Third Substitute H.B. 146

Representative Ronda Rudd Menlove proposes the following substitute bill:


             1     
CHILD CARE AMENDMENTS

             2     
2014 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: Ronda Rudd Menlove

             5     
Senate Sponsor: Curtis S. Bramble

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill amends provisions of the Utah Child Care Licensing Act related to child care
             10      programs.
             11      Highlighted Provisions:
             12          This bill:
             13          .    requires a child care provider that is exempt from licensure and certification
             14      requirements to:
             15              .    submit information to the Department of Health for the purpose of conducting
             16      criminal history checks;
             17              .    prohibit an individual with a misdemeanor or felony from providing care to a
             18      child receiving care from the provider, unless exempted by the Department of
             19      Health;
             20              .    post, in a conspicuous location, a notice that is prepared by the Department of
             21      Health that states the facility is exempt from licensure and certification and
             22      provides the department's contact information for submitting a complaint;
             23          .    allows the Department of Health to investigate license-exempt providers under
             24      certain circumstances; and
             25          .    makes technical and conforming amendments.


             26      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             27          None
             28      Other Special Clauses:
             29          None
             30      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             31      AMENDS:
             32           26-39-102 , as last amended by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapter 111
             33           26-39-403 , as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapter 111
             34           26-39-404 , as last amended by Laws of Utah 2013, Chapter 276
             35           26-39-501 , as last amended by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapter 382 and renumbered and
             36      amended by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapter 111
             37     
             38      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             39          Section 1. Section 26-39-102 is amended to read:
             40           26-39-102. Definitions.
             41          As used in this chapter:
             42          (1) "Child care" means continuous care and supervision of five or more qualifying
             43      children, that is:
             44          (a) in lieu of care ordinarily provided by a parent in the parent's home;
             45          (b) for less than 24 hours a day; and
             46          (c) for direct or indirect compensation.
             47          (2) "Child care program" means a child care facility or program operated by a person
             48      who holds a license or certificate issued in accordance with this chapter.
             49          (3) "Committee" means the Child Care Licensing Advisory Committee, created in
             50      Section 26-39-201 .
             51          (4) "Exempt provider" means a person who provides care described in Subsection
             52      26-39-403 (2).
             53          [(4)] (5) "Public school" means:
             54          (a) a school, including a charter school, that:
             55          (i) is directly funded at public expense; and
             56          (ii) provides education to qualifying children for any grade from first grade through


             57      twelfth grade; or
             58          (b) a school, including a charter school, that provides:
             59          (i) preschool or kindergarten to qualifying children, regardless of whether the preschool
             60      or kindergarten is funded at public expense; and
             61          (ii) education to qualifying children for any grade from first grade through twelfth
             62      grade, if each grade, from first grade to twelfth grade, that is provided at the school, is directly
             63      funded at public expense.
             64          [(5)] (6) "Qualifying child" means a person who is:
             65          (a) (i) under the age of 13; or
             66          (ii) under the age of 18, if the person has a disability; and
             67          (b) a child of:
             68          (i) a person other than the person providing care to the child;
             69          (ii) a licensed or certified residential child care provider, if the child is under the age of
             70      four; or
             71          (iii) an employee or owner of a licensed child care center, if the child is under the age
             72      of four.
             73          [(6)] (7) "Residential child care" means child care provided in the home of a provider.
             74          Section 2. Section 26-39-403 is amended to read:
             75           26-39-403. Exclusions from chapter -- Exclusions from licensure and certification
             76      -- Criminal background checks.
             77          (1) The provisions and requirements of this chapter do not apply to:
             78          (a) a facility or program owned or operated by an agency of the United States
             79      government;
             80          (b) group counseling provided by a mental health therapist, as defined in Section
             81      58-60-102 , who is licensed to practice in this state;
             82          (c) a health care facility licensed pursuant to Title 26, Chapter 21, Health Care Facility
             83      Licensing and Inspection Act;
             84          (d) care provided to qualifying children by or in the homes of parents, legal guardians,
             85      grandparents, brothers, sisters, uncles, or aunts;
             86          (e) care provided to qualifying children, in the home of the provider, for less than four
             87      hours a day or on a sporadic basis, unless that child care directly affects or is related to a


             88      business licensed in this state; or
             89          (f) care provided at a residential support program that is licensed by the Department of
             90      Human Services.
             91          (2) The licensing and certification requirements of this chapter do not apply to:
             92          [(f)] (a) care provided to qualifying children as part of a course of study at or a program
             93      administered by an educational institution that is regulated by the boards of education of this
             94      state, a private education institution that provides education in lieu of that provided by the
             95      public education system, or by a parochial education institution;
             96          [(g)] (b) care provided to qualifying children by a public or private institution of higher
             97      education, if the care is provided in connection with a course of study or program, relating to
             98      the education or study of children, that is provided to students of the institution of higher
             99      education;
             100          [(h)] (c) care provided to qualifying children at a public school by an organization
             101      other than the public school, if:
             102          (i) the care is provided under contract with the public school or on school property; or
             103          (ii) the public school accepts responsibility and oversight for the care provided by the
             104      organization;
             105          [(i)] (d) care provided to qualifying children as part of a summer camp that operates on
             106      federal land pursuant to a federal permit; or
             107          [(j)] (e) care provided by an organization that:
             108          (i) qualifies for tax exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue
             109      Code;
             110          (ii) is provided pursuant to a written agreement with:
             111          (A) a municipality, as defined in Section 10-1-104 , that provides oversight for the
             112      program; or
             113          (B) a county that provides oversight for the program; and
             114          (iii) is provided to children who are over the age of four and under the age of 13[; or].
             115          [(k) care provided at a residential support program that is licensed by the Department
             116      of Human Services.]
             117          [(2) A person who is excluded, under Subsection (1), from the provisions and
             118      requirements of this chapter, shall conduct a criminal background check on all of the person's


             119      employees who have access to a qualifying child to whom care is provided by the person.]
             120          (3) An exempt provider shall submit to the department:
             121          (a) the information required under Subsection 26-39-404 (1); and
             122          (b) the information required under Subsection 26-39-404 (2).
             123          (4) An exempt provider shall post, in a conspicuous location near the entrance of the
             124      exempt provider's facility, a notice prepared by the department that:
             125          (a) states that the facility is exempt from licensure and certification; and
             126          (b) provides the department's contact information for submitting a complaint.
             127          Section 3. Section 26-39-404 is amended to read:
             128           26-39-404. Disqualified individuals -- Criminal history checks -- Payment of
             129      costs.
             130          (1) (a) Each exempt provider and each person requesting a residential certificate or to
             131      be licensed or to renew a license under this chapter shall submit to the department the name
             132      and other identifying information, which shall include fingerprints, of existing, new, and
             133      proposed:
             134          (i) owners;
             135          (ii) directors;
             136          (iii) members of the governing body;
             137          (iv) employees;
             138          (v) providers of care;
             139          (vi) volunteers, except parents of children enrolled in the programs; and
             140          (vii) all adults residing in a residence where child care is provided.
             141          (b) A person seeking renewal of a residential certificate or license under this section is
             142      not required to submit fingerprints of an individual referred to in Subsections (1)(a)(i) through
             143      (vi), if:
             144          (i) the individual has resided in Utah for the last five years and applied for a certificate
             145      or license before July 1, 2013;
             146          (ii) the individual has:
             147          (A) previously submitted fingerprints under this section for a national criminal history
             148      record check; and
             149          (B) resided in Utah continuously since that time; or


             150          (iii) as of May 3, 1999, the individual had one of the relationships under Subsection
             151      (1)(a) with a child care provider having a residential certificate or licensed under this section
             152      and the individual has resided in Utah continuously since that time.
             153          (c) (i) The Utah Division of Criminal Investigation and Technical Services within the
             154      Department of Public Safety shall process the information required under Subsection (1)(a) to
             155      determine whether the individual has been convicted of any crime.
             156          (ii) The Utah Division of Criminal Investigation and Technical Services shall submit
             157      fingerprints required under Subsection (1)(a) to the FBI for a national criminal history record
             158      check.
             159          (iii) [The applicant for the license or residential certificate] A person required to submit
             160      information to the department under Subsection (1) shall pay the cost of conducting [a] the
             161      record check [under this] described in this Subsection (1)(c).
             162          (2) (a) Each person requesting a residential certificate or to be licensed or to renew a
             163      license under this chapter shall submit to the department the name and other identifying
             164      information of any person age 12 through 17 who resides in the residence where the child care
             165      is provided. The identifying information required for a person age 12 through 17 does not
             166      include fingerprints.
             167          (b) The department shall access the juvenile court records to determine whether a
             168      person described in Subsection (1) or (2)(a) has been adjudicated in juvenile court of
             169      committing an act which if committed by an adult would be a felony or misdemeanor if:
             170          (i) the person described in Subsection (1) is under the age of 28; or
             171          (ii) the person described in Subsection (1) is:
             172          (A) over the age of 28; and
             173          (B) has been convicted, has pleaded no contest, or is currently subject to a plea in
             174      abeyance or diversion agreement for a felony or misdemeanor.
             175          (3) Except as provided in Subsection (4), a licensee under this chapter or an exempt
             176      provider may not permit a person who has been convicted, has pleaded no contest, or is
             177      currently subject to a plea in abeyance or diversion agreement for any felony or misdemeanor,
             178      or if the provisions of Subsection (2)(b) apply, who has been adjudicated in juvenile court of
             179      committing an act which if committed by an adult would be a felony or a misdemeanor, to:
             180          (a) provide child care;


             181          (b) provide volunteer services for [a licensed child care program or a child care
             182      program operating under a residential child care certificate] a child care program or an exempt
             183      provider;
             184          (c) reside at the premises where child care is provided; or
             185          (d) function as an owner, director, or member of the governing body of a [licensed
             186      child care program or a child care program operating under a residential child care certificate]
             187      child care program or an exempt provider.
             188          (4) (a) The department may, by rule, exempt the following from the restrictions of
             189      Subsection (3):
             190          (i) specific misdemeanors; and
             191          (ii) specific acts adjudicated in juvenile court, which if committed by an adult would be
             192      misdemeanors.
             193          (b) In accordance with criteria established by rule, the executive director may consider
             194      and exempt individual cases involving misdemeanors, not otherwise exempt under Subsection
             195      (4)(a) from the restrictions of Subsection (3).
             196          Section 4. Section 26-39-501 is amended to read:
             197           26-39-501. Investigations -- Records.
             198          (1) The department may conduct investigations necessary to enforce the provisions of
             199      this chapter.
             200          (2) For purposes of this section:
             201          (a) "Anonymous complainant" means a complainant for whom the department does not
             202      have the minimum personal identifying information necessary, including the complainant's full
             203      name, to attempt to communicate with the complainant after a complaint has been made.
             204          (b) "Confidential complainant" means a complainant for whom the department has the
             205      minimum personal identifying information necessary, including the complainant's full name, to
             206      attempt to communicate with the complainant after a complaint has been made, but who elects
             207      under Subsection (3)(c) not to be identified to the subject of the complaint.
             208          (c) "Subject of the complaint" means the licensee or certificate holder about whom the
             209      complainant is informing the department.
             210          (3) (a) If the department receives a complaint about a child care program or [residential
             211      child care] an exempt provider, the department shall:


             212          (i) solicit information from the complainant to determine whether the complaint
             213      suggests actions or conditions that could pose a serious risk to the safety or well-being of a
             214      qualifying child;
             215          (ii) as necessary:
             216          (A) encourage the complainant to disclose the minimum personal identifying
             217      information necessary, including the complainant's full name, for the department to attempt to
             218      subsequently communicate with the complainant;
             219          (B) inform the complainant that the department may not investigate an anonymous
             220      complaint;
             221          (C) inform the complainant that the identity of a confidential complainant may be
             222      withheld from the subject of a complaint only as provided in Subsection (3)(c)(ii); and
             223          (D) inform the complainant that the department may be limited in its use of
             224      information provided by a confidential complainant, as provided in Subsection (3)(c)(ii)(B);
             225      and
             226          (iii) inform the complainant that a person is guilty of a class B misdemeanor under
             227      Section 76-8-506 if the person gives false information to the department with the purpose of
             228      inducing a change in that person's or another person's licensing or certification status.
             229          (b) If the complainant elects to be an anonymous complainant, or if the complaint
             230      concerns events which occurred more than six weeks before the complainant contacted the
             231      department:
             232          (i) shall refer the information in the complaint to the Division of Child and Family
             233      Services within the Department of Human Services, law enforcement, or any other appropriate
             234      agency, if the complaint suggests actions or conditions which could pose a serious risk to the
             235      safety or well-being of a child;
             236          (ii) may not investigate or substantiate the complaint; and
             237          (iii) may, during a regularly scheduled annual survey, inform the [licensee or certificate
             238      holder who is the] subject of the complaint of allegations or concerns raised by:
             239          (A) the anonymous complainant; or
             240          (B) the complainant who reported events more than six weeks after the events
             241      occurred.
             242          (c) (i) If the complainant elects to be a confidential complainant, the department shall


             243      determine whether the complainant wishes to remain confidential:
             244          (A) only until the investigation of the complaint has been completed; or
             245          (B) indefinitely.
             246          (ii) (A) If the complainant elects to remain confidential only until the investigation of
             247      the complaint has been completed, the department shall disclose the name of the complainant
             248      to the subject of the complaint at the completion of the investigation, but no sooner.
             249          (B) If the complainant elects to remain confidential indefinitely, the department:
             250          (I) notwithstanding Subsection 63G-2-201 (5)(b), may not disclose the name of the
             251      complainant, including to the subject of the complaint; and
             252          (II) may not use information provided by the complainant to substantiate an alleged
             253      violation of state law or department rule unless the department independently corroborates the
             254      information.
             255          (4) (a) Prior to conducting an investigation of a child care program or [residential child
             256      care] an exempt provider in response to a complaint, a department investigator shall review the
             257      complaint with the investigator's supervisor.
             258          (b) The investigator may proceed with the investigation only if:
             259          (i) the supervisor determines the complaint is credible;
             260          (ii) the complaint is not from an anonymous complainant; and
             261          (iii) prior to the investigation, the investigator informs the subject of the complaint of:
             262          (A) except as provided in Subsection (3)(c), the name of the complainant; and
             263          (B) except as provided in Subsection (4)(c), the substance of the complaint.
             264          (c) An investigator is not required to inform the subject of a complaint of the substance
             265      of the complaint prior to an investigation if doing so would jeopardize the investigation.
             266      However, the investigator shall inform the subject of the complaint of the substance of the
             267      complaint as soon as doing so will no longer jeopardize the investigation.
             268          (5) If the department is unable to substantiate a complaint, any record related to the
             269      complaint or the investigation of the complaint:
             270          (a) shall be classified under Title 63G, Chapter 2, Government Records Access and
             271      Management Act, as:
             272          (i) a private or controlled record if appropriate under Section 63G-2-302 or 63G-2-304 ;
             273      or


             274          (ii) a protected record under Section 63G-2-305 ; and
             275          (b) if disclosed in accordance with Subsection 63G-2-201 (5)(b), may not identify an
             276      individual child care program, an exempt provider, licensee, certificate holder, or complainant.
             277          (6) Any record of the department related to a complaint by an anonymous complainant
             278      is a protected record under Title 63G, Chapter 2, Government Records Access and
             279      Management Act, and, notwithstanding Subsection 63G-2-201 (5)(b), may not be disclosed in a
             280      manner that identifies an individual child care program, exempt provider, licensee, certificate
             281      holder, or complainant.


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