Bill Text: FL S0252 | 2021 | Regular Session | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Child Care Facilities

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)

Status: (Passed) 2021-06-23 - Chapter No. 2021-120 [S0252 Detail]

Download: Florida-2021-S0252-Introduced.html

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       Florida Senate - 2021                                     SB 252
       
       
        
       By Senator Stewart
       
       
       
       
       
       13-00124-21                                            2021252__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to child care facilities; providing a
    3         short title; amending s. 402.305, F.S.; requiring
    4         certain vehicles, by a specified date, to be equipped
    5         with a reliable alarm system that meets specified
    6         criteria; requiring the Department of Children and
    7         Families to adopt by rule minimum safety standards for
    8         such systems and to maintain a list of approved alarm
    9         manufacturers and alarm systems; making technical
   10         changes; providing an effective date.
   11          
   12  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   13  
   14         Section 1. This act may be cited as the “Child Safety Alarm
   15  Act.”
   16         Section 2. Subsection (10) of section 402.305, Florida
   17  Statutes, is amended to read:
   18         402.305 Licensing standards; child care facilities.—
   19         (10) TRANSPORTATION SAFETY.—
   20         (a) Minimum standards shall include all of the following:
   21         1. Requirements for child restraints or seat belts in
   22  vehicles used by child care facilities and large family child
   23  care homes to transport children.,
   24         2. Requirements for annual inspections of such the
   25  vehicles.,
   26         3. Limitations on the number of children that may be
   27  transported in such the vehicles.,
   28         4. Procedures to ensure that avoid leaving children are not
   29  inadvertently left in vehicles when transported by the facility
   30  or home, and that systems are in place to ensure accountability
   31  for children transported by such facilities and homes the child
   32  care facility.
   33         (b) By January 1, 2022, all vehicles used by child care
   34  facilities and large family child care homes to transport
   35  children must be equipped with a reliable alarm system approved
   36  by the department which prompts the driver to inspect the
   37  vehicle for children before exiting the vehicle. The department
   38  shall adopt by rule minimum safety standards for such systems
   39  and shall maintain a list of approved alarm manufacturers and
   40  alarm systems that meet or exceed those standards.
   41         (c) A child care facility or large family child care home
   42  is not responsible for the safe transport of children when they
   43  are being transported by a parent or guardian.
   44         Section 3. This act shall take effect October 1, 2021.