ASSEMBLY, No. 1200

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman ALEXANDER "AVI" SCHNALL

District 30 (Monmouth and Ocean)

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman Drulis

SYNOPSIS

     Requires child care centers to establish procedures to notify parents or guardians in event of unexcused child absence as condition of licensure.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.

An Act concerning child care centers and supplementing P.L.2020, c.152 (C.30:5B-15.2).

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

     1.    a.  Notwithstanding any law, rule, regulation, or order to the contrary, as a condition of securing a new or renewal license or approval, the Department of Children and Families shall require a child care center to establish a procedure to notify the parent or guardian of a child enrolled at the center in the event of the child’s unexcused absence and to determine the reason for the absence pursuant to the provisions of P.L.2020, c.152 (C.30:5B-15.2).

     b.    The department shall not issue a regular license or approval to a center until the department determines that the center has established the notification procedures specified in subsection a. of this section.

     c.    The department shall deny, revoke or refuse to renew the center's license or approval, as appropriate, if the department determines that a center has not established the notification procedures specified in subsection a. of this section.

     2.    The Department of Children and Families shall adopt, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), rules and regulations to effectuate the purposes of this act.

     3.    This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

     This bill mandates that, as a condition of securing a new or renewal license or approval, the Department of Children and Families (DCF) require a child care center to establish a procedure to notify the parent or guardian of a child enrolled at the center in the event of the child’s unexcused absence and to determine the reason for the absence pursuant to the provisions of P.L.2020, c.152 (C.30:5B-15.2).

     Specifically, the bill prohibits the DCF to issue a regular license or approval to a center until it determines that the center has established the notification procedures required pursuant to provisions of the bill.

     The bill also stipulates that the DCF is to deny, revoke or refuse to renew the center's license or approval, as appropriate, if it determines that a center has not established the notification procedures required under the bill.