Child Care Safety Act passes Senate, heads to Kay Ivey’s desk
The Alabama Senate on Thursday morning gave final approval to the ‘Child Care Safety Act,’ which endeavors to give oversight to child care centers statewide for the protection and benefit of the children. Sponsored by Tuskegee-Democrat state Rep. Pebblin Warren, HB76 passed by a vote of 22-4. “Today is a great day for the children of Alabama,” said Warren. “This legislation will go a long way to ensuring a safer environment for children across the state who attend these facilities.I greatly appreciate all the support from my colleagues and look forward to the Governor signing this important legislation.” Under the legislation, the Alabama Department of Human Resources (ADHR) would be able to inspect the nearly 1,000 faith-based centers throughout Alabama once a year. It would also require criminal background checks on the people whose care children are being placed into and proof of insurance. Under current law, Alabama is only one of seven states that still allows daycare centers to operate without regulation if they are a part of a church or ministry. Nearly half of the 1,914 day cares statewide claim the religious exemption, allowing them avoid background checks for workers and facility inspection The bill has already won the approval of the State House, and now heads to Gov. Kay Ivey‘s desk for final consideration. Ivey expressed her support of the legislation in August following the tragic death of a five year old at an unlicensed daycare center in Mobile, Ala., and is expected to sign the bill into law.
Conservative group Eagle Forum weighs in on childcare bill
Conservative group Eagle Forum of Alabama is taking a stand for families across Alabama — opposing a bill that would require church day cares to be licensed and regulated by the Alabama Department of Human Resources, which they say encroaches on religious freedom. Currently, faith-based daycares are exempt from state regulations and standards. But HB277, the Child Care Safety Act, endeavors to change that. “HB 277 removes religious liberty protections and requires state regulation of religious institutions,” said Deborah Love, executive director of Eagle Forum of Alabama. “HB 277 will reduce positive options for Alabama’s families who rely on these institutions every day. “HB 277 at its core is government overreach into the most important private institutions in our state.” According to Eagle Forum, licensed exempt day care providers are not exempt from child safety laws and regulations. All child care providers in Alabama are either licensed exempt or licensed. To become licensed exempt the provider must file appropriate paperwork with DHR including immunization records. “Opposition to HB277 is about protecting children by protecting some of the best, safe, and positive child care options for children in Alabama,” said Eagle Forum Alabama. “If hard working Alabamians no longer have high quality and low cost options, it harms children. Many families will no longer have the opportunities and options they rely on for their families.” Under current law, DHR provides the following list of requirements for license exempt facilities: Notice that the child care program is an integral part of a local church Notice that intent to operate a child care program has been given to the appropriate health departments so that facilities will be inspected to meet standards Inspection by fire department at least once a year Inspection by the Alabama Department of Public Health at least twice a year Notice to the department certifying health inspection reports, immunizations, and medical forms for all staff and children. Notice to parents of staff qualifications, pupil-student ratio, discipline policies, type of curriculum, religious teachings, and type of lunch program. Parents required to sign affidavits about licensed-exempt status Church/facility must submit affidavits of notification to DHR Must follow all state and federal laws The bill’s bipartisan sponsors Tuskegee-Democrat Rep. Pebblin Warren and Jacksonville-Republican Rep. K.L. Brown, along with 18 republican and 14 democratic colleagues, think the bill is necessary saying some exempt childcare centers have violated legal standards of care. But Eagle Forum says rather than punishing everyone, the state should focus on punishing bad actors who are breaking current law. “The government has an interest in protecting safety of all Alabamians but that does not mean the government should control private religious institutions,” said Eagle Forum. “Reasonable regulations and criminal laws already punish bad actors. State agencies already retain the ability to regulate and inspect in needed situations.” Alabama is one of only seven states in the nation that has a religious exemption for childcare facilities.
Women’s group: 45 percent of Alabama workers get no paid sick days
The National Partnership for Women & Families has published a new fact sheet that examines the state of sick leave policy on Alabama’s workforce. The study shows workers in the state have slightly less access to paid days off when they are or their children are sick, in keeping with a troublesome national fact of life for workers. “In Alabama, an estimated 671,099 private sector workers, or 44.6 percent of the workforce, cannot earn a single paid sick day to use to recover from common illnesses or seek medical care,” reads the report, released Wednesday. “Nationwide, more than 43 million private sector workers – nearly 40 percent of the workforce – cannot earn paid sick time.” “When workers do not have access to paid sick days, the consequences can be significant. For a typical family in the United States without paid sick days, for example, 3.5 days lost to illness are equivalent to the family’s entire monthly grocery budget,” the studied continued. Among the study’s findings: More than 145,000 people in Alabama work in restaurants – an industry in which, nationally, 90 percent of workers cannot earn paid sick days; Overall, 35.6 percent of Alabama jobs are considered low wage, and few low-wage jobs allow workers to earn paid sick days; and More than 700,000 children in Alabama live in families in which all parents work, but parents with paid sick days often cannot use them to care for children. The study also says sick-leave policies adverse to workers both in Alabama and nationally disproportionately affect minority populations. The state is home to some 960,000 African-American workers, whose rate of access to paid sick days is even lower than the statewide 45 percent. Moreover, the Partnership says, paid sick days are good for industry as well as workers. “Employee turnover is expensive – on average, one fifth of an employee’s annual salary,” the report said. “Paid sick days result in reduced turnover,18 which leads to reduced hiring and training costs for businesses.” They also help reduce unnecessary health care costs, which lowers cost pressure on taxpayers and policyholders. “Universal access to paid sick days would eliminate an estimated 1.3 million emergency room visits each year, saving $1.1 billion annually in costs to individuals, private insurers and public programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid.” The National Partnership entitled their release containing the new findings “What Does It Mean When Nearly 45 Percent of Alabama’s Workers Cannot Earn a Single Paid Sick Day?” Debra Ness, the Washington, D.C.-based nonpartisan advocacy group’s president, was quick to fill in the blanks. “Our nation’s failure to establish a paid sick days standard is harming people in Alabama and across the country,” Ness said. “It is absolutely unacceptable that so many hardworking people and their families risk grave financial hardship if they get the flu, strep throat or another common illness because they cannot earn basic paid sick days, even after years at their jobs. Lawmakers at all levels need to look closely at what is at stake and take action.”
