Passed by the House April 13, 2011 Yeas 71   FRANK CHOPP ________________________________________ Speaker of the House of Representatives Passed by the Senate April 5, 2011 Yeas 49   BRAD OWEN ________________________________________ President of the Senate | I, Barbara Baker, Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is ENGROSSED SECOND SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1776 as passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on the dates hereon set forth. BARBARA BAKER ________________________________________ Chief Clerk | |
Approved May 16, 2011, 2:40 p.m. CHRISTINE GREGOIRE ________________________________________ Governor of the State of Washington | May 17, 2011 Secretary of State State of Washington |
State of Washington | 62nd Legislature | 2011 Regular Session |
READ FIRST TIME 02/24/11.
AN ACT Relating to licensing requirements for child care centers located in publicly owned buildings; amending RCW 43.215.200; and creating a new section.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 (1) The legislature finds that some licensed
child care centers seeking to operate in public schools incur
substantial costs to renovate spaces that are considered safe for
children to use for the purpose of education. Consequently, families
are forced to seek before or after school child care outside of the
school building, resulting in additional transitions for students.
(2) It is the legislature's intent to allow licensed child care
centers that serve school-age children to operate in facilities that
provide a safe and healthy environment for children to use for the
purpose of education. With respect to section 2(2) of this act, the
legislature intends that the development of any related child care
licensing requirements shall:
(a) Ensure safe and healthy environments for children;
(b) Utilize existing rule-making processes and resources;
(c) Utilize existing requirements as a starting point rather than
create an entirely new set of requirements; and
(d) Give due consideration to the burdens imposed by inconsistent
licensing requirements.
Sec. 2 RCW 43.215.200 and 2007 c 415 s 3 are each amended to read
as follows:
It shall be the director's duty with regard to licensing:
(1) In consultation and with the advice and assistance of persons
representative of the various type agencies to be licensed, to
designate categories of child care facilities for which separate or
different requirements shall be developed as may be appropriate whether
because of variations in the ages and other characteristics of the
children served, variations in the purposes and services offered or
size or structure of the agencies to be licensed, or because of any
other factor relevant thereto;
(2) In consultation with the state fire marshal's office, the
director shall use an interagency process to address health and safety
requirements for child care programs that serve school-age children and
are operated in buildings that contain public or private schools that
safely serve children during times in which school is in session;
(3) In consultation and with the advice and assistance of parents
or guardians, and persons representative of the various type agencies
to be licensed, to adopt and publish minimum requirements for licensing
applicable to each of the various categories of agencies to be licensed
under this chapter;
(((3))) (4) In consultation with law enforcement personnel, the
director shall investigate the conviction record or pending charges of
each agency and its staff seeking licensure or relicensure, and other
persons having unsupervised access to children in care;
(((4))) (5) To issue, revoke, or deny licenses to agencies pursuant
to this chapter. Licenses shall specify the category of care that an
agency is authorized to render and the ages and number of children to
be served;
(((5))) (6) To prescribe the procedures and the form and contents
of reports necessary for the administration of this chapter and to
require regular reports from each licensee;
(((6))) (7) To inspect agencies periodically to determine whether
or not there is compliance with this chapter and the requirements
adopted under this chapter;
(((7))) (8) To review requirements adopted under this chapter at
least every two years and to adopt appropriate changes after
consultation with affected groups for child day care requirements; and
(((8))) (9) To consult with public and private agencies in order to
help them improve their methods and facilities for the care and early
learning of children.