Franklin County Prosecutor Shayla Favor and other central Ohio officials are sounding alarms over two child care fraud proposals at the Statehouse, warning that the measures could worsen the state’s growing shortage of child care providers.
House Bills 647 and 649 would shift the authority to investigate alleged child care fraud from county prosecutors to the Ohio Attorney General’s Office. The legislation also calls for stricter attendance verification systems for state-subsidized child care programs—requirements supporters say are aimed at strengthening program integrity and ensuring taxpayer funds are used appropriately.
But Favor called the proposals unnecessary and potentially harmful, arguing that the state is “solving for a problem that doesn’t exist.” She joined county leaders and child care advocates in urging lawmakers to reconsider, warning that the added red tape could drive smaller providers out of business, particularly in areas already struggling with access.
“These bills would strip local oversight and put families at greater risk by making it even harder to find reliable child care,” Favor said. “Local prosecutors already have the tools to investigate fraud when it occurs, but the vast majority of providers are doing things the right way.”
Critics of the legislation say counties have developed effective partnerships with child care operators and the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, allowing investigations to be tailored to local needs. They fear that concentrating authority under the Attorney General could delay case reviews and create one-size-fits-all enforcement processes that overlook community realities.
Child care advocates warn that if more facilities close, “child care deserts” — areas with little to no licensed care options — will expand, further straining working families and local economies.
Proponents of the bills, primarily Republican lawmakers, have argued the measures would bring greater consistency to fraud enforcement statewide and prevent misuse of public dollars. Committee hearings on the proposals are expected to continue in the coming weeks.
