This bill proposes several changes to the current laws governing child care and residential child care facilities. It eliminates the requirement for child care employment eligibility cards, instead mandating that the department notify individuals of their eligibility to be employed in a child care program or residential child care institution or agency. The bill also removes the obligation for the Department of Health and Human Services to notify local health officers and fire departments about the issuance, suspension, or revocation of a child care facility's license. Additionally, the bill revises the specialized care license cycle from two years to three years and introduces the authority for the department to impose administrative fines of up to $2,000 for each offense for noncompliance with licensure requirements.

The bill includes the repeal of the fee associated with the child care employment eligibility card and sets forth the effective dates for the various sections. Sections 1, 2, 4, 5, and 9 are set to take effect on July 1, 2024, while Sections 3, 6, 7, and 8 will become effective 60 days after the bill's passage. The bill is a request from the Department of Health and Human Services and aims to streamline the licensing process and enhance compliance enforcement for child care and residential child care facilities.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 170-E:7, 170-E:29-a, 170-E:10, 170-E:31, 170-E:34
Version adopted by both bodies: 170-E:7, 170-E:29-a, 170-E:10, 170-E:31, 170-E:34
CHAPTERED FINAL VERSION: 170-E:7, 170-E:29-a, 170-E:31, 170-E:34