Bill Text: DE SJR7 | 2023-2024 | 152nd General Assembly | Draft
Bill Title: Directing The Office Of Child Care Licensing And Department Of Education To Modernize The Child Care Licensing System.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 11-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-05-15 - Assigned to Finance Committee in Senate [SJR7 Detail]
Download: Delaware-2023-SJR7-Draft.html
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SPONSOR: |
Sen. Gay & Rep. Romer & Sen. Sturgeon & Rep. S. Moore & Rep. Heffernan & Rep. Neal |
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Sens. Hansen, Poore; Rep. Parker Selby |
DELAWARE STATE SENATE
152nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 7
DIRECTING THE OFFICE OF CHILD CARE LICENSING AND DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO MODERNIZE THE CHILD CARE LICENSING SYSTEM.
WHEREAS, child care is an essential infrastructure for Delaware’s families, allowing for parents to participate in the workforce while their children are safely cared for by a licensed child care provider; and
WHEREAS, the Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) is the agency responsible for licensing and monitoring child care providers within the state; and
WHEREAS, the outdated practices currently utilized by the OCCL create an additional administrative burden upon the State’s child care system; and
WHEREAS, an electronic filing system would reduce time spent on administrative work and increase the overall efficiency of the OCCL in carrying out its vital roles of licensing child care providers in the state, providing early child care and educational programs, and investigating child care complaints; and
WHEREAS, adoption of a modern electronic record and filing system would reduce costs incurred by the OCCL, which could be more efficiently utilized to create a stronger, more efficient child care system in Delaware.
BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the 152 nd General Assembly of the State of Delaware, with the approval of the Governor, OCCL and the Department of Education (DOE) are directed to identify and adopt an electronic record and filing system for child care licensing and a professional registry. The electronic record and filing system shall simplify the application process for child care providers by providing an online application process for new applicants and applicants that wish to expand their child care program.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that OCCL and DOE shall consolidate and streamline common state and federal requirements in the child care system while reducing duplicative and conflicting requirements.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the electronic record and filing system chosen by the OCCL must be able to provide child care data within the state showing all of the following:
1. Enrollment data.
2. Current capacity data of child care providers throughout the state.
3. Waiting lists.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that no later than January 31, 2025, OCCL must submit a final report with OCCL’s plan to implement an electronic record and filing system by June 1, 2026, to the Governor, all members of the General Assembly, with copies to the Director and the Librarian of the Division of Research of Legislative Council, the Delaware Early Childhood Council, and the Delaware Public Archives .
SYNOPSIS
This Senate Joint Resolution directs the Office of Child Care Licensing to adopt an electronic record and filing system that will modernize the State’s child care system. The OCCL must provide a report regarding the adoption of an electronic record and filing system by January 31, 2025 with a plan to implement the system by June 1, 2026.
Author: Senator Gay
