S-0713.1  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 5322

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      57th Legislature     2001 Regular Session

By Senators Kohl‑Welles, Long, Hargrove, Costa, Gardner and Oke

Read first time 01/18/2001.  Referred to Committee on Human Services & Corrections.

Providing child day-care licensing information to the public through a toll-free number.

    AN ACT Relating to providing child day-care licensing information to the public through a toll-free number; and adding new sections to chapter 74.15 RCW.

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:

    The legislature finds that consumers of child day-care centers and family day-care providers have a legitimate interest in receiving timely information about the providers of day-care services to enable them to make meaningful choices regarding facilities and the people who provide care for their children.

    The legislature further finds that parents whose children are consumers of day-care services are often unaware of the quality of the facility or home they have chosen.  This lack of knowledge is due, in part, to the inability of parents to obtain such information.  The legislature intends to use the state's improved ability to collect and manage information about day-care service providers by requiring that all relevant licensing and enforcement action information be available to parents and other appropriate persons as provided in section 2 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 74.15 RCW to read as follows:

    (1) The department shall establish and maintain a toll-free telephone number and electronic means for public access for the communication of information to the public regarding child day-care centers and family day-care providers.

    (2) The telephone number and means to access the communication of information electronically must be published in reasonably available printed and electronic media and must be easily identifiable as a number and the means by which this information can be obtained.  All licensed day-care providers shall post the telephone number and electronic means for public access in a place and manner clearly visible to consumers and the general public.  If requested, a day-care provider and the department shall provide the requestor with the toll-free number and electronic means for public access.

    (3) For purposes of this section, "communication of information" means callers may obtain the following information:  (a) Whether a day-care center or family day-care provider is licensed; (b) whether a day-care center or family day-care provider is in good standing regarding licensing requirements; (c) whether a day-care center or family day-care provider is currently being investigated for either child abuse or neglect allegations or other licensing violations; (d) whether a day-care center or family day-care provider has ever been sanctioned for either child abuse or neglect findings or other licensing violations; (e) whether a day-care center or family day-care provider is currently or has been in the last three years on a corrective action plan as a result of either a child abuse or neglect finding or other licensing violation; (f) how to report suspected abuse or neglect or noncompliance with licensing standards; and (g) how to contact the office of the family and children's ombudsman.

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