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2012 -- H 7975 | |
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LC02173 | |
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND | |
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IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY | |
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JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2012 | |
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A N A C T | |
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RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN | |
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SERVICES | |
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Introduced By: Representatives San Bento, Palumbo, Williams, and Ruggiero | |
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Date Introduced: March 21, 2012 | |
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Referred To: House Finance | |
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It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: | |
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SECTION 1. Section 42-12-23.1 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-12 entitled |
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"Department of Human Services" is hereby amended to read as follows: |
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42-12-23.1. Quality of early care and education and school-age child care through |
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voluntary quality rating system. -- (a) There is hereby established a voluntary quality rating |
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system which will assess quality in early care and education programs and school-age child care. |
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For purposes of this section, early care and education programs and school-age child care shall |
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mean programs licensed under chapter 72.1, title 42 and approved under chapter 48, title 16, |
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including without limitation child care centers, family child care homes, group family child care |
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homes, school-age child care programs and preschools, but excluding child placement agencies. |
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The voluntary quality rating system is established to promote continuous quality improvement of |
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programs and to further the goals of Rhode Island's "starting right" initiative. |
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(b) The department of human services, the department of children, youth and families, the |
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department of health, the department of elementary and secondary education and other partners |
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and agencies shall share information and work cooperatively with the Rhode Island quality rating |
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system, a public-private partnership, to ensure that Rhode Island children have access to quality |
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early care and education programs and school-age child care. |
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(c) The voluntary quality rating system shall also provide a mechanism to gather data |
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about program quality, and shall report this information to parents, providers and other persons |
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interested in the quality of early care and education programs and school-age child care services |
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in Rhode Island. |
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(d) The department of human services shall establish a standard of funding which shall |
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reimburse participants in the Rhode Island quality rating systems pursuant to this section, as well |
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as providers which have obtained national accreditation, at a higher rate than the reimbursement |
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rate under the childcare assistance program. |
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SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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LC02173 | |
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EXPLANATION | |
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BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL | |
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OF | |
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A N A C T | |
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RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN | |
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SERVICES | |
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*** | |
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This act would provide reimbursement at a higher rate to childcare providers which |
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participate in Rhode Island quality rating systems programs. |
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This act would take effect upon passage. |
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LC02173 | |
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