Legislation to keep childcare staff-to-teacher ratio waiver program signed into law

Gov. Kelly Ayotte announced Friday afternoon that she signed House Bill 1771 into law. The bill repeals the end date of a pilot program that granted waivers to child care programs, allowing them to operate with higher provider-to-child ratios than legally required. 

The waiver program was used by fewer than 10 of the state’s over 600 childcare programs. The program started in 2024 as a pilot and ended on Dec. 31, 2025, but will continue under the bill. 

When asked in late February why she sponsored the bill, Rep. Katy Peternel, a Wolfeboro Republican, said she saw the pilot program as a small way to combat the state’s childcare shortage. 

The bill takes effect at the end of July.