Shelton Seeks Study on Day Care Insurance

State Rep. Mike Shelton has requested a legislative study to determine if the state can enact policies that result in all day care centers having liability insurance.

“In recent years, we have made significant strides in getting more day care centers to carry liability insurance, but far too many remain uninsured,” said Shelton, D-Oklahoma City. “I believe legislators should study this issue to determine new ways to incentivize centers to obtain coverage, and implement that requirement in a way that does not drive day cares out of business.”

Rep. Mike Shelton
D-Oklahoma City

In 2008, Shelton authored “Demarion’s Law,” a bill requiring day care facilities to carry liability insurance. The legislation was filed after a pre-school child, Demarion Pittman, was accidentally left in a hot van and suffered injury that left him unable to walk or talk.

Although the legislation required day care facilities to carry a minimum of $200,000 in coverage, the law included an exemption for facilities that could not get liability insurance. Under the law, those facilities are required to notify parents of the lack of coverage.

Shelton said too many day care centers continue to operate without liability insurance, leaving families potentially facing the financial burden for any accidents.

“Parents should not have to face losing their home and life savings to pay medical bills caused by the negligence of a child’s caregiver,” Shelton said. “It is important for all day care centers to have insurance coverage.”