06 LC 36
0238
House
Bill 1599
By:
Representatives Ashe of the
56th
and Thomas of the
55th
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
AN ACT
To
amend Code Section 20-1A-10 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating
to licensing, commission, and registration of early care and education programs,
so as to provide for a five-star rating system of early care and education
programs; to provide for certification of excellence of early care and education
programs in specific areas of service; to provide for rules and regulations; to
provide for notation of any certification on the
prograḿs
license, registration, or commission; to provide for related matters; to repeal
conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
Code
Section 20-1A-10 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
licensing, commission, and registration of early care and education programs, is
amended by adding a subsection (c.1) to read as follows:
"(c.1)
The rules and regulations to be promulgated by the department pursuant to
subsection (c) of this Code section shall include without limitation the
following:
(1)
A five-star rating system to be applied to all early care and education programs
operated within this state, which shall be based on program standards, education
levels of staff, and compliance history of the program;
(2)
Criteria for certification in mental health services for children, teachers with
excellent qualifications, excellent teacher-child ratio, and services for
overweight or obese children;
(3)
That an early care and education program may earn one or more than one
certification, but certification shall not be required for a license,
registration, or commission; and
(4)
The license, commission, or registration issued to an early care and education
program shall include a notation of any certification earned by the
program."
SECTION
2.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.