REFERENCE TITLE: child care monies; eligible organizations

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-sixth Legislature

First Regular Session

2023

HB 2227

Introduced by

Representative Gress

An Act

requiring the department of economic security to amend this state's child care development fund plan.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Department of economic security; child care development fund plan; amendment; licensure exemption; registration; attestation; requirements

A. The department of economic security, with the approval of the federal government, shall amend this state's child care development fund plan to exempt out-of-school time provider organizations that meet specific criteria from licensure requirements in order for the organization to receive child care assistance through the child care development fund monies this state receives. 

B. In lieu of an out-of-school time provider organization being licensed, the organization shall register with the department and attest that the organization meets all of the following:

1. Conducts programs or portions of programs that operate primarily during times when school is not normally in session.

2. Serves only school-age children and youth.

3. Is organized to promote expanded childhood learning, enrichment, child and youth development and educational, recreational or character-building activities.

4. Adopts standards for its programs that at a minimum include maximum staff-youth ratios, staff training, applicable state and local health and safety standards and mechanisms for assessing and enforcing the program's compliance with the standards.

5. Conducts state and national annual criminal background checks, sex offender registry checks and child abuse registry checks for all employees and board members and for volunteers who work with children and makes screening and hiring decisions based on the outcomes of those checks.

6. Regularly trains all employees in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and first aid.

7. Requires that all of its employees are mandated child abuse reporters.

8. Maintains health and safety policies and procedures for all of the following:

(a) Child abuse prevention and response, including guidance on staff-to-child ratios and prohibition of private one-on-one interactions between youth and staff, volunteers and board members.

(b) A workplace and learning environment that is drug-free and alcohol-free.

(c) Internal incident reporting and investigation.

(d) Emergency preparedness and response.

(e) Transportation, if applicable.

(f) Acceptable uses of technology, including prohibiting inappropriate technology-based interactions between youth and staff, volunteers, board members and other youth during and after program hours.

(g) Communication during emergencies.

9. Obtains and maintains records, consistent with the organization's confidentiality policies, that include for each child:

(a) The first and last name and date of birth of the child.

(b) The name, address and telephone number of each parent.

(c) Emergency contact information.

(d) Written authorization for medical care.

(e) Records, verified by staff, of the child's program attendance.

(f) Records of serious injuries and deaths.

10. Maintains, for each organization operating a program, comprehensive, general liability and sexual misconduct insurance, each with a minimum policy limit of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $3,000,000 aggregate.