Senate Bill 21-201 Summary

• Department must publish names and locations of child care providers operating without valid licenses or exemptions on the state website in consumer-friendly format, including dates and total number of cease-and-desist orders issued, by December 31, 2021, and ongoing annually thereafter.

• Department must apply for injunctions to shut down unlicensed child care facilities and must notify law enforcement when seeking injunctions against providers with patterns of violations despite receiving department notification.

• Violations of child care licensing requirements or cease-and-desist orders are reclassified as petty offenses punishable by fines up to $500, jail time up to 10 days, or both, effective July 1, 2021.

• Civil penalties for violations increase to $250 on the first day, $500 on the second day, and $1,000 per day for the third and subsequent days, up to a maximum of $10,000.

• Appropriates $83,375 from federal child care development funds to the Department of Human Services Office of Early Childhood for licensing and administration; the act is named the "Elle Matthews Act for Increased Safety in Child Care."