AN ACT RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES -- CERTIFICATION OF CHILDCARE AND YOUTH-SERVING WORKERS AND OPERATORS

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Karen Alzate and 9 co-sponsors

Replaces state checks with nationwide fingerprint-based background checks for childcare/youth workers, and waives the check fee for new applicants starting July 1, 2025.

04/24/2025 Committee recommended measure be held for further study

Summary — HB 5993

AN ACT RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES — CERTIFICATION OF CHILDCARE AND YOUTH‑SERVING WORKERS AND OPERATORS

Status: Introduced (House Finance); Committee recommended measure be held for further study (04/24/2025)
Introduced: February 28, 2025 (Sponsors: Reps. Shallcross Smith, Boylan, Kislak, Tanzi, Alzate, Slater, Stewart, Fogarty, Hull, Serpa)

Purpose / Intent

The bill updates criminal background check requirements for persons working in, living in, or volunteering with licensed childcare and youth‑serving programs in Rhode Island. It aims to align state checks with federal Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG, Pub. L. No. 113‑186) standards, require fingerprint‑based nationwide checks, set periodic recheck intervals, strengthen licensing enforcement, and eliminate the criminal‑check fee for new applicants beginning July 1, 2025.

Key provisions

Scope: Applies to applicants, employees, adult household members, and certain volunteers associated with:

Child day care programs, family/daycare homes, group family daycare homes, child daycare centers
Child‑placing agencies, childcaring agencies, children’s behavioral health programs
Residential childcare facilities, foster and adoptive homes, and training schools for youth

Background checks:

Requires applicants to apply for a nationwide criminal records check that conforms to federal standards, including fingerprinting.
Checks may be conducted by the State Police Bureau of Criminal Identification, local police, the Attorney General’s office, or the Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF).
Rechecks are required every five (5) years of continuous childcare employment from the date of the previous check.

Notification and confidentiality:

If disqualifying information is found, the applicant is informed in writing of the nature of the disqualifying information; the employer is notified in writing that disqualifying information exists without disclosure of details.
If no disqualifying information is found, both applicant and employer are informed in writing.

Enforcement:

Failure to show proof that required background checks were initiated is prima facie grounds to revoke an operator’s license or registration.

Fees:

Existing language allowed applicants or requesting agencies to pay costs of providing criminal records checks.
Effective July 1, 2025, new applicants (those who submit an application for employment under this section) are exempt from paying for the nationwide criminal records check — the check will be provided at no charge.

Effective date: The bill states it takes effect upon passage.

Who is affected

Prospective and current childcare and youth‑serving workers, volunteers, and adult household members in licensed family daycare settings.

Childcare operators and licensing entities (DCYF).

Law enforcement agencies and the Attorney General’s office (responsible for conducting checks).

State/local budgets: elimination of applicant fees for new hires transfers the direct cost burden to the conducting agencies/state.

Procedural & timeline notes

Introduced Feb 28, 2025; referred to House Finance.

Scheduled for consideration/hearing 04/24/2025; on 04/24/2025 the committee recommended the measure be held for further study (no enactment to date).

If enacted as written, fee exemption for new applicants would commence July 1, 2025; otherwise provisions take effect upon passage.