(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, the department shall allow licensed child care providers until August 1, 2030, to demonstrate experience-based competency as an alternative means to comply with child care licensing rules that require a provider to hold an early childhood education initial, short, or state certificate, when the provider has all of the following documented in the department's electronic workforce registry:
(a) Active employment in a position that requires an early childhood education initial, short, or state certificate;
(b) Employment in a licensed or certified child care center or licensed family home provider without a break in service since August 1, 2021, as of July 27, 2025, or a cumulative five years of employment in a licensed or certified child care center or licensed family home provider; and
(c) Completion of and maintained compliance with all health and safety and child care or school-age care basics training required by the department.
(2) Nothing in this section prohibits the department from establishing more restrictive requirements for providers serving the early childhood education and assistance program including, but not limited to, excluding experience-based competency as an alternative means to fulfill staff qualification requirements, nor does it prohibit the department from excluding experience-based competency from the calculation of early achievers professional development points.