a. With over 50 percent of working-age women now in the workforce, the need for high quality child care is of vital importance;

b. Not only does the availability of child care allow parents the peace of mind to pursue their careers and lead active, productive, professional lives, but it is also a necessity given the high cost of living in this State and the ever increasing need for families to bring home two incomes just to get by;

c. A significant number of people in this State, recognizing the tremendous need for quality child care, and who, in some cases, are already staying home caring for their own children, are providing child care services for a few additional children, thereby augmenting the supply of child care and providing a vital service that might otherwise not be available elsewhere; and

d. Given the paucity of decent, affordable child care combined with the current labor shortage in this State, it seems unreasonable to erect zoning barriers which effectively prevent the establishment of or, in some cases, continuation of, these valuable and vitally necessary family day care homes.

e. It is therefore in the public interest and a valid public policy for this Legislature to eliminate those barriers which currently exist which prevent the establishment, or continued operation of, family day care homes in residential neighborhoods.

L.1991,c.278,s.1.