Sen. Chitlik files child care reform bill in North Carolina Senate

A new bill filed by State Sen. Sophia Chitlik in the North Carolina Senate aims to reform North Carolina’s child care system and expand support for providers and families, according to the North Carolina State Senate.

The bill, filed as SB 1015 on April 30 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Child Care Omnibus.’

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

In essence, this bill makes wide-ranging changes to North Carolina child care law and funding. It raises subsidy payment rates to at least the 75th percentile and appropriates about $110 million in recurring funds for rate increases, plus tens of millions in new grants to stabilize providers, expand capacity, and pilot child care support for child care workers, state employees and third-shift first responders. It creates matching grants for counties and employers, promotes on-site child care at state buildings, community colleges and universities, and establishes a North Carolina Child Care Finance Agency with bonding and loan authority to finance facilities. The bill also offers income-tax relief and child care subsidies for specified “caregiver” workers, expands access to the federal Child and Adult Care Food Program for license-exempt providers, protects family child care homes from restrictive HOA, landlord and zoning rules, replaces a Class I felony for certain illegal operations with enhanced civil penalties, and adds a statutory definition for license-exempt family, friend and neighbor care. Most provisions take effect July 1, 2026.

Of the two sponsors of this bill, Chitlik proposed the most bills (78) 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.

Chitlik graduated from New York University in 2011 with a BA.

Chitlik, a Democrat, was elected to the North Carolina State Senate in 2025 to represent the state’s 22nd Senate district, replacing previous state senator Mike Woodard.