HB277 - Child Care Safety Act

• Establishes the Child Care Safety Act to revise definitions and licensing requirements for child care facilities in Alabama, including preschools operated by churches and nonprofit religious schools.

• Removes the previous blanket exemption from Department of Human Resources licensure for child care facilities operated by churches or nonprofit religious schools, requiring them to obtain licenses unless they meet specific exemption criteria.

• Exempts child care facilities operating as integral parts of local church ministries or religious nonprofit schools from licensure if they do not receive state or federal funds, do not operate for profit, and no children receive state child care subsidies.

• Requires exempt faith-based child care facilities to submit annual documentation including fire and health inspection reports, employee criminal history information, proof of insurance, immunization records, and medical history forms to the Department of Human Resources.

• Creates criminal penalties for administering medication to children in licensed or exempt child care facilities with intent to drug them or alter their behavior beyond medical prescription, ranging from Class C felony to Class A felony depending on the severity of harm caused.

• Requires criminal history background checks for employees and volunteers at all child care facilities and allows exempt facilities to voluntarily request checks; requires all facilities receiving state subsidies to verify criminal background check applications before receiving funds.