Republicans in the Iowa Senate have voted to let 16 and 17 year olds be in charge of school age children at child care centers, without direct adult supervision.

If  the bill becomes law, one adult could oversee a room of seven two-year-olds.  The upper limit under current law is six two-year-olds per child care staffer.  Democrats opposed the bill.

Senator Jeff Edler, a Republican from State Center, says these proposed staffing ratios would not be requirements, but options.

The bill now goes back to the House for consideration of Senate changes.