Share:
House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2023 - 2024
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | April 12, 2023 01:50 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Mary Jo Daley and Rep. Barry J. Jozwiak |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Protecting Municipal Preschool Recreation Programs |
| In the near future we plan to reintroduce legislation to protect municipal preschool recreation programs and the innumerable benefits they provide to children and their families across the Commonwealth. Municipalities across the state provide these programs on a seasonal, partial day basis. Unfortunately, an unreasonable interpretation of the law by the Department of Human Services (DHS) is threatening these programs with closure. DHS is arguing that regulations designed for private day care facilities must be extended to municipalities, and that these seasonal programs must be licensed as day care facilities. As a result, municipal programs have been closing their doors to children, sometimes after being in operation over 50 years. Others are operating under threats of fines or cease-and-desist orders. It is physically impossible or financially infeasible for many municipalities to comply with these private daycare licensing requirements. For example, the Philadelphia Parks and Recreation Department estimates that it would require approximately $50 million in physical improvements to comply with DHS regulations. It is important to note that many families across the Commonwealth cannot afford private daycare. These partial day, seasonal recreation programs may be the only programming that many children receive before starting kindergarten. Empirical research shows that exposure to play and the outdoors at an early age can instill habits, interests and skills that can last a lifetime. Unlike a private daycare facility subject to an occasional inspection, municipal recreation programs provide additional and robust layers of protection for children. Municipal park and recreation agencies are run by professional staff, closely aligned with police and emergency services, and overseen by solicitors and elected officials. We plan to reintroduce the language in our House Bill 1155, Printer’s Number 3020, from last session. This is the language that passed the House Children & Youth Committee unanimously and the full House of Representatives unanimously. The bill was also approved by the Senate Aging & Youth Committee but did not come up for a final passage vote in the Senate. The Republican and Democratic chairs and staff of the House Children & Youth Committee worked hard last session to develop a unanimous compromise that would preserve the ability of municipalities to continue to operate these programs but require the adoption, by municipal ordinance or resolution, of a set of health and safety practices. The protocol of best practices referenced in the legislation is attached to this memo. This legislation is supported by the Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society, the Pennsylvania Municipal League, Pennsylvania Association of Township Commissioners, and dozens of municipalities across the state. We welcome your co-sponsorship of this important legislation on behalf of youth, families and communities. |
||
| View Attachment | ||
Introduced as HB1746