BILL REQ. #: H-3213.1
State of Washington | 63rd Legislature | 2014 Regular Session |
Prefiled 01/09/14. Read first time 01/13/14. Referred to Committee on Early Learning & Human Services.
AN ACT Relating to compliance with inspections of child care facilities; amending RCW 43.215.210; and adding a new section to chapter 43.215 RCW.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 A new section is added to chapter 43.215 RCW
to read as follows:
(1) The department may not require any alterations of a child care
facility due to inconsistencies with requirements in chapter 19.27 RCW
unless the department receives notification from a city or county
enforcement official in accordance with RCW 19.27.050 that an
alteration of the child care facility is required.
(2) For the purpose of child care licensing, a city or county
enforcement official in accordance with RCW 19.27.050 has the authority
and it is the official's duty to develop an agreed upon timeline of
compliance with applicants for licenses under this chapter to correct
any identified regulation violations.
(3) The department must pay all fees associated with building code
inspections that are required for child care licensing.
(4) The department's request for inspections shall be limited to
licensed child care space.
(5) The department may not modify, suspend, or revoke child care
license or business activities while the department is waiting for
appropriate agency inspections, unless there is imminent danger for
children or staff. If the appropriate agencies do not find imminent
danger for children or staff, the department will be held responsible
for business losses due to the modification, suspension, or revocation.
(6) For the purposes of this section and RCW 43.215.210, "child
care facility" means a family day care home, school-aged care, and
child day care center.
Sec. 2 RCW 43.215.210 and 2013 c 227 s 1 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) The chief of the Washington state patrol, through the director
of fire protection, shall have the power and it shall be his or her
duty:
(((1))) (a) In consultation with the director and with the advice
and assistance of persons representative of the various type agencies
to be licensed, to adopt recognized minimum standard requirements
pertaining to each category of agency established pursuant to this
chapter necessary to protect all persons residing therein from fire
hazards;
(((2))) (b) To adopt licensing minimum standard requirements to
allow children who attend classes in a school building during school
hours to remain in the same building to participate in before-school or
after-school programs and to allow participation in such before-school
and after-school programs by children who attend other schools and are
transported to attend such before-school and after-school programs;
(((3))) (c) To make or cause to be made such inspections and
investigations of agencies as he or she deems necessary;
(((4))) (d) To make a periodic review of requirements under RCW
43.215.200(((5))) (8) and to adopt necessary changes after consultation
as required in (a) of this subsection (((1) of this section));
(((5))) (e) To develop an agreed upon timeline of compliance with
applicants for licenses under this chapter to correct any identified
minimum standard violations; and
(f) To issue to applicants for licenses under this chapter who
comply with the requirements, a certificate of compliance, a copy of
which shall be presented to the department before a license shall be
issued, except that an initial license may be issued as provided in RCW
43.215.280.
(2) The department may not require any alterations applicable to
the local building code of a child care facility due to inconsistencies
with minimum standard requirements established in accordance with
subsection (1)(a) of this section unless the department receives
notification from the chief of the Washington state patrol, through the
director of fire protection, that an alteration applicable to the local
building code is required of the child care facility.
(3) The department must pay all fees associated with fire hazard
inspections that are required for child care licensing.
(4) The department's request for inspections shall be limited to
licensed child care space.
(5) The department may not modify, suspend, or revoke child care
license or business activities while the department is waiting for
appropriate agency inspections, unless there is imminent danger for
children or staff. If the appropriate agencies do not find imminent
danger for children or staff, the department will be held responsible
for business losses due to the modification, suspension, or revocation.
(6) As used in this section, "child care facility" has the
definition in section 1 of this act.