HB 2400 — An Act amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), known as the Human Services Code, in departmental powers and duties as to supervision, providing for Keystone STARS Program; and, in departmental powers and duties as to licensing, further providing for fees, providing for Keystone STARS Program and further providing for definition.

PRIOR PRINTER'S NO.

2792 THEPRINTER'S GENERALNO. ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE BILL Session of No.

3512 THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE BILL Session of No.

DAVIS, FREEMAN, GUZMAN, HARKINS, HELM, HILL-EVANS, HOHENSTEIN, MADDEN, NEILSON, OTTEN, SANCHEZ, SAPPEYSAPPEY, ANDTOPPER TOPPER, MARCH 8, 2022 REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN AND YOUTH,D. MARCH 8, 2022 AN ACT Amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), entitled "An act to consolidate, editorially revise, and codify the public welfare laws of the Commonwealth," in departmental powers and duties as to supervision, providing for Keystone STARS licensing, further providing for fees and for definition.

WILLIAMS, MARCH 8, 2022 AS REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, SEPTEMBER 21, 2022HOUSE OF AN ACT Amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), entitled "An act to consolidate, editorially revise, and codify the public welfare laws of the Commonwealth," in departmental powers and duties as to supervision, providing for Keystone STARS Program;

and, in departmental powers and duties as to licensing, further providing for fees and, PROVIDING FOR <-- KEYSTONE STARS PROGRAM AND FURTHER PROVIDING for definition.

(c) The department shall issue guidance that establishes a Keystone STARS rubric which provides a pathway for a certified child care provider that chooses to participate in the Keystone STARS Program to move up a STAR level by permitting appropriate <-- work experience in lieu of formal educational credentials when hiring employees to count DEMONSTRATION OF A COMBINATION OF <-- STAFF QUALIFICATIONS, WORK EXPERIENCE AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, QUALITY EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAM ACTIVITIES, PARTNERSHIPS WITH FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES AND 20220HB2400PN3512 - 2 - EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP AND PROGRAM MANAGEMENT when applying for additional STARS.

Sections 1006 and 1051 of the act are amended to <-- read:

(D) AS USED IN THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING WORDS AND PHRASES <-- SHALL HAVE THE MEANINGS GIVEN TO THEM IN THIS SUBSECTION:

"CERTIFIED CHILD CARE PROVIDER" MEANS:

(1) A CHILD CARE CENTER OR FAMILY CHILD CARE HOME CERTIFIED OR LICENSED UNDER ARTICLE X.

(2) A PROVIDER CERTIFIED OR LICENSED TO PROVIDE CHILD CARE UNDER ARTICLE IX.

"KEYSTONE STARS" MEANS THE STANDARDS, TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, ASSISTANCE, RESOURCES AND SUPPORTS (STARS) USED IN THE COMMONWEALTH'S QUALITY RATING AND IMPROVEMENT SYSTEM FOR CERTIFIED CHILD CARE PROVIDERS.

"STAR" MEANS A LEVEL OF PERFORMANCE RATING FOR EARLY LEARNING PROGRAMS PARTICIPATING IN THE KEYSTONE STARS PROGRAM THAT ASSESSES STAFF EDUCATION, LEARNING ENVIRONMENT, LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT AND FAMILY AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS.

SECTION 2.

SECTION 1006 OF THE ACT IS AMENDED TO READ:

Fees.--Annual licenses shall be issued when the proper fee, if required, is received by the department and 20220HB2400PN2792 - 2 - all the other conditions prescribed in this act are met.

Facility Annual Fee Adult day care center $ 15 Mental health establishment 50 Personal care home-- 0 - 20 beds 15 -- 21 - 50 beds 20 20220HB2400PN3512 - 3 - -- 51 - 100 beds 30 --101 beds and above 50 No fee shall be required for the annual license in the case of [day] child care centers, family child care homes, boarding homes for children or for public or nonprofit mental institutions.

Section<-- 1051.SECTION 3.

THE ACT IS AMENDED BY ADDING A SECTION TO READ:

SECTION 1019.

KEYSTONE STARS PROGRAM.--(A) EACH CERTIFIED CHILD CARE PROVIDER IN THE KEYSTONE STARS PROGRAM MAY:

(1) DENOTE ON ITS PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE INTERNET WEBSITE, IF OPERATIONAL, ITS DESIGNATED STAR-LEVEL RATING, WHICH SHALL INCLUDE HOW MANY STARS THAT THE CERTIFIED CHILD CARE PROVIDER HAS RECEIVED.

(2) PROVIDE, IN A LINGUISTICALLY APPROPRIATE MANNER, THE CERTIFIED CHILD CARE PROVIDER'S STAR-LEVEL RATING AND THE PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE INTERNET WEBSITE OF THE DEPARTMENT THAT INCLUDES INFORMATION ON THE KEYSTONE STARS PROGRAM IN WRITING TO A PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION.

(3) OBTAIN A DEPARTMENT-ISSUED PLACARD THAT DENOTES THE CERTIFIED CHILD CARE PROVIDER'S PARTICIPATION IN THE KEYSTONE STARS PROGRAM AND DESIGNATED STAR-LEVEL RATING, WHICH MAY BE DISPLAYED IN A PUBLIC-FACING LOCATION.

(B) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ISSUING PLACARDS TO PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS IN CONFORMANCE WITH THE FOLLOWING:

(1) THE PLACARDS SHALL BE CLEAR, VISIBLE, READABLE AND LINGUISTICALLY APPROPRIATE.

(2) THE PLACARDS SHALL INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:

(I) THE NAME OF THE CERTIFIED CHILD CARE PROVIDER.

(II) THE NAME OF THE DEPARTMENT.

(III) THE DATE THAT THE DEPARTMENT ISSUED THE PLACARD.

20220HB2400PN3512 - 4 - (IV) THE NUMBER OF STARS THAT THE CERTIFIED CHILD CARE PROVIDER HAS RECEIVED.

(V) THE ADDRESS, TELEPHONE NUMBER, PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE INTERNET WEBSITE THAT INCLUDES INFORMATION ON THE KEYSTONE STARS PROGRAM AND E-MAIL ADDRESS OF THE DEPARTMENT.

(C) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ISSUE GUIDANCE THAT ESTABLISHES A KEYSTONE STARS RUBRIC WHICH PROVIDES A PATHWAY FOR A CERTIFIED CHILD CARE PROVIDER THAT CHOOSES TO PARTICIPATE IN THE KEYSTONE STARS PROGRAM TO MOVE UP A STAR LEVEL BY PERMITTING APPROPRIATE DEMONSTRATION OF A COMBINATION OF STAFF QUALIFICATIONS, WORK EXPERIENCE AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, QUALITY EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAM ACTIVITIES, PARTNERSHIPS WITH FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES AND EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP AND PROGRAM MANAGEMENT WHEN APPLYING FOR ADDITIONAL STARS.

(D) AS USED IN THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING WORDS AND PHRASES SHALL HAVE THE MEANINGS GIVEN TO THEM IN THIS SUBSECTION:

"CERTIFIED CHILD CARE PROVIDER" MEANS:

(1) A CHILD CARE CENTER OR FAMILY CHILD CARE HOME CERTIFIED OR LICENSED UNDER ARTICLE X.

(2) A PROVIDER CERTIFIED OR LICENSED TO PROVIDE CHILD CARE UNDER ARTICLE IX.

"KEYSTONE STARS" MEANS THE STANDARDS, TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, ASSISTANCE, RESOURCES AND SUPPORTS (STARS) USED IN THE COMMONWEALTH'S QUALITY RATING AND IMPROVEMENT SYSTEM FOR CERTIFIED CHILD CARE PROVIDERS.

"STAR" MEANS A LEVEL OF PERFORMANCE RATING FOR EARLY LEARNING PROGRAMS PARTICIPATING IN THE KEYSTONE STARS PROGRAM THAT ASSESSES STAFF EDUCATION, LEARNING ENVIRONMENT, LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT AND FAMILY AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS.