JEFFERSON CITY —Sen. Jill Schupp, D-Creve Coeur, today pre-filed legislation that would modify in-home unlicensed child care facility regulations in order to increase transparency and expand critical safety requirements.
“Every day, parents place their precious children in child care and trust they’re receiving quality care from capable and loving individuals in a safe environment,” Sen. Schupp said. “There are simple steps we can take to help assure parents they have the information they need to select a qualified facility for their child.”
Sen. Schupp’s legislation would enact four changes that aim to increase transparency and quality of care at unlicensed in-home child care facilities. The act would require children under kindergarten age who are related to a caregiver to be counted in the total number of children being cared for. It would also require every child care facility to disclose its licensure status to the parents or guardians of the children under its care. Additionally, the bill increases existing fines for making materially false statements about the licensure status or capacity of the facility, and the bill also empowers the Department of Health and Senior Services to immediately close any illegally operating unlicensed child care facility based on harm or imminent harm to the children involved.
“The safety of our children needs to be our top priority,” Sen. Schupp said. “Under the status quo, too many children have lost their lives in unlicensed in-home care. There are ways to help ensure a much safer environment, and it is time for the legislature to make children’s lives its priority.”
For more information on Sen. Schupp’s legislation, visit her official Senate website.
