HF 342 (LSB 2109YH (2) 85)

HOUSE FILE 342

BY  PETTENGILL

(COMPANION TO SF 201 BY KAPUCIAN)

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to the number of children in child care homes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 237A.1, subsection 6, Code 2013, is amended to read as follows:
   6.  “Child care home” means a person or program providing child care to five or fewer children at any one time, or ten or fewer children pursuant to section 237A.3, subsection 1A, that is not registered to provide child care under this chapter, as authorized under section 237A.3.
    Sec. 2.  Section 237A.3, Code 2013, is amended by adding the following new subsection:
   NEW SUBSECTION.  1A.
  a.  Notwithstanding subsection 1, a person or program operating a child care home in a small community may provide child care for between six and eight children for up to three hours per day if a parent of each child being provided care in the child care home signs a written waiver allowing the additional number of children in the child care home. A person or program operating a child care home in a small community may provide child care for nine or ten children for up to three hours per day if the child care home provides an additional employee for the three hours in which the child care home is providing care for nine or ten children and a parent of each child being provided care in the child care home signs a written waiver allowing the additional number of children in the child care home.
   b.  For purposes of this subsection, “small community” means a city of less than ten thousand persons or a county of less than ten thousand persons as determined by the most recent census certified by the secretary of state pursuant to section 9F.3.
   c.  The department shall adopt rules to determine the necessary content in a waiver required pursuant to this subsection.
EXPLANATION
   This bill increases the number of children allowed in child care homes under certain circumstances. Currently, a child care home that is not registered may provide child care to five children or fewer. The bill provides that a child care home in a small community may provide child care for between six and eight children for up to three hours a day as long as a parent of each child signs a waiver. The bill also allows a child care home in a small community to provide child care for nine or 10 children for up to three hours a day if each parent signs a waiver and the child care home provides an additional employee during periods when the child care home provides care for nine or 10 children. The bill defines “small community” as either a city of less than 10,000 persons or a county of less than 10,000 persons.