Parents, daycare owner react to proposed Alabama daycare bill

The Alabama legislative session begins in Montgomery on Tuesday.

On the table, several issues will be up for debate including prison reform, a lottery to support education and legalizing medical marijuana.

Another proposed bill hopes to make sure children are not left behind in a vehicle. The proposed bill would require daycares to call parents if a child has not been dropped off or reported absent by 9:30 a.m.

If approved, it will be called the Cash Edwin Jordan Act, after an 11-month-old boy who died in Oxford when his dad forgot him in the car.

If a child hasn’t been dropped off or the parent hasn’t called, the daycare has the responsibility to call the parent and find out where the child is at. We talked to two parents about the proposed bill. They told us they think it’s a great idea.

“I think it’s important for kids’ safety and parents’ reassurance. I would support a bill like that,” said Jenna Rosano.

Michael Graves agrees, but also thinks the daycare should go one step further.

“If I’m sending my child to a daycare center, there should be that accountability if my child is not there to call the parent, but not only to call the parent but to call local law enforcement because we don’t know what’s going on,” said Graves.

WAAY 31 also talked to a daycare owner about the impact this bill would have on her business.

Sharon Drake owns Granny’s Daycare in Huntsville. Drake said the bill would put a burden on her business because she would have to hire additional staff to be able to make those calls.

Graves said this bill simply shouldn’t even be up for debate.

“This should be something that’s normative. If a child is not where they’re supposed to be, whether it’s school, whether it’s daycare or anything else, the parent, of course, should be notified,” she said.

The daycare owner said it’s the parent’s responsibility to make sure the child is dropped off or to call in an absence. She said parents need to be held accountable.