EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
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SENATE BILL 252
F5 5lr0079
(PRE–FILED) CF HB 150
By: Chair, Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee (By Request –
Departmental – Education)
Requested: October 7, 2024
Introduced and read first time: January 8, 2025
Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Child Care Centers – Certificated Staff Ratio Requirement – Repeal 2
FOR the purpose of repealing a requirement that certain child care centers have in 3
attendance a certain ratio of staff to children who hold a certificate in first aid and 4
cardiopulmonary resuscitation under certain circumstances; and generally relating 5
to child care centers and staffing requirements. 6
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 7
Article – Education 8
Section 9.5–404(a) 9
Annotated Code of Maryland 10
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 11
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 12
Article – Education 13
Section 9.5–404(b) 14
Annotated Code of Maryland 15
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 16
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 17
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 18
Article – Education 19
9.5–404. 20
(a) The State Board shall adopt rules and regulations for licensing and operating 21
child care centers. 22
2 SENATE BILL 252
(b) These rules and regulations shall: 1
(1) Ensure safe and sanitary conditions in child care centers; 2
(2) Ensure proper care, protection, and supervision of children in child care 3
centers; 4
(3) Ensure the health of children in child care centers by: 5
(i) Monitoring children for signs and symptoms of child abuse; 6
(ii) Instructing licensees and staff concerning child abuse detection 7
and reporting; 8
(iii) Monitoring health practices to help prevent the spread of disease; 9
(iv) Monitoring the care of infants and children with special needs; 10
and 11
(v) Prohibiting the administration of corporal punishment to 12
discipline a child; 13
(4) Promote the sound growth and development of children in child care 14
centers; 15
(5) Promote proper nutrition and developmentally appropriate practices 16
by: 17
(i) Establishing training and policies promoting breast–feeding; 18
(ii) 1. Requiring compliance with the United States Department 19
of Agriculture Child and Adult Care Food Program standards for beverages served to 20
children, except that milk that is not nonfat or low fat may be ordered by a health care 21
practitioner or requested by a parent or guardian; and 22
2. Prohibiting beverages other than infant formula that 23
contain added sweetener or caffeine; and 24
(iii) Setting limits on screen time; 25
(6) Carry out otherwise the purposes and requirements of this subtitle, 26
including imposition of intermediate sanctions to ensure compliance; 27
(7) Prohibit a child from remaining at a child care center for more than 14 28
hours in 1 day unless the Department issues an exception for that child based on guidelines 29
set by the State Superintendent; 30
SENATE BILL 252 3
(8) [(i)] Require that a child care center have in attendance at all times 1
at least 1 individual who is responsible for supervision of children, including children on 2
field trips, and who holds a current certificate indicating successful completion of approved: 3
[1.] (I) Basic first aid training through the American Red 4
Cross or through a program with equivalent standards; and 5
[2.] (II) Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training 6
through the American Heart Association or through a program with equivalent standards 7
appropriate for the ages of children for whom care is provided in the child care center; [and 8
(ii) Require that a child care center serving more than 20 children 9
have in attendance certificate holders described in item (i) of this item in a ratio of at least 10
1 certificate holder for every 20 children;] 11
(9) Require that the minimum age of a child care teacher in a child care 12
center be at least 18 years old and an individual may not be precluded from being a child 13
care teacher solely for being 18 years old; 14
(10) (i) Require that a child care center that receives notice of a 15
contaminated drinking water supply from the child care center’s supplier of water, in 16
accordance with § 9–410 of the Environment Article or otherwise, send notice of the 17
drinking water contamination to the parent or legal guardian of each child attending the 18
child care center; and 19
(ii) Require that the notice sent by the child care center shall: 20
1. Be sent within 10 business days after receipt of the notice 21
of contamination from the child care center’s water supplier; 22
2. Be in writing; 23
3. Identify the contaminants and their levels in the center’s 24
water supply; and 25
4. Describe the child care center’s plan for dealing with the 26
water contamination problem until the child care center’s water is determined by the 27
appropriate authority to be safe for consumption; 28
(11) (i) Require a child care center to have a written emergency 29
preparedness plan for emergency situations that require evacuation, sheltering in place, or 30
other protection of children, such as in the event of fire, natural disaster, or other 31
threatening situation that may pose a health or safety hazard to the children in the child 32
care center; 33
(ii) Require the plan under item (i) of this item to include: 34
4 SENATE BILL 252
1. A designated relocation site and evacuation route; 1
2. Procedures for notifying parents or other adults 2
responsible for the child of the relocation; 3
3. Procedures to address the needs of individual children, 4
including children with special needs; 5
4. Procedures for the reassignment of staff duties during an 6
emergency, as appropriate; and 7
5. Procedures for communicating with local emergency 8
management officials or other appropriate State or local authorities; and 9
(iii) Require a child care center to train staff and ensure that staff are 10
familiar with the plan; 11
(12) Require a child care center to have window coverings in accordance with 12
§ 5–505 of the Family Law Article; and 13
(13) Subject to subsection (c) of this section, establish probationary 14
employment qualifications for an individual who is applying for the first time to be a child 15
care teacher in a child care center in the State that serves preschool or school–age children 16
who are at least 3 years old. 17
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 18
1, 2025. 19