S.B. No. 251 Summary

• Requires the Department of Job and Family Services to develop and implement an annual infant safe sleep education program covering safe sleeping practices and causes of sudden unexpected infant death.

• Mandates that child day-care center licensees, type A and B family day-care home licensees, in-home aides, and their employees caring for infants under 12 months complete the program annually or complete the Department of Health's equivalent program.

• Establishes escalating penalties for violations discovered during inspections: first offense receives written warning, second offense $50 penalty, third offense $75 penalty, fourth offense up to 6-month license suspension plus $100 penalty, and fifth offense 12-month suspension plus $250 penalty.

• Allows the director to suspend licenses for violations without prior hearing, though licensees may appeal under existing procedures, except appeals are prohibited for violations of the safe sleep requirements.

• Creates the Safe Sleep Training Fund (Fund 5VM0) in the state treasury to receive civil penalties and appropriates revenues for fiscal years 2020-2021 to fund the safe sleep training program.