FINAL BILL REPORT

SSB 5504

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

C 296 L 11

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description: Addressing unlicensed child care.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Human Services & Corrections (originally sponsored by Senators Eide, Kohl-Welles and Keiser).

Senate Committee on Human Services & Corrections

House Committee on Early Learning & Human Services

Background: Any person, firm, partnership, association, corporation, or facility that provides child care outside a child's home must be licensed by the Department of Early Learning (DEL). The following are exempt from licensing requirements:

DEL may assess civil monetary penalties against an agency providing child care services without being properly licensed. Monetary penalties levied against unlicensed agencies will be forgiven if the agency submits a license application within 30 days of being notified that they need to be licensed and subsequently become licensed. Civil monetary penalties are not to exceed $75 per violation for a family child care home.

DEL must report on its public website the following licensing actions taken against agency licensees: suspension; surrender; revocation; denial, stayed suspension, or reinstatement of a license.

When it receives a report that an agency is providing child care services without a license, DEL sends that agency a letter ordering them to stop providing child care services immediately and notifying them that they could be assessed a monetary penalty if they do not. The letter also states that the agency must be licensed in order to provide child care services.

Summary: DEL may impose civil monetary penalties of not more than $150 per violation for a family child care home. DEL must post on its public website those agencies subject to licensure that have not initiated the licensing process within the 30-day period following notification by DEL that they need to become licensed.

When DEL suspects that an agency subject to licensure is providing child care services without a license, it must send notice to that agency within ten days. The notice must include, but is not limited to, the following information:

The act is to be known as the Colby Thompson act.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate

47

1

House

57

39

(House amended)

Senate

47

1

(Senate concurred)

Effective:

July 22, 2011.