HB1785: Child day centers, certain; exemption from licensure by Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Legislative Summary

Certain child day centers operated by religious institutions; exemption from licensure by Superintendent of Public Instruction. Exempts fully from the statutory requirement to be licensed by the Superintendent of Public Instruction any child day center that (i) exclusively serves children over the age of two, (ii) is operated or conducted under the auspices of a religious institution, and (iii) (a) has tax exempt status as a nonprofit religious institution in accordance with § 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended, or (b) owns and exclusively occupies real property that is exempt from local taxation. Under current law, such child day centers are exempt from licensure but are still subject to several enumerated requirements. The bill, however, preserves the requirement for such child day centers to conduct background checks for employees and volunteers and prohibits the employment or service at such child day centers of any such individual who has been convicted of any barrier crime as defined in relevant law or who is the subject of a founded complaint of child abuse or neglect.