from The University of Tennessee Knoxville with a BS.

Burgin, a Republican, was elected to the North Carolina State Senate in 2019 to represent the state’s 12th Senate district, replacing previous state senator Ronald Rabin.