Relating to child care facilities, including licensing and registration, and providing penalties

The bill provides that a person who has previously been convicted of an offense establishing, conducting, managing, or operating a child care center without a license commits an aggravated misdemeanor, and a person who has previously been convicted three or more times of an offense establishing, conducting, managing, or operating a child care center without a license commits a class “D” felony. An aggravated misdemeanor is punishable by confinement for no more than two years and a fine of at least $625 but not more than $6,250. A class “D” felony is punishable by confinement for no more than five years and a fine of at least $750 but not more than $7,500.19 or who has been granted a deferred judgment shall be prohibited from establishing, conducting, managing, or operating a licensed child care facility for a period of months from the date of conviction or deferred judgment.19 to the local law enforcement department with jurisdiction over the child care center, child development home, or child care home for investigation. The local law enforcement department shall provide a report to the county attorney with a recommendation for either criminal prosecution, injunctive relief, or both. A copy of the report and recommendation shall also be provided to the appropriate political subdivision of the state and to the attorney general.19 in the months prior to any current action filed against a child care center or child development home may be restrained by temporary or permanent injunction from providing unregistered, registered, or licensed child care or from other involvement with child care. The bill requires that consumer information material developed by the department for parents and other consumers of child care services shall include information explaining the availability of child care compliance reports and complaint reports concerning child care providers. The department shall provide on its internet page or site the capability for a consumer to access information relating to the filing of child care compliance and complaint reports concerning child care providers and such filed reports shall be published on the department’s internet page or site within days of the filing of a report. The bill requires the department to amend its administrative rules pursuant to Code chapter 17A to require all compliance reports and complaint reports made against nonregistered child care homes and in-home child care providers to be published on the department’s internet page or site within days of the filing of a report; to include specific questions and request specific information concerning previously operated child care centers or child care homes on licensing or registration applications; and that all provider identification numbers associated with an individual child care provider be merged and be discoverable by a consumer searching on the department’s internet page or site concerning compliance reports and complaint reports filed for a named child care provider.