Bill Text: FL S1234 | 2010 | Regular Session | Comm Sub

Florida Senate Bill 1234 (Prior Session Legislation)

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

Bill Title: Child Care Facilities/Licensing Standards [SPSC]

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2010-04-30 - Died in Messages [S1234 Detail]

Download: Florida-2010-S1234-Comm_Sub.html

 
Florida Senate - 2010                      CS for CS for SB 1234 
 
By the Committees on Health and Human Services Appropriations; 
and Judiciary; and Senator Garcia 
603-04847-10                                          20101234c2 
1                        A bill to be entitled 
2         An act relating to licensing standards for child care 
3         facilities; providing a short title; amending s. 
4         402.305, F.S.; providing minimum licensing 
5         requirements for window blinds and other window 
6         coverings; requiring child care facilities to retrofit 
7         window blinds, window coverings, pull cords, or inner 
8         cords by a specified date in order to eliminate cords 
9         that pose a risk of strangulation; providing a 
10         definition; authorizing the Department of Children and 
11         Family Services to provide certain information 
12         regarding window blinds and window coverings; 
13         authorizing the department to adopt rules; providing 
14         an effective date. 
15 
16  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 
17 
18         Section 1. This act may be cited as the “John F. Serrano, 
19  Rachel Lou Napier, and Alexandra Ali Safety and Accountability 
20  Act.” 
21         Section 2. Subsection (5) of section 402.305, Florida 
22  Statutes, is amended to read: 
23         402.305 Licensing standards; child care facilities.— 
24         (5) PHYSICAL FACILITIES.—Minimum standards shall include 
25  requirements for building conditions, indoor play space, outdoor 
26  play space, napping space, bathroom facilities, food preparation 
27  facilities, outdoor equipment, and indoor equipment. 
28         (a) Because of the nature and duration of drop-in child 
29  care, outdoor play space and outdoor equipment shall not be 
30  required for licensure; however, if such play space and 
31  equipment are provided, then the minimum standards shall apply 
32  to drop-in child care. With respect to minimum standards for 
33  physical facilities of a child care program for school-age 
34  children which is operated in a public school facility, the 
35  department shall adopt the State Uniform Building Code for 
36  Public Educational Facilities Construction as the minimum 
37  standards, regardless of the operator of the program. The 
38  Legislature intends that if a child care program for school-age 
39  children is operated in a public school, the program need not 
40  conform to standards for physical facilities other than the 
41  standards adopted by the Commissioner of Education. 
42         (b) Minimum requirements for licensure of a child care 
43  facility shall prohibit the use or installation of window blinds 
44  or other window coverings that have long dangling cords, pull 
45  cords, or inner cords capable of forming a loop and which 
46  thereby pose a risk of strangulation to young children. Window 
47  blinds and other window coverings that have been manufactured or 
48  properly retrofitted in a manner that eliminates long dangling 
49  cords, pull cords, inner cords, or the formation of loops that 
50  pose a risk of strangulation are not prohibited under this 
51  subsection. Cordless window blinds are recommended and are in 
52  compliance with this subsection. 
53         1. When developing and periodically reviewing minimum 
54  licensing requirements related to the safety and installation of 
55  window blinds and other window coverings in child care 
56  facilities, the department shall review and take into 
57  consideration the recommendations of the United States Consumer 
58  Product Safety Commission. 
59         2. Child care facilities must properly retrofit existing 
60  window blinds, window coverings, pull cords, or inner cords in 
61  accordance with this paragraph by January 1, 2011. For purposes 
62  of this subparagraph, “properly retrofit” means to modify in a 
63  manner that eliminates long dangling cords or the formation of 
64  inner or outer cord loops that pose a risk of child 
65  strangulation. 
66         3. The department may provide information regarding 
67  reduced-cost or no-cost options for retrofitting or replacing 
68  unsafe window blinds and window coverings. 
69         4. The department shall adopt rules to administer these 
70  requirements. 
71         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2010.