S-1312.3  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 5708

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      55th Legislature     1997 Regular Session

By Senators Kohl, Long, Hargrove, Prentice, Brown and Winsley

Read first time 02/07/97.  Referred to Committee on Human Services & Corrections.

Requiring liability insurance for child day-care providers.

    AN ACT Relating to liability insurance for child day-care providers; adding a new section to chapter 74.15 RCW; and providing an effective date.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 74.15 RCW to read as follows:

    (1) Every licensed child day-care center shall provide to the department proof that the licensee has liability insurance for a minimum of fifty thousand dollars per person per claim and an aggregate of two hundred thousand dollars per claim for occurrences by the licensee and the licensee's employees that result in bodily injury or property damage.

    (2) If an insurance company or the licensee cancels or refuses to renew insurance, the insurance company shall notify the department in writing of the termination of coverage and its effective date not less than thirty days before the effective date of termination.  The licensee shall notify the department when liability insurance has been obtained.

    (a) Upon receipt of an insurance company termination notice, the department shall send written notice to the licensee that on the effective date of termination the license will be subject to suspension or revocation unless proof of insurance as required by this section is filed with the department before the effective date of the termination.

    (b) If an insurance company fails to give notice of coverage termination, this failure does not have the effect of continuing the coverage.

    (3) The department may suspend or revoke a license as provided in RCW 74.15.130 if the licensee fails to maintain in full force and effect the insurance required by this section.

    (4) This section applies to child day-care centers holding licenses, initial licenses, and probationary licenses under this chapter.

    (5) A child day-care center holding a license under this chapter on the effective date of this act is not required to be in compliance with this section until the time of renewal of the license or until January 1, 1999, whichever is sooner.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  This act takes effect January 1, 1998.

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