ROBERT L. EHRLICH, JR., Governor                             Ch. 436

family day care providers; altering certain inspection requirements for family
day care homes and child care centers; providing for a delayed effective date;
and generally relating to the registration and licensing requirements of family
day care homes and child care centers.

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
Article - Family Law
Section 5-551 and 5-578
Annotated Code of Maryland
(1999 Replacement Volume and 2003 Supplement)

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:

Article - Family Law

5-551.

(a)     The Department shall adopt rules and regulations that relate to the
registration of family day care homes.

(b)     So far as practicable, the rules and regulations shall be uniform with the
rules and regulations adopted by other State agencies as those rules and regulations
relate to other types of day care.

(c)     At a minimum, the rules and regulations shall provide for:

(1)     minimum standards of environmental health and safety, including
provisions for:

(i) adequate and safe physical surroundings;

(ii) the physical and mental health of day care providers; and

(iii) investigation of any criminal record of a day care provider;

(2)     a thorough evaluation of each prospective family day care home and
day care provider, to be completed before the Department accepts an initial
registration;

(3)     [self-certification by each registered day care provider once every 2
years that all requirements for a family day care home are being met] AN INITIAL
FAMILY DAY CARE REGISTRATION THAT EXPIRES 2 YEARS AFTER ITS EFFECTIVE
DATE;

(4)      A CONTINUING FAMILY DAY CARE REGISTRATION THAT:

(I) UPON APPLICATION BY THE DAY CARE PROVIDER THAT MEETS
THE REQUIREMENTS SET BY THE DEPARTMENT, IS ISSUED TO THE PROVIDER
BEFORE THE END OF THE INITIAL REGISTRATION PERIOD; AND

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