HB 1600 — 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.

1909 PRINTER'STHE NO.GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE BILL Session of No.

19441600 THE2025 GENERALINTRODUCED ASSEMBLYBY OFMEHAFFIE, PENNSYLVANIACERRATO, HOUSECIRESI, BILLFREEMAN, SessionMcNEILL, O'MARA, RABB, SANCHEZ, SCHLOSSBERG, SOLOMON AND TAKAC, JUNE 11, 2025 REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN AND YOUTH, JUNE 11, 2025 AN ACT Amending the act of No.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, providing for Keystone STARS Program and further providing for definition.

1600 2025 INTRODUCED BY MEHAFFIE, CERRATO, CIRESI, FREEMAN, McNEILL, HANBIDGE, JUNE 11, 2025SCHLOSSBERG, SOLOMON, TAKAC AND AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN AND YOUTH, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, JUNE 17, 2025 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, providing for Keystone STARS Program and further providing for definition.

Keystone STARS Program.--(a) Each certified <-- child-care provider A CHILD CARE FACILITY PARTICIPATING 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 <-- CHILD CARE FACILITY has received.

<-- (2) Provide, in a linguistically appropriate manner, the <-- certified child-care provider's TOSTAR-level A PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN AT <-- THE TIME OF THE APPLICATION, THE CHILD CARE FACILITY'S STAR- level rating and the DEPARTMENT'S 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 CHILD CARE FACILITY'S <-- participation in the Keystone STARS Program and designated STAR-STAR-level level rating, which may be displayed in a public-facing location.

(i) The name of the certified child-care providerprovider. CHILD CARE <-- FACILITY.

(iv) The number of STARS that the certified child-care <-- provider CHILD CARE FACILITY 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 CHILD CARE FACILITY that chooses to <-- participate in the Keystone STARS Program to move up a STAR 20250HB1600PN1944 - 2 - level by permitting 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 20250HB1600PN1909 - 2 - shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection:

<-- (1) A child-care center or family child-care home certified or licensed under Article X.

(2) A provider certified or "CHILD CARE FACILITY" MEANS A <-- FACILITY licensed to provide child care under Article IXIX. THIS <-- ARTICLE.

"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 providersproviders. CHILD CARE <-- FACILITIES.

Facility Annual Fee 20250HB1600PN1944 - 3 - Adult day care center $ 15 Mental health establishment 50 Personal care home-- 0 - 20 beds 15 -- 21 - 50 beds 20 -- 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 20250HB1600PN1909 - 3 - institutions.

Keystone STARS Program.--(a) Each certified <-- child-care provider A CHILD CARE FACILITY 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 <-- CHILD CARE FACILITY has received.

<-- (2) Provide, in a linguistically appropriate manner, TO A <-- PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION, the certified child-care provider's CHILD CARE FACILITY'S STAR-level <-- rating and the DEPARTMENT'S 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 CHILD CARE FACILITY'S <-- participation in the Keystone STARS Program and designated STAR-STAR-level level rating, which may be displayed in a public-facing location.

20250HB1600PN1944 - 4 - (b) The department shall be responsible for issuing placards to program participants in conformance with the following:

(i) The name of the certified child-care providerprovider. CHILD CARE <-- FACILITY.

(iv) The number of STARS that the certified child-care <-- provider CHILD CARE FACILITY 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.

20250HB1600PN1909 - 4 - (c) The department shall issue guidance that establishes a Keystone STARS rubric which provides a pathway for a certified <-- child-care provider CHILD CARE FACILITY 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.

<-- (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 20250HB1600PN1944 - 5 - under Article IX.

"CHILD"Keystone CARESTARS" FACILITY"means MEANSthe Astandards, CHILDtraining CAREand <--professional CENTERdevelopment, ORassistance, FAMILYresources CHILDand CAREsupports HOME(STARS) LICENSEDused UNDERin THISthe ARTICLE.Commonwealth's quality rating and improvement system for certified child-care providers.

"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 CHILD CARE <-- FACILITIES.

Mental hospital, institution for the mentally defective, [day] child care center, nursing home, hospital, personal care home, 20250HB1600PN1909 - 5 - assisted living residence and other similar institution which is operated for profit and which requires a license issued by the department.

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