Posted: | January 13, 2017 11:29 AM |
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From: | Representative Angel Cruz |
To: | All House members |
Subject: | Video surveillance in child day-care facilities (Former HB 554) |
In the near future, I am planning to reintroduce legislation to require child day-care facilities to install video surveillance systems. With more parents utilizing the services of day-care providers than ever before, it is imperative that a safe and nurturing environment is created where day-care workers are fully accountable. All reasonable efforts should be made to ensure that qualified and trustworthy individuals are providing quality care, and are not neglecting or abusing the children in their care. It is also important to provide assurance for staff and facility managers that their protocols to provide quality childcare services are being followed, and that their observable conduct is recorded to prove their innocence if an accident should occur or an allegation of misconduct should be made. All parties win in such a scenario, as good employees can be defended and employees who may neglect or abuse children can be terminated. With this in mind, my bill would require child day-care centers and family day-care homes to install and maintain video camera surveillance systems as established by regulation of the Department of Public Welfare. The department would be required to promulgate regulations that provide specifications for such systems in facilities and standards for the use of such systems. The department may also conduct inspections to investigate compliance with this act. These provisions would apply to facilities that commence operations after the effective date of the act. Previous co-sponsors: YOUNGBLOOD, THOMAS, COHEN, KINSEY, D. COSTA, V. BROWN, BROWNLEE AND McNEILL |
Introduced as HB742