H 4605 General Bill, By Haskins
 A Bill to amend Section 20-7-2840, as amended, Code of Laws of South Carolina,
 1976, relating to registration of family day care homes, so as to revise the
 requirements for those homes which elect to participate in a federal program;
 to amend Section 20-7-2890, relating to consultation by the Department with
 operators in family day care homes on maintaining standards, so as to
 authorize the Department or other authorized entity to enter the home on
 request and to offer consultation generally; and to amend Section 20-7-2975,
 as amended, relating to child cardiopulmonary resuscitation requirements for
 day care facility staff, so as to require a family day care home to be
 approved in addition to being registered to be exempt from this requirement.

   03/25/92  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-16
   03/25/92  House  Referred to Committee on Medical, Military,
                     Public and Municipal Affairs HJ-16

A BILL

TO AMEND SECTION 20-7-2840, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO REGISTRATION OF FAMILY DAY CARE HOMES, SO AS TO REVISE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THOSE HOMES WHICH ELECT TO PARTICIPATE IN A FEDERAL PROGRAM; TO AMEND SECTION 20-7-2890, RELATING TO CONSULTATION BY THE DEPARTMENT WITH OPERATORS IN FAMILY DAY CARE HOMES ON MAINTAINING STANDARDS, SO AS TO AUTHORIZE THE DEPARTMENT OR OTHER AUTHORIZED ENTITY TO ENTER THE HOME ON REQUEST AND TO OFFER CONSULTATION GENERALLY; AND TO AMEND SECTION 20-7-2975, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO CHILD CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION REQUIREMENTS FOR DAY CARE FACILITY STAFF, SO AS TO REQUIRE A FAMILY DAY CARE HOME TO BE APPROVED IN ADDITION TO BEING REGISTERED TO BE EXEMPT FROM THIS REQUIREMENT.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. Section 20-7-2840(C) of the 1976 Code, as added by Act 151 of 1991, is amended to read:

"(C) A family day care home which elects to participate in a federal program which requires licensing as a prerequisite to participation may elect to be licensed under the procedures in Section 20-7-2850. A family day care home electing licensing shall demonstrate compliance with the suggested standards developed by the department under Section 20-7-2980 and shall comply with provisions of Sections 20-7-2730 and 20-7-2740 relating to criminal history conviction records checks upon original licensing and upon renewal. Operators and caregivers of licensed family day care homes are held to the standards in Sections 20-7-2730 and 20-7-2740 regarding criminal convictions may elect to be approved and must have:

(1) one usable 2A10BC fire extinguisher;

(2) working battery operated smoke detectors in each of the rooms in which the children are allowed, excluding the bathroom. A smoke detector may be near the kitchen rather than in it;

(3) no unvented portable heaters;

(4) screens on all fireplaces and all wood stoves must have barriers to prevent burns;

(5) a reasonably clean environment, free of insects and rodents;

(6) poisons, cleaning supplies, medicines, and flammables inaccessible to children;

(7) current rabies shots for all pets;

(8) no frayed wiring or exposed wiring that would be considered a hazard;

(9) a step stool, individual hand towels, and individual cups available in the bathroom;

(10) safety caps on all electrical outlets not in use;

(11) a written disaster plan for fire and tornado on file;

(12) criminal history conviction records checks upon original approval and upon renewal pursuant to Sections 20-7-2730 and 20-7-2740;

(13) three letters of reference from three unrelated people that they have known for one year.

The department or other authorized entity shall issue an approval within thirty days of receipt of valid criminal history convictions records check and the verification of three letters of reference. The department or other authorized entity shall visit the home within the first six months of operation and once a year thereafter for the purpose of verifying compliance with this subsection.

Approval under this subsection must be renewed every year under the same procedure as the original approval.

The department or other authorized entity shall respond to deficiencies pursuant to Section 20-7-2750 and shall employ the procedures set out in Section 20-7-2760 for appeals."

SECTION 2. Section 20-7-2890 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 20-7-2890. The department shall or other authorized entity may enter the home upon the home's request to offer consultation through employed staff or other qualified persons to assist a potential applicant, an applicant, or a registered or approved operator in meeting and maintaining the suggested standards for family day care homes."

SECTION 3. Section 20-7-2975 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 103 of 1991, is further amended to read:

"Section 20-7-2975. During the hours of operation all child day care facilities, except registered and approved family day care homes, must have on the premises at least one caregiver with a current certificate for the provision of basic first aid and child-infant cardiopulmonary resuscitation."

SECTION 4. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.