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                                                      PRINTER'S NO. 1125

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA


HOUSE BILL

No. 959 Session of 2007


        INTRODUCED BY CRUZ, YOUNGBLOOD AND GINGRICH, MARCH 29, 2007

        REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN AND YOUTH, MARCH 29, 2007

                                     AN ACT

     1  Requiring certain facilities and persons that provide child day
     2     care to install video camera surveillance systems; and
     3     conferring powers and duties on the Department of Public
     4     Welfare.

     5     The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
     6  hereby enacts as follows:
     7  Section 1.  Short title.
     8     This act shall be known and may be cited as the Video Camera
     9  Surveillance in Child Day-Care Facilities Act.
    10  Section 2.  Definitions.
    11     The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
    12  have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
    13  context clearly indicates otherwise:
    14     "Child day care."  Care in lieu of parental care given for
    15  part of a 24-hour day to a child under 16 years of age away from
    16  the child's home. The term does not include care in lieu of
    17  parental care given to a child under 16 years of age in a place
    18  of worship during religious services.
    19     "Child day-care center."  Any premises in which child day

     1  care is provided simultaneously for seven or more children who
     2  are not relatives of the provider, regardless of which article
     3  of the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), known as the Public
     4  Welfare Code, applies to it.
     5     "Department."  The Department of Public Welfare of the
     6  Commonwealth.
     7     "Facility."  Any of the following:
     8         (1)  Child day-care center.
     9         (2)  Family day-care home.
    10     "Family day-care home."  A home in which child day care is
    11  provided at any one time to four, five or six children who are
    12  not relatives of the provider of the child day care and which is
    13  required to be registered under the act of June 13, 1967
    14  (P.L.31, No.21), known as the Public Welfare Code.
    15  Section 3.  Video camera surveillance systems.
    16     (a)  Duty to install and maintain.--Each facility shall
    17  install and maintain video camera surveillance systems that meet
    18  or exceed the specifications for such systems as established by
    19  regulation of the department.
    20     (b)  Regulations.--The department shall promulgate
    21  regulations that provide specifications for video camera
    22  surveillance systems in facilities and standards for the use of
    23  such systems.
    24     (c)  Inspections.--The department may conduct inspections of
    25  facilities to investigate compliance with this act.
    26  Section 4.  Applicability.
    27     This act shall apply to facilities that commence operations
    28  after the effective date of this section.
    29  Section 5.  Effective date.
    30     This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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