SB 339 – This act establishes "Sam Pratt's Law" and "Nathan's Law" and modifies provisions relating to child care providers.SAM PRATT'S LAW
This act authorizes the Department of Health and Senior Services to investigate child care providers who are exempt from licensure if the department learns or is notified that such provider has pending criminal charges.
The department is also authorized to prohibit a licensure exempt child care provider from continuing to provide child care services if there are criminal charges pending against him or her that would similarly result in licensure actions for a licensed child care provider. Such licensure exempt provider shall be prohibited from continuing services pending a resolution of such criminal charges in favor of the provider.
Any licensure exempt child care provider who continues to provide child care services after notification by the department to stop such services shall be guilty of a Class B misdemeanor for the first violation and a Class A misdemeanor for any subsequent violation.
The department shall report any known violation to an appropriate prosecuting attorney's office or law enforcement agency. SECTION 210.165
This provision is identical to HB 156 (2011).
NATHAN'S LAW
Under current law, a child care provider may be exempt from licensure if the person is caring for four or fewer children and children who are related to the provider are not considered in the total number of children being cared for. This act provides that such relative children shall be included in the total number of children being counted, except that children of such person who live in the home and attend school for a full school day shall not be included in the total number cared for. Any child-care facility exempt from licensure shall disclose the licensure-exempt status to the parents or guardians of children for which the facility provides care.
This act increases the penalty for violations of child care licensure provisions to include a fine of two hundred dollars per day, not to exceed a total of ten thousand dollars for subsequent offenses.
This act also authorizes the Department of Health and Senior Services to immediately close any illegally operating unlicensed child-care facility. The prosecuting attorney of the county where such illegal child-care facility is located may file suit for a permanent order preventing the operation of a child-care facility. The order shall remain in effect until such time as the court determines that the child-care facility is in compliance with all licensure requirements. Any person who operates an illegal unlicensed child-care facility shall be subject to penalties prescribed under the act. SECTIONS 210.209, 210.211, 210.245
These provisions are identical to HB 603 (2011).
ADRIANE CROUSE