Pupil Transportation

Social Services Law - Article 6 - CHILDREN
Title 1 - CARE AND PROTECTION OF CHILDREN



§   390.   Child  day  care;  license  or  registration  required. 

1. Definitions. 

(a) (i) "Child day care" shall mean care for a child on a regular  basis  provided  away  from the child's residence for less than twenty-four hours per day by someone other than the parent, step-parent, guardian, or relative within the third degree of consanguinity of the parents or step-parents of such child.

      (ii) Child day care shall not refer to care provided in:

    (A) a day camp, as defined in the state sanitary code;

    (B)  an  after-school  program  operated  for the purpose of religious education, sports, or recreation;

    (C) a facility:(1) providing day services under an operating  certificate  issued  by   the department;

    (2)  providing  day treatment under an operating certificate issued by the office  of  mental  health  or  office  of  mental  retardation  and developmental disabilities; or

    (D)  a  kindergarten, pre-kindergarten, or nursery school for children three years of age  or  older,  or  after-school  program  for  children operated  by  a public school district or by a private school or academy which is  providing  elementary  or  secondary  education  or  both,  in accordance  with  the compulsory education requirements of the education law, provided that the kindergarten, pre-kindergarten,  nursery  school, or  after  school program is located on the premises or campus where the elementary or secondary education is provided.

(b) "Child day care provider" shall mean any individual,  association,  corporation, partnership, institution or agency whose activities include   providing child day care or operating a home or facility where child day care is provided.

 (c)  "Child day care center" shall mean any program or facility caring for children for more than three hours per day per child in which child day care is provided by a child day care provider except those programs operating as a group family day care home as such term is defined in paragraph (d) of this subdivision, a family day care home, as such term is defined in paragraph (e) of this subdivision, and a school-age child care program, as such term is  defined in paragraph (f) of this subdivision.

(d) "Group family day care home" shall mean a program caring for children  for more than three hours per day per child in which child day care is provided in a family home for seven to twelve children of all ages, except for those programs operating as a family day care home, as such term is defined in paragraph (e) of this  subdivision,  which  care for  seven  or  eight  children.  A  group  family day care provider may provide child day care services to  four  additional children if such additional children are of school age and such children receive services only  before  or after the period such children are ordinarily in school or during school lunch periods, or  school  holidays,  or  during  those periods  of  the  year in which school is not in session. There shall be one caregiver for every two children under two years of age in the group family home. A group family day care home must have at least one   assistant  to the operator present when child day care is being provided   to seven or more children when none of the children are school  age,  or nine  or  more children when at least two of the children are school age and such children receive services only before or after the period  such children  are  ordinarily  in  school or during school lunch periods, or school holidays, or during those periods of the year in which school  is not in session. This assistant shall be selected by the group family day care  operator  and  shall  meet the qualifications established for such position by the  regulations  of  the  office  of  children  and  family services.

 (e)  "Family  day  care home" shall mean a program caring for children for more than three hours per day per child in which child day  care  is provided  in a family home for three to six children. There shall be one caregiver for every two children under two years of age  in  the  family day  care  home. A family day care provider may, however, care for seven or eight children at any one time if no more than six  of  the  children are  less  than  school  age  and  the school-aged children receive care primarily before or after the period such  children  are  ordinarily  in school, during school lunch periods, on school holidays, or during those periods of the year in which school is not in session in accordance with the  regulations  of  the office of children and family services and the office inspects such home to determine whether  the  provider  can  care adequately for seven or eight children.

(f)  "School age child care" shall mean a program caring for more than   six school-aged children who are under thirteen years of age or who  are   incapable  of caring for themselves. Such programs shall be in operation   consistent with  the  local  school  calendar.  School  age  child  care   programs shall offer care during the school year to an enrolled group of   children  at  a  permanent  site  before  or  after  the period children enrolled in such program are ordinarily in school or during school lunch periods and may also provide such care  on  school  holidays  and  those periods of the year in which school is not in session.

2.(a) Child day care centers caring for seven or more children and group family day care programs, as defined in subdivision  one  of  this section,  shall  obtain a license from the office of children and family services and shall operate in accordance with the terms of such  license and  the regulations of such office. Initial licenses shall be valid for a period of up to two years; subsequent licenses shall be  valid  for  a period of up to four years so long as the provider remains substantially in compliance with applicable law and regulations during such period.

(b)  Family day care homes, child day care centers caring for at least three but fewer than seven children, and school-age child care  programs shall  register with the department and shall operate in compliance with the regulations of the department.

(c) Any child day care provider  not  required  to  obtain  a  license pursuant  to  paragraph  (a) of this subdivision or to register with the department pursuant to paragraph (b) of this  subdivision  may  register with the department.

(d)  (i)  The  office of children and family services shall promulgate regulations for  licensure  and  for  registration  of  child  day  care pursuant  to  this  section.  Procedures  for  obtaining  a  license  or registration  or  renewing  a  license  shall  include  a   satisfactory inspection of the facility by the office of children and family services prior  to  issuance  of  the  license  or registration or renewal of the license.

        (ii)  (A) Initial registrations shall be valid for a period  of  up  to two years, subsequent registrations shall be valid for a period of up to four  years  so long as the provider remains substantially in compliance with applicable law and regulations during such period.

    (B) After initial registration by the child  day  care  provider,  the office  of  children and family services shall not accept any subsequent registration by such provider, unless:

(1) such provider has met  the  training  requirements  set  forth  in section three hundred ninety-a of this title;

(2) such provider  has met the requirements of section three hundred ninety-b of this title relating to criminal history screening;

(3) such provider has complied with the requirements of  section  four   hundred twenty-four-a of this article; and

(4)  the  office  of  children  and  family  services  has received no   complaints about the home, center,  or  program  alleging  statutory  or   regulatory  violations,  or, having received such complaints, the office   of  children  and  family  services  has  determined,  after  inspection   pursuant to paragraph (a) of subdivision three of this section, that the   home,  center,  or  program  is  operated  in compliance with applicable   statutory and regulatory requirements.

    (C) Where the office of children and family  services  has  determined that  a registration should not be continued because the requirements of clause (B) of this subparagraph have not been satisfied, the  office  of children  and  family  services  may  terminate the registration. If the office  of  children  and  family  services  does  not   terminate   the registration,  the  office of children and family services shall inspect the home or program before acknowledging  any  subsequent  registration. Where  the  home  or program has failed to meet the requirements of this section, the office of children  and  family  services  may  reject  any subsequent registration of a provider. Nothing herein shall prohibit the office  of  children  and family services from terminating or suspending registration pursuant to subdivision  ten  of  this  section  where  the office  of  children  and family services determines that termination or suspension is necessary.

    (iv) Child day care providers who have been  issued  a  license  shall   openly  display  such  license  in  the  facility  or home for which the license is issued. Child day care providers who have registered with the department shall provide proof of registration upon request.

(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, where a child is cared for by a parent, guardian or relative within the  third  degree of   consanguinity   of  the  parent  of  such  child  and  such  person   simultaneously provides child day care  for  other  children,  only  the other  children  shall  be considered in determining whether such person must be registered or licensed, provided that such person is not caring, in total, for more than eight children.

2-a. (a) The office of children and family services  shall  promulgate

  regulations  which  establish  minimum  quality program requirements for

  licensed and registered child day care homes, programs  and  facilities.

  Such  requirements  shall include but not be limited to (i) the need for

  age  appropriate  activities,  materials  and   equipment   to   promote

  cognitive,  educational, social, cultural, physical, emotional, language

  and recreational development of children in care in a safe, healthy  and

  caring  environment  (ii)  principles  of  childhood  development  (iii)

  appropriate staff/child ratios for family day care homes,  group  family

  day  care  homes,  school  age  day  care programs and day care centers,

  provided  however  that  such  staff/child  ratios  shall  not  be  less

  stringent  than  applicable staff/child ratios as set forth in part four

  hundred fourteen, four hundred sixteen, four hundred seventeen  or  four

  hundred  eighteen  of  title  eighteen of the New York code of rules and

  regulations as of January first, two thousand (iv) appropriate levels of

  supervision of children in care (v) minimum  standards  for  sanitation,

  health,  infection  control, nutrition, buildings and equipment, safety,

  security procedures, first aid, fire prevention, fire safety, evacuation

  plans and drills, prevention of  child  abuse  and  maltreatment,  staff

  qualifications   and   training,  record  keeping,  and  child  behavior

  management.

(b) The use of electronic monitors as a sole means of  supervision  of

  children  in  day  care  shall  be  prohibited,  except  that electronic

  monitors may be used in family day care homes and group family day  care

  homes as an indirect means of supervision where the parents of any child

  to  be  supervised have agreed in advance to the use of such monitors as

  an indirect means of  supervision  and  the  use  of  such  monitors  is

  restricted to situations where the children so supervised are sleeping.

    (c) No child less than six weeks of age may be cared for by a licensed

  or  registered  day  care  provider, except in extenuating circumstances

  where prior approval for care of such children has  been  given  by  the

  office  of  children  and family services. Extenuating circumstances for

  the purposes of this section shall include but not  be  limited  to  the

  medical or health needs of the parent or child, or the economic hardship

  of the parent.

    3.  (a)  The office of children and family services may make announced

  or unannounced inspections of the records and premises of any child  day

  care  provider,  whether  or not such provider has a license from, or is

  registered with, the office of children and family services. The  office

  of  children  and  family services shall make unannounced inspections of

  the records and premises of any child day care provider  within  fifteen

  days  after  the  office  of  children  and  family  services receives a

  complaint that, if true, would indicate such provider  does  not  comply

  with  the  regulations  of the office of children and family services or

  with statutory requirements. If the complaint indicates that  there  may

  be  imminent  danger  to the children, the office of children and family

  services shall investigate the complaint no later than the next  day  of

  operation  of  the  provider. The office of children and family services

  may provide for inspections through the purchase of services.

    (b) Where inspections have been  made  and  violations  of  applicable

  statutes  or  regulations  have  been  found, the office of children and

  family services shall within ten days advise the child day care provider

  in writing of the violations and require the provider  to  correct  such

  violations.  The  office  of  children  and family services may also act

  pursuant to subdivisions ten and eleven of this section.

    (c) (i) The office of children and family services shall  establish  a

  toll-free  statewide  telephone  number to receive inquiries about child

  day care homes, programs and facilities and complaints of violations  of

  the  requirements  of this section or regulations promulgated under this

  section. The office of children and  family  services  shall  develop  a

  system  for  investigation,  which  shall  include  inspection,  of such

  complaints. The office of children and family services may  provide  for

  such investigations through purchase of services. The office of children

  and  family  services  shall  develop  a  process  for  publicizing such

  toll-free telephone  number  to  the  public  for  making  inquiries  or

  complaints about child day care homes, programs or facilities.

    (ii)  Information to be maintained and available to the public through

  such toll-free telephone number shall include, but not be limited to:

    (A) current license and registration status of child day  care  homes,

  programs  and  facilities including whether a license or registration is

  in effect or has been revoked or suspended; and

    (B) child care  resource  and  referral  programs  providing  services

  pursuant  to  title  five-B of this article and other resources known to

  the office of children and family services which  relate  to  child  day

  care homes, programs and facilities in the state.

    (iii)  Upon  written  request  identifying a particular child day care

  home, program or facility, the office of children  and  family  services

shall  provide  the  information set forth below. The office of children

and family services may charge reasonable fees for copies  of  documents

  provided,  consistent  with  the provisions of article six of the public

  officers law. The information available pursuant to  this  clause  shall

  be:

    (A)  the  results  of  the  most  recent  inspection  for licensure or

  registration and any subsequent inspections by the  office  of  children

  and family services;

    (B)  complaints  filed  against  child  day  care  homes,  programs or

 facilities which describes the nature of the complaint  and  states  how

  the  complaint  was  resolved,  including  the  status  of the office of

  children and family services investigation, the steps taken  to  rectify

  the complaint, and the penalty, if any, imposed; and

    (C)  child day care homes, programs or facilities which have requested

  or received a waiver from any applicable rule  or  regulation,  and  the

  regulatory requirement which was waived.

    (iv) Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to require or permit

  the  disclosure  either  orally or in writing of any information that is

  confidential pursuant to law.

    (d) Where investigation or inspection reveals that a  child  day  care

  provider  which  must  be  licensed  or registered is not, the office of

  children and family services shall advise the child day care provider in

  writing  that  the  provider  is  in  violation  of  the  licensing   or

  registration  requirements  and  shall  take  such  further action as is

  necessary to cause the  provider  to  comply  with  the  law,  including

  directing  an unlicensed or unregistered provider to cease operation. In

  addition, the office of children and family services shall  require  the

  provider  to  notify the parents or guardians of children receiving care

  from the provider that the provider is in violation of the licensing  or

  registration  requirements  and shall require the provider to notify the

  office of children and family services that the provider  has  done  so.

  Any  provider  who  is  directed  to  cease  operations pursuant to this

  paragraph shall be entitled to a hearing before the office  of  children

  and  family  services. If the provider requests a hearing to contest the

  directive to  cease  operations,  such  hearing  must  be  scheduled  to

  commence  as  soon  as  possible  but in no event later than thirty days

  after the receipt of the request by the office of  children  and  family

  services. The provider may not operate the center, home or program after

  being  directed  to cease operations, regardless of whether a hearing is

  requested. If the provider does not  cease  operations,  the  office  of

  children  and  family  services  may  impose a civil penalty pursuant to

  subdivision eleven of this  section,  seek  an  injunction  pursuant  to

  section three hundred ninety-one of this title, or both.

    (e)  (i)  Where  an  authorized  agency  is subsidizing child day care

  pursuant to any provision of this chapter,  the  authorized  agency  may

  submit  to  the department justification for a need to impose additional

  requirements upon child  day  care  providers  and  a  plan  to  monitor

  compliance   with  such  additional  requirements.  No  such  additional

  requirements or monitoring may be imposed without the  written  approval

  of the department.

    (ii)  An  authorized  agency  may  refuse  to  allow  a child day care

  provider who is not in compliance  with  this  section  and  regulations

  issued   hereunder  or  any  approved  additional  requirements  of  the

  authorized agency to provide child day care to the child. In  accordance

  with  the  plan  approved  by the department, an authorized agency shall

  have the right to make  announced  or  unannounced  inspections  of  the

  records  and  premises  of  any  provider  who  provides  care  for such

  children, including the right to make inspections  prior  to  subsidized

children  receiving  care  in  a  home  where  the inspection is for the

  purpose of determining  whether  the  child  day  care  provider  is  in

  compliance  with  applicable  law  and  regulations  and  any additional

  requirements imposed upon such provider by the authorized agency.  Where

  an authorized agency makes such inspections, the authorized agency shall

  notify  the  department immediately of any violations of this section or

  regulations promulgated hereunder, and shall provide the department with

  an inspection report whether or not violations were  found,  documenting

  the results of such inspection.

    (iii) Nothing contained in this paragraph shall diminish the authority

  of  the  department  to  conduct  inspections or provide for inspections

  through purchase of services as otherwise provided for in this  section.

  Nothing  contained  in  this  paragraph shall obligate the department to

  take any action to enforce any additional requirements imposed on  child

  day care providers by an authorized agency.

    (f)  Individual  local  social  services  districts  may  alter  their

  participation in  activities  related  to  arranging  for,  subsidizing,

  delivering  and  monitoring  the  provision of subsidized child day care

  provided,  however,  that  the  total  participation  of  an  individual

  district  in all activities related to the provision of subsidized child

  day care shall be no less than the participation  level  engaged  in  by

  such individual district on the effective date of this section.

    4.  (a)  The office of children and family services on an annual basis

  shall inspect at least twenty percent of all registered family day  care

  homes, registered child day care centers and registered school age child

  care  programs to determine whether such homes, centers and programs are

  operating in compliance with applicable statutes  and  regulations.  The

  office  of children and family services shall increase the percentage of

  family day care homes, child day care centers and school age child  care

  programs which are inspected pursuant to this subdivision as follows: to

  at  least  thirty  percent by the thirty-first of December two thousand;

  and to at least fifty  percent  by  the  thirty-first  of  December  two

  thousand one. The office of children and family services may provide for

  such  inspections  through purchase of services. Priority shall be given

  to family day care homes which have never  been  licensed  or  certified

  prior to initial registration.

    (b)  Any  family  day  care  home  or  school-age  child  care program

  licensed,  registered,  or  certified  by  the  department  or  by   any

  authorized  agency on the effective date of this section shall be deemed

  registered  until  the  expiration  of  its  then-current   license   or

  certificate  unless  such license or certificate is suspended or revoked

  pursuant to subdivision ten of this section. Family day care  homes  and

  school-age child care programs not licensed, registered, or certified on

  the   effective   date  of  this  section  shall  register  pursuant  to

  subdivision two of this section.

    5. Child day care providers  required  to  have  a  license  from  the

  department  or  to  be  registered  with the department pursuant to this

  section shall not be exempt from such requirement  through  registration

  with  another state agency, or certification, registration, or licensure

  by any local governmental agency or any authorized agency.

    6. Unless otherwise limited by law, a parent with legal custody  or  a

  legal  guardian  of  any  child  in  a child day care program shall have

  unlimited and on demand access to such child or  ward.  Such  parent  or

  guardian  unless  otherwise limited by law, also shall have the right to

  inspect on demand during its hours of operation any area of a child  day

  care  center, group family day care home, school-age child care program,

  or family day care home to which the child or ward  of  such  parent  or

guardian  has  access  or which could present a hazard to the health and

  safety of the child or ward.

    7. (a) The department shall implement on a statewide basis programs to

  educate parents and other potential consumers of child day care programs

  about their selection and use.  The  department  may  provide  for  such

  implementation  through  the  purchase of services. Such education shall

  include, but not be limited to, the following topics:

    (i) types of child day care programs;

    (ii)  factors  to  be considered in selecting and evaluating child day

  care programs;

    (iii)  regulations  of  the  department  governing  the  operation  of

  different types of programs;

    (iv)  rights of parents or guardians in relation to access to children

  and inspection of child day care programs;

    (v)  information  concerning  the  availability  of  child  day   care

  subsidies;

    (vi) information about licensing and registration requirements;

    (vii)  prevention  of  child  abuse and maltreatment in child day care

  programs, including screening of child day care providers and employees;

    (viii) tax information; and

    (ix) factors to be considered in selecting and  evaluating  child  day

  care  programs  when  a child needs administration of medications during

  the time enrolled.

    (b) The department shall implement a statewide campaign to educate the

  public as to the legal requirements for registration of family day  care

  and  school-age  child  care, and the benefits of such registration. The

  department may provide for such implementation through the  purchase  of

  services. The campaign shall:

    (i) use various types of media;

    (ii)  include  the  development  of  public  educational materials for

  families, family day care providers, employers and community agencies;

    (iii) explain the role  and  functions  of  child  care  resource  and

  referral programs, as such term is used in title five-B of this article;

    (iv)  explain  the  role  and functions of the department in regard to

  registered programs; and

    (v) publicize the department's toll-free telephone number  for  making

  complaints  of  violations  of  child  day  care requirements related to

  programs which are required to be licensed or registered.

    8. The department shall establish and maintain a list of  all  current

  registered  and  licensed  child  day  care  programs  and a list of all

  programs whose license  or  registration  has  been  revoked,  rejected,

  terminated,  or  suspended.  Such  information shall be available to the

  public, pursuant to procedures developed by the department.

    8-a. The office  of  children  and  family  services  shall  not  make

  available to the public online any group family day care home provider's

  or  family  day  care  provider's home street address or map showing the

  location of such provider's home where such provider  has  requested  to

  opt out of the online availability of this information. The office shall

  provide a written form informing a provider of their right to opt out of

  providing  information  online,  and  shall  also  permit  a provider to

  request to opt out through the office's website.

    9. The department shall make available, directly or  through  purchase

  of   services,  to  registered  child  day  care  providers  information

  concerning:

    (a) liability insurance;

    (b) start-up grants;

    (c) United States department of agriculture food programs;

(d) subsidies available for child day care;

    (e) tax information; and

    (f) support services required to be provided by  child  care  resource

  and  referral programs as set forth in subdivision three of section four

  hundred ten-r of this article.

    10. Any home or facility providing child day care shall be operated in

  accordance with applicable statutes and regulations.  Any  violation  of

  applicable  statutes  or  regulations  shall  be a basis to deny, limit,

  suspend, revoke, or terminate a license or registration. Consistent with

  articles  twenty-three  and  twenty-three-A  of  the correction law, and

  guidelines  referenced  in  subdivision  two  of  section  four  hundred

  twenty-five  of  this  article,  if  the  office  of children and family

  services is made aware of the existence  of  a  criminal  conviction  or

  pending  criminal  charge  concerning  an  operator of a family day care

  home, group family day care home,  school-age  child  care  program,  or

  child day care center or concerning any assistant, employee or volunteer

  in  such homes, programs or centers, or any persons age eighteen or over

  who reside in such homes, such conviction or charge may be  a  basis  to

  deny,  limit,  suspend,  revoke,  reject,  or  terminate  a  license  or

  registration. Before any license issued pursuant to  the  provisions  of

  this  section  is  suspended or revoked, before registration pursuant to

  this section is suspended or terminated, or when an application for such

  license is denied or registration rejected, the applicant for or  holder

  of  such  registration  or  license  is  entitled,  pursuant  to section

  twenty-two of this chapter and the regulations of the office of children

  and family services, to a hearing before  the  office  of  children  and

  family services. However, a license or registration shall be temporarily

  suspended  or  limited  without  a  hearing  upon  written notice to the

  operator of the facility following a finding that the public health,  or

  an individual's safety or welfare, are in imminent danger. The holder of

  a  license  or  registrant is entitled to a hearing before the office of

  children and family services to  contest  the  temporary  suspension  or

  limitation.  If the holder of a license or registrant requests a hearing

  to contest the temporary suspension or limitation, such hearing must  be

  scheduled  to  commence  as  soon as possible but in no event later than

  thirty days after the receipt of the request by the office  of  children

  and  family  services.  Suspension  shall  continue  until the condition

  requiring suspension or limitation  is  corrected  or  until  a  hearing

  decision  has been issued. If the office of children and family services

  determines after a hearing that the temporary suspension  or  limitation

  was  proper,  such  suspension or limitation shall be extended until the

  condition requiring suspension or limitation has been corrected or until

  the license or registration has been revoked.

    11. (a) (i) The office of children and  family  services  shall  adopt

  regulations  establishing  civil  penalties of no more than five hundred

  dollars per day to be assessed against child day  care  centers,  school

  age  child care programs, group family day care homes or family day care

  homes for violations of this section, sections  three  hundred  ninety-a

  and three hundred ninety-b of this title and any regulations promulgated

  thereunder.  The  regulations establishing civil penalties shall specify

  the violations subject to penalty.

    (ii)  The  office  of  children  and  family  services   shall   adopt

  regulations  establishing  civil  penalties of no more than five hundred

  dollars per day to be assessed against  child  day  care  providers  who

  operate  child day care centers or group family day care homes without a

  license or who operate family day  care  homes,  school-age  child  care

  programs,  or  child  day care centers required to be registered without

obtaining such registration.

    (iii) In addition to any other civil or criminal penalty  provided  by

  law,  the office of children and family services shall have the power to

  assess civil  penalties  in  accordance  with  its  regulations  adopted

  pursuant  to  this  subdivision  after a hearing conducted in accordance

  with procedures established by regulations of the office of children and

  family services. Such procedures shall require that notice of  the  time

  and  place  of  the  hearing,  together  with  a statement of charges of

  violations, shall be served in person or by certified mail addressed  to

  the  school  age  child care program, group family day care home, family

  day care home, or child day care center at least thirty  days  prior  to

  the  date  of  the hearing. The statement of charges shall set forth the

  existence of the violation or violations,  the  amount  of  penalty  for

  which  the  program  may become liable, the steps which must be taken to

  rectify the violation, and where applicable, a statement that a  penalty

  may  be  imposed  regardless  of  rectification. A written answer to the

  charges of violations shall be filed with the  office  of  children  and

  family services not less than ten days prior to the date of hearing with

  respect  to  each  of  the  charges  and  shall include all material and

  relevant matters which, if not disclosed in the answer, would not likely

  be known to the office of children and family services.

    (iv) The hearing shall be held by the commissioner of  the  office  of

  children  and family services or the commissioner's designee. The burden

  of proof at such hearing shall be on the office of children  and  family

  services  to  show  that the charges are supported by a preponderance of

  the evidence. The commissioner of the  office  of  children  and  family

  services  or  the commissioner's designee, in his or her discretion, may

  allow the child day care center operator or provider to attempt to prove

  by a preponderance of the  evidence  any  matter  not  included  in  the

  answer.  Where  the  child day care provider satisfactorily demonstrates

  that it has rectified the violations in accordance with the requirements

  of paragraph (c) of this subdivision, no penalty shall be imposed except

  as provided in paragraph (c) of this subdivision.

    (b)(i) In assessing penalties pursuant to this subdivision, the office

  of children and family services may consider  the  completeness  of  any

  rectification  made and the specific circumstances of such violations as

  mitigating factors.

    (ii) Upon the request of the office of children and  family  services,

  the  attorney general shall commence an action in any court of competent

  jurisdiction  against  any  child  day  care  program  subject  to   the

  provisions  of  this  subdivision  and  against  any  person,  entity or

  corporation operating such center or  school  age  child  care  program,

  group  family  day care home or family day care home for the recovery of

  any penalty assessed by the office of children and  family  services  in

  accordance with the provisions of this subdivision.

    (iii)  Any  such penalty assessed by the office of children and family

  services may be released or compromised by the office  of  children  and

  family  services  before  the  matter  has been referred to the attorney

  general; when such matter has been referred  to  the  attorney  general,

  such  penalty may be released or compromised and any action commenced to

  recover the same may be settled and discontinued by the attorney general

  with the consent of the office of children and family services.

    (c)(i) Except as provided for in this  paragraph,  a  child  day  care

  provider  shall  avoid  payment  of  a  penalty imposed pursuant to this

  subdivision  where  the  provider  has  rectified  the  condition  which

  resulted  in  the  imposition  of  the  penalty  within  thirty  days of

  notification of the existence of the violation of statute or regulation.

(ii) Clause (i) of this paragraph notwithstanding, rectification shall

  not preclude the imposition of a penalty pursuant  to  this  subdivision

  where:

    (A)  the  child day care provider has operated a child day care center

  or group family day care home without a license, has refused to  seek  a

  license  for the operation of such a center or home, or has continued to

  operate such a center or home after denial  of  a  license  application,

  revocation of an existing license or suspension of an existing license;

    (B)  the  child day care provider has operated a family day care home,

  school-age child care program or child day care center  required  to  be

  registered  without  being  registered, has refused to seek registration

  for the operation of such home, program or center or  has  continued  to

  operate  such  a  home, program or center after denial of a registration

  application, revocation of an existing registration or suspension of  an

  existing registration;

    (C)  there  has  been a total or substantial failure of the facility's

  fire detection or prevention systems or emergency evacuation procedures;

    (D) the child day care provider or an assistant, employee or volunteer

  has failed to provide adequate and competent supervision;

    (E) the child day care provider or an assistant, employee or volunteer

  has failed to provide adequate sanitation;

    (F) the child day care provider or an assistant,  employee,  volunteer

  or,  for  a family day care home or group family day care home, a member

  of the provider's household, has injured a child in  care,  unreasonably

  failed  to  obtain  medical attention for a child in care requiring such

  attention, used corporal punishment against a child in care or abused or

  maltreated a child in care;

    (G) the child day care provider has violated  the  same  statutory  or

  regulatory standard more than once within a six month period;

    (H) the child day care provider or an assistant, employee or volunteer

  has  failed  to  make  a report of suspected child abuse or maltreatment

  when required to do so pursuant to section four hundred thirteen of this

  article; or

    (I) the child day care provider or an assistant, employee or volunteer

  has submitted to the office of children and  family  services  a  forged

  document as defined in section 170.00 of the penal law.

    (d)  Any  civil  penalty received by the office of children and family

  services pursuant to this subdivision shall be deposited to  the  credit

  of  the "quality child care and protection fund" established pursuant to

  section ninety-seven-www of the state finance law.

    (e)(i) The office of children and family services  shall  deny  a  new

  application  for  licensure  or registration made by a day care provider

  whose license or registration was previously revoked or terminated based

  on a violation of statute or regulation for a period of two  years  from

  the   date  that  the  revocation  or  termination  of  the  license  or

  registration became finally effective, unless such office determines, in

  its discretion, that approval of the application will  not  in  any  way

  jeopardize  the  health,  safety  or  welfare of children in the center,

  program or home. For the purposes of this paragraph, the date  that  the

  revocation   or  termination  became  finally  effective  shall  be,  as

  applicable:

    (A) the date that the revocation or termination became effective based

  on the notice of revocation or termination;

    (B) the date that  the  hearing  decision  was  issued  upholding  the

  revocation or termination;

    (C)  the  date  of  issuance  of  a  final  court  order affirming the

  revocation or termination or affirming a hearing  decision  that  upheld

the revocation or termination; or

    (D)  another  date  mutually agreed upon by the office of children and

  family services and the provider.

    (ii)(A) Such office shall deny a  new  application  for  licensure  or

  registration  made  by  a day care provider who is enjoined or otherwise

  prohibited by a court order from operation of a day care  center,  group

  family  day  care  home,  family  day care home or school-age child care

  program without a license or registration for a period of two years from

  the date of the court order unless the court order specifically  enjoins

  the provider from providing day care for a period longer than two years,

  in  which  case  the  office  shall deny any new application made by the

  provider while the provider is so enjoined.

    (B) Such  office  shall  deny  a  new  application  for  licensure  or

  registration  made by a day care provider who is assessed a second civil

  penalty by such office for having operated  a  day  care  center,  group

  family  day  care  home,  family  day care home or school-age child care

  program without a license or registration for a period of two years from

  the date of the second fine. For the purposes  of  this  paragraph,  the

  date of the second fine shall be either the date upon which the day care

  provider  signs  a  stipulation  agreement to pay the second fine or the

  date upon which a hearing decision is issued affirming the determination

  of such office to impose the second fine, as applicable.

    (iii) A day care provider who surrenders  the  provider's  license  or

  registration  while  such  office  is  engaged  in  enforcement  seeking

  suspension, revocation or termination  of  such  provider's  license  or

  registration pursuant to the regulations of such office, shall be deemed

  to  have  had  their  license  or registration revoked or terminated and

  shall be subject to the prohibitions against licensing  or  registration

  pursuant to subparagraph (i) of this paragraph for a period of two years

  from the date of surrender of the license or registration.

    12.   (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, except as may be

  required as a condition of  licensure  or  registration  by  regulations

  promulgated pursuant to this section, no village, town (outside the area

  of  any  incorporated  village), city or county shall adopt or enact any

  law, ordinance, rule  or  regulation  which  would  impose,  mandate  or

  otherwise  enforce  standards  for  sanitation,  health,  fire safety or

  building construction on a  one  or  two  family  dwelling  or  multiple

  dwelling  used  to provide group family day care or family day care than

  would be applicable were  such  child  day  care  not  provided  on  the

  premises.  No  village,  town  (outside  the  area  of  any incorporated

  village), city or county shall prohibit or restrict use of a one or  two

  family  dwelling,  or  multiple  dwelling for family or group family day

  care where a license or registration for such use  has  been  issued  in

  accordance  with regulations issued pursuant to this section. Nothing in

  this  paragraph  shall  preclude  local  authorities  with   enforcement

  jurisdiction  of  the  applicable  sanitation,  health,  fire  safety or

  building construction code from making appropriate inspections to assure

  compliance with such standards.

    (b) Notwithstanding any  other  provision  of  law,  but  pursuant  to

  section  five  hundred  eighty-one-b  of  the  real property tax law, no

  assessing unit, as defined in subdivision one of section one hundred two

  of the real property tax law, in the assessment  of  the  value  of  any

  parcel used for residential purposes and registered as a family day care

  home pursuant to this section, shall consider the use or registration of

  such parcel as a family day care home.

    13.  Notwithstanding  any other provision of law, this section, except

  for paragraph (a-1) of subdivision two-a  of  this  section,  shall  not

apply to child day care centers in the city of New York.

Last Updated: April 19, 2018