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General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 6558
January Session, 2021
AN ACT CONCERNING IS SUES RELATING TO THE PROVISION OF
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUC ATION AND SERVICES IN CONNECTICUT.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. Section 19a-87b of the general statutes is repealed and the 1
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2021): 2
(a) No person, group of persons, association, organization, 3
corporation, institution or agency, public or private, shall maintain a 4
family child care home, as [defined] described in section 19a-77, without 5
a license issued by the Commissioner of Early Childhood. Licensure 6
forms shall be obtained from the Office of Early Childhood. 7
Applications for licensure shall be made to the commissioner on forms 8
provided by the office and shall contain the information required by 9
regulations adopted under this section. The licensure and application 10
forms shall contain a notice that false statements made therein are 11
punishable in accordance with section 53a-157b. Applicants shall state, 12
in writing, that they are in compliance with the regulations adopted by 13
the commissioner pursuant to subsection (f) of this section. Before a 14
family child care home license is granted, the office shall make an 15
inquiry and investigation which shall include a visit and inspection of 16
the premises for which the license is requested. Any inspection 17
conducted by the office shall include an inspection for evident sources 18 Substitute Bill No. 6558
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of lead poisoning. The office shall provide for a chemical analysis of any 19
paint chips found on such premises. Neither the commissioner nor the 20
commissioner's designee shall require an annual inspection for homes 21
seeking license renewal or for licensed homes, except that the 22
commissioner or the commissioner's designee shall make an 23
unannounced visit, inspection or investigation of each licensed family 24
child care home at least once every year. A licensed family child care 25
home shall not be subject to any conditions on the operation of such 26
home by local officials, other than those imposed by the office pursuant 27
to this subsection, if the home complies with all local codes and 28
ordinances applicable to single and multifamily dwellings. 29
(b) No person shall act as an assistant or substitute staff member to a 30
person or entity maintaining a family child care home, as defined in 31
section 19a-77, without an approval issued by the commissioner. Any 32
person seeking to act as an assistant or substitute staff member in a 33
family child care home shall submit an application for such approval to 34
the office. Applications for approval shall: (1) Be made to the 35
commissioner on forms provided by the office, (2) contain the 36
information required by regulations adopted under this section, and (3) 37
be accompanied by a fee of fifteen dollars. The approval application 38
forms shall contain a notice that false statements made in such form are 39
punishable in accordance with section 53a-157b. 40
(c) The commissioner, within available appropriations, shall require 41
each initial applicant or prospective employee of a family child care 42
home in a position requiring the provision of care to a child, including 43
an assistant or substitute staff member and each household member 44
who is sixteen years of age or older, to submit to comprehensive 45
background checks, including state and national criminal history 46
records checks. The criminal history records checks required pursuant 47
to this subsection shall be conducted in accordance with section 29-17a. 48
The commissioner shall also request a check of the state child abuse 49
registry established pursuant to section 17a-101k. The commissioner 50
shall notify each licensee of the provisions of this subsection. For 51 Substitute Bill No. 6558
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purposes of this subsection, "household member" means any person, 52
other than the person who is licensed to conduct, operate or maintain a 53
family child care home, who resides in the family child care home, such 54
as the licensee's spouse or children, tenants and any other occupant. 55
(d) An application for initial licensure pursuant to this section shall 56
be accompanied by a fee of forty dollars and such license shall be issued 57
for a term of four years. An application for renewal of a license issued 58
pursuant to this section shall be accompanied by a fee of forty dollars 59
and a certification from the licensee that any child enrolled in the family 60
child care home has received age-appropriate immunizations in 61
accordance with regulations adopted pursuant to subsection (f) of this 62
section. A license issued pursuant to this section shall be renewed for a 63
term of four years. In the case of an applicant submitting an application 64
for renewal of a license that has expired, and who has ceased operations 65
of a family child care home due to such expired license, the 66
commissioner may renew such expired license within thirty days of the 67
date of such expiration upon receipt of an application for renewal that 68
is accompanied by such fee and such certification. 69
(e) An application for initial staff approval or renewal of staff 70
approval shall be accompanied by a fee of fifteen dollars. Such 71
approvals shall be issued or renewed for a term of two years. 72
(f) The commissioner shall adopt regulations, in accordance with the 73
provisions of chapter 54, to [assure] ensure that family child care homes, 74
as [defined] described in section 19a-77, meet the health, educational 75
and social needs of children utilizing such homes. Such regulations shall 76
ensure that the family child care home is treated as a residence, and not 77
an institutional facility. Such regulations shall specify that each child be 78
protected as age-appropriate by adequate immunization against 79
diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, poliomyelitis, measles, mumps, rubella, 80
hemophilus influenzae type B and any other vaccine required by the 81
schedule of active immunization adopted pursuant to section 19a-7f. 82
Such regulations shall provide appropriate exemptions for children for 83
whom such immunization is medically contraindicated and for children 84 Substitute Bill No. 6558
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whose parents or guardian objects to such immunization on religious 85
grounds and require that any such objection be accompanied by a 86
statement from such parents or guardian that such immunization would 87
be contrary to the religious beliefs of such child or the parents or 88
guardian of such child, which statement shall be acknowledged, in 89
accordance with the provisions of sections 1-32, 1-34 and 1-35, by (1) a 90
judge of a court of record or a family support magistrate, (2) a clerk or 91
deputy clerk of a court having a seal, (3) a town clerk, (4) a notary public, 92
(5) a justice of the peace, or (6) an attorney admitted to the bar of this 93
state. Such regulations shall also specify conditions under which family 94
child care home providers may administer tests to monitor glucose 95
levels in a child with diagnosed diabetes mellitus, and administer 96
medicinal preparations, including controlled drugs specified in the 97
regulations by the commissioner, to a child receiving child care services 98
at a family child care home pursuant to a written order of a physician 99
licensed to practice medicine in this or another state, an advanced 100
practice registered nurse licensed to prescribe in accordance with 101
section 20-94a or a physician assistant licensed to prescribe in 102
accordance with section 20-12d, and the written authorization of a 103
parent or guardian of such child. Such regulations shall specify 104
appropriate standards for extended care and intermittent short-term 105
overnight care. The commissioner shall inform each licensee, by way of 106
a plain language summary provided not later than sixty days after the 107
regulation's effective date, of any new or changed regulations adopted 108
under this subsection with which a licensee must comply. 109
(g) Upon the declaration by the Governor of a civil preparedness 110
emergency pursuant to section 28-9 or a public health emergency 111
pursuant to section 19a-131a, the commissioner may waive the 112
provisions of any regulation adopted pursuant to this section if the 113
commissioner determines that such waiver would not endanger the life, 114
safety or health of any child. The commissioner shall prescribe the 115
duration of such waiver, provided such waiver shall not extend beyond 116
the duration of the declared emergency. The commissioner shall 117
establish the criteria by which a waiver request shall be made and the 118 Substitute Bill No. 6558
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conditions for which a waiver will be granted or denied. The provisions 119
of section 19a-84 shall not apply to a denial of a waiver request under 120
this subsection. 121
(h) Any family child care home may provide child care services to 122
homeless children and youths, as defined in 42 USC 11434a, as amended 123
from time to time, for a period not to exceed ninety days without 124
complying with any provision in regulations adopted pursuant to this 125
section relating to immunization and physical examination 126
requirements. Any family child care home that provides child care 127
services to homeless children and youths at such home under this 128
subsection shall maintain a record on file of all homeless children and 129
youths who have attended such home for a period of two years after 130
such homeless children or youths are no longer receiving child care 131
services at such home. 132
(i) Any family child care home may provide child care services to a 133
foster child for a period not to exceed forty-five days without complying 134
with any provision in regulations adopted pursuant to this section 135
relating to immunization and physical examination requirements. Any 136
family child care home that provides child care services to a foster child 137
at such home under this subsection shall maintain a record on file of 138
such foster child for a period of two years after such foster child is no 139
longer receiving child care services at such home. For purposes of this 140
subsection, "foster child" means a child who is in the care and custody 141
of the Commissioner of Children and Families and placed in a foster 142
home licensed pursuant to section 17a-114, foster home approved by a 143
child-placing agency licensed pursuant to section 17a-149, facility 144
licensed pursuant to section 17a-145 or with a relative or fictive kin 145
caregiver pursuant to section 17a-114. 146
(j) For the fiscal years ending June 30, 2022, to June 30, 2026, inclusive, 147
the Commissioner of Early Childhood may issue a license to maintain a 148
family child care home in New Britain, New Haven, Bridgeport, 149
Stamford, Hartford or Waterbury in accordance with the provisions of 150
this chapter to a person or group of persons who have partnered with 151 Substitute Bill No. 6558
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an association, organization, corporation, institution or agency, public 152
or private, to provide child care services in a space provided by such 153
association, organization, corporation, institution or agency, provided 154
such space has been approved by the commissioner and is not in a 155
private family home. The commissioner shall not approve more than 156
one facility in each such city to be used for licenses issued under this 157
subsection. An application for a license under this subsection shall 158
include a copy of the current fire marshal certificate of compliance with 159
the Fire Safety Code, and written verification of compliance with the 160
State Building Code, local zoning and building requirements and local 161
health ordinances. The commissioner may require an applicant for a 162
license under this subsection to comply with additional conditions 163
relating to the health and safety of the children who will be served in 164
such facility. The commissioner may waive any requirement that does 165
not apply to such facility. Any license issued under this subsection shall 166
expire on June 30, 2026, except that the commissioner may suspend or 167
revoke any such license at any time in accordance with the provisions 168
of section 19a-87e. 169
Sec. 2. (Effective July 1, 2021) (a) There is established a task force to 170
analyze and make recommendations on issues relating to early 171
childhood workforce development needs in the state. 172
(b) The task force shall examine the following: (1) How to encourage 173
equity-based practices in early childhood education preparation and 174
professional development; (2) ways to address inequity in access to 175
employment opportunities and compensation in the early childhood 176
workforce; (3) the feasibility of creating a new co-authored license that 177
would offer multiple levels of flexibility to address the range of ages, 178
settings and roles in the early childhood field, including a professional 179
continuum for assistants, lead teachers, generalists and specialists, such 180
as early intervention, mental health, integrated special education and 181
rehabilitation therapies; and (4) workforce demands in the state related 182
to the need for early childhood educators providing child care services 183
for infants and toddlers and children up to ages six, seven or eight. 184 Substitute Bill No. 6558
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(c) The task force shall make recommendations concerning: (1) 185
Legislation for educator preparation requirements in the early 186
childhood field; (2) the creation of a new early childhood teacher license 187
or credential jointly issued by the Office of Early Childhood and the 188
Department of Education; (3) the development of a unifying framework 189
for early childhood educator preparation, in accordance with the 190
National Association for the Education of Young Children and the 191
Council for Exceptional Children - Division of Early Childhood, in order 192
to offer definition of levels for competencies and compensation, such as 193
(A) professional development and alternative routes for aides or 194
classroom assistants, (B) associate degree preparation and alternative 195
routes for assistant teachers, (C) bachelor's degree preparation or post-196
baccalaureate work for head teachers, (D) bachelor's degree preparation, 197
post-baccalaureate work or graduate degree attainment for specialists, 198
and (E) alignment with competencies to address adult learners, 199
experience in the field, as well as capacity in languages, community 200
context and cultural norms; (4) methods to increase compensation 201
related to competency and degree attainment that will work across all 202
sectors of the early care and education sector including subsidized and 203
parent fee supported programs; and (5) workforce development and the 204
creation of job opportunities in early childhood. 205
(d) The task force shall consist of the following members: 206
(1) Two appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, 207
one of whom is a professor of early childhood education at a public 208
institution of higher education in the state and one of whom is a 209
representative of a school readiness program, as defined in section 10-210
16p of the general statutes, or a state-funded child care center pursuant 211
to section 8-210 of the general statutes, as amended by this act; 212
(2) Two appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, one of 213
whom is a faculty member from a community college and one of whom 214
is a representative of a private child care provider that is not receiving 215
state financial assistance under section 8-210 of the general statutes, as 216
amended by this act, or 10-16p of the general statutes; 217 Substitute Bill No. 6558
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(3) One appointed by the majority leader of the House of 218
Representatives who is a representative from the Capitol Region 219
Education Council; 220
(4) One appointed by the majority leader of the Senate who is an 221
operator of a family child care home or a representative of an 222
organization that represents or supports the interests of family child 223
care homes; 224
(5) One appointed by the minority leader of the House of 225
Representatives who is a representative from the Connecticut Early 226
Childhood Alliance; 227
(6) One appointed by the minority leader of the Senate who is a 228
representative from a state or national early childhood accrediting 229
organization; 230
(7) The Commissioner of Early Childhood, or the commissioner's 231
designee; 232
(8) The Commissioner of Education, or the commissioner's designee; 233
(9) The cochairs of the Connecticut Consortium for the Advancement 234
of Early Childhood Educators; and 235
(10) The executive director of the State Education Resource Center, or 236
the executive director's designee. 237
(e) Any member of the task force appointed under subdivision (3), 238
(4), (5) or (6) of subsection (d) of this section may be a member of the 239
General Assembly. 240
(f) All initial appointments to the task force shall be made not later 241
than thirty days after the effective date of this section. Any vacancy shall 242
be filled by the appointing authority. 243
(g) The appointments of the speaker of the House of Representatives 244
and the president pro tempore of the Senate shall serve as the 245 Substitute Bill No. 6558
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chairpersons of the task force. Such chairpersons shall schedule the first 246
meeting of the task force, which shall be held not later than sixty days 247
after the effective date of this section. 248
(h) The administrative staff of the joint standing committee of the 249
General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education 250
shall serve as administrative staff of the task force. 251
(i) Not later than January 1, 2023, the task force shall submit a report 252
on its findings and recommendations to the joint standing committee of 253
the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to 254
education, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the 255
general statutes. The task force shall terminate on the date that it 256
submits such report or January 1, 2023, whichever is later. 257
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 July 1, 2021 19a-87b
Sec. 2 July 1, 2021 New section
Statement of Legislative Commissioners:
In Section 1(j), "the cities of" was deleted for proper form, and "in a space
within a facility, other than a private family home and that has been
approved by the commissioner, that has been provided by such
association, organization, corporation, institution or agency" was
replaced with "in a space provided by such association, organization,
corporation, institution or agency, provided such space has been
approved by the commissioner and is not in a private family home" for
clarity; in Section 2(b)(2), "flexibly" was replaced with "flexibility" for
accuracy; in Section 2(b)(3) "interventionist" was replaced with
"intervention" for accuracy; in Section 2(b)(4) "to age six or age eight"
was replaced with "and children up to ages six, seven or eight" for
clarity; and in Section 2(e) "(1), (2)," was deleted for proper form.
ED Joint Favorable Subst. C/R APP
APP Joint Favorable Subst. Substitute Bill No. 6558
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