BILL NUMBER: SB 358 CHAPTERED 10/07/05 CHAPTER 628 FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE OCTOBER 7, 2005 APPROVED BY GOVERNOR OCTOBER 7, 2005 PASSED THE SENATE SEPTEMBER 7, 2005 PASSED THE ASSEMBLY SEPTEMBER 1, 2005 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY AUGUST 31, 2005 AMENDED IN SENATE MAY 4, 2005 AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 20, 2005 AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 19, 2005 INTRODUCED BY Senator Scott (Principal coauthor: Assembly Member Leno) (Coauthor: Senator Alquist) FEBRUARY 16, 2005 An act to amend Section 1522 of the Health and Safety Code, and to amend Section 362.05 of, and to add Section 362.04 to, the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to child care. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 358, Scott Child care. (1) Existing law requires, as a condition of the State Department of Social Services or other licensing agency issuing a license, permit, or certificate of approval, as appropriate, for a person to operate or to provide direct care services in a community care facility, residential care facility for persons with a chronic life-threatening illness, residential care facility for the elderly, or child day care facility, the fingerprinting of, and criminal record clearance for, applicants and persons to be employed by, reside at, or be present in any of these facilities, except as specified. This bill would exempt from those requirements individuals engaged by a licensed or certified foster parent to provide short-term care to a foster child for periods not exceeding 24 hours. The bill would also hold caregivers to a reasonable and prudent parent standard in the selection of babysitters, as specified. (2) Existing law provides that every dependent child shall be entitled to participate in age-appropriate extracurricular, enrichment, and social activities, and that state and local regulations and policies may not prevent or create barriers to participation in those activities. Existing law also requires state and local entities to ensure that private agencies that provide foster care services to dependent children, promote and protect the ability of dependent children to participate in those activities. This bill would authorize any licensed or certified foster parent, relative caregiver, or nonrelative extended family member to arrange occasional short-term, as defined, babysitting for a foster child. The bill would require those caretakers to use a reasonable and prudent parent standard in determining and selecting that babysitter. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. It is the intent of the Legislature to streamline the process by which foster parents, relative caregivers, and adoptive parents become licensed by the state, while ensuring the safety and security of children in their care. Duplicative background checks and fingerprinting, now required under current law and regulation, should be eliminated in a manner that both expedites permanent planning and protects foster children. SEC. 2. Section 1522 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read: 1522. The Legislature recognizes the need to generate timely and accurate positive fingerprint identification of applicants as a condition of issuing licenses, permits, or certificates of approval for persons to operate or provide direct care services in a community care facility, foster family home, or a certified family home of a licensed foster family agency. Therefore, the Legislature supports the use of the fingerprint live-scan technology, as identified in the long-range plan of the Department of Justice for fully automating the processing of fingerprints and other data by the year 1999, otherwise known as the California Crime Information Intelligence System (CAL-CII), to be used for applicant fingerprints. It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this section to require the fingerprints of those individuals whose contact with community care clients may pose a risk to the clients' health and safety. (a) (1) Before issuing a license or special permit to any person or persons to operate or manage a community care facility, the State Department of Social Services shall secure from an appropriate law enforcement agency a criminal record to determine whether the applicant or any other person specified in subdivision (b) has ever been convicted of a crime other than a minor traffic violation or arrested for any crime specified in Section 290 of the Penal Code, for violating Section 245 or 273.5, of the Penal Code, subdivision (b) of Section 273a of the Penal Code, or, prior to January 1, 1994, paragraph (2) of Section 273a of the Penal Code, or for any crime for which the department cannot grant an exemption if the person was convicted and the person has not been exonerated. (2) The criminal history information shall include the full criminal record, if any, of those persons, and subsequent arrest information pursuant to Section 11105.2 of the Penal Code. (3) Except during the 2003-04, 2004-05, and 2005-06 fiscal years, neither the Department of Justice nor the State Department of Social Services may charge a fee for the fingerprinting of an applicant for a license or special permit to operate a facility providing nonmedical board, room, and care for six or less children or for obtaining a criminal record of the applicant pursuant to this section. (4) The following shall apply to the criminal record information: (A) If the State Department of Social Services finds that the applicant, or any other person specified in subdivision (b), has been convicted of a crime other than a minor traffic violation, the application shall be denied, unless the director grants an exemption pursuant to subdivision (g). (B) If the State Department of Social Services finds that the applicant, or any other person specified in subdivision (b) is awaiting trial for a crime other than a minor traffic violation, the State Department of Social Services may cease processing the application until the conclusion of the trial. (C) If no criminal record information has been recorded, the Department of Justice shall provide the applicant and the State Department of Social Services with a statement of that fact. (D) If the State Department of Social Services finds after licensure that the licensee, or any other person specified in paragraph (2) of subdivision (b), has been convicted of a crime other than a minor traffic violation, the license may be revoked, unless the director grants an exemption pursuant to subdivision (g). (E) An applicant and any other person specified in subdivision (b) shall submit a second set of fingerprints to the Department of Justice for the purpose of searching the criminal records of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, in addition to the criminal records search required by this subdivision. If an applicant and all other persons described in subdivision (b) meet all of the conditions for licensure, except receipt of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's criminal history information for the applicant or any of the persons described in subdivision (b), the department may issue a license if the applicant and each person described in subdivision (b) has signed and submitted a statement that he or she has never been convicted of a crime in the United States, other than a traffic infraction, as defined in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 42001 of the Vehicle Code. If, after licensure, the department determines that the licensee or any other person specified in subdivision (b) has a criminal record, the license may be revoked pursuant to Section 1550. The department may also suspend the license pending an administrative hearing pursuant to Section 1550.5. (b) (1) In addition to the applicant, this section shall be applicable to criminal convictions of the following persons: (A) Adults responsible for administration or direct supervision of staff. (B) Any person, other than a client, residing in the facility. (C) Any person who provides client assistance in dressing, grooming, bathing, or personal hygiene. Any nurse assistant or home health aide meeting the requirements of Section 1338.5 or 1736.6, respectively, who is not employed, retained, or contracted by the licensee, and who has been certified or recertified on or after July 1, 1998, shall be deemed to meet the criminal record clearance requirements of this section. A certified nurse assistant and certified home health aide who will be providing client assistance and who falls under this exemption shall provide one copy of his or her current certification, prior to providing care, to the community care facility. The facility shall maintain the copy of the certification on file as long as care is being provided by the certified nurse assistant or certified home health aide at the facility. Nothing in this paragraph restricts the right of the department to exclude a certified nurse assistant or certified home health aide from a licensed community care facility pursuant to Section 1558. (D) Any staff person, volunteer, or employee who has contact with the clients. (E) If the applicant is a firm, partnership, association, or corporation, the chief executive officer or other person serving in like capacity. (F) Additional officers of the governing body of the applicant, or other persons with a financial interest in the applicant, as determined necessary by the department by regulation. The criteria used in the development of these regulations shall be based on the person's capability to exercise substantial influence over the operation of the facility. (2) The following persons are exempt from the requirements applicable under paragraph (1): (A) A medical professional as defined in department regulations who holds a valid license or certification from the person's governing California medical care regulatory entity and who is not employed, retained, or contracted by the licensee if all of the following apply: (i) The criminal record of the person has been cleared as a condition of licensure or certification by the person's governing California medical care regulatory entity. (ii) The person is providing time-limited specialized clinical care or services. (iii) The person is providing care or services within the person's scope of practice. (iv) The person is not a community care facility licensee or an employee of the facility. (B) A third-party repair person or similar retained contractor if all of the following apply: (i) The person is hired for a defined, time-limited job. (ii) The person is not left alone with clients. (iii) When clients are present in the room in which the repairperson or contractor is working, a staff person who has a criminal record clearance or exemption is also present. (C) Employees of a licensed home health agency and other members of licensed hospice interdisciplinary teams who have a contract with a client or resident of the facility and are in the facility at the request of that client or resident's legal decisionmaker. The exemption does not apply to a person who is a community care facility licensee or an employee of the facility. (D) Clergy and other spiritual caregivers who are performing services in common areas of the community care facility or who are advising an individual client at the request of, or with the permission of, the client or legal decisionmaker, are exempt from fingerprint and criminal background check requirements imposed by community care licensing. This exemption does not apply to a person who is a community care licensee or employee of the facility. (E) Members of fraternal, service, or similar organizations who conduct group activities for clients if all of the following apply: (i) Members are not left alone with clients. (ii) Members do not transport clients off the facility premises. (iii) The same organization does not conduct group activities for clients more often than defined by the department's regulations. (3) In addition to the exemptions in paragraph (2), the following persons in foster family homes, certified family homes, and small family homes are exempt from the requirements applicable under paragraph (1): (A) Adult friends and family of the licensed or certified foster parent, who come into the home to visit for a length of time no longer than defined by the department in regulations, provided that the adult friends and family of the licensee are not left alone with the foster children. However, the licensee, acting as a reasonable and prudent parent, as defined in paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 362.04 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, may allow his or her adult friends and family to provide short-term care to the foster child and act as an appropriate occasional short-term babysitter for the child. (B) Parents of a foster child's friends when the foster child is visiting the friend's home and the friend, licensed or certified foster parent, or both are also present. However, the licensee, acting as a reasonable and prudent parent, may allow the parent of the foster child's friends to act as an appropriate short-term babysitter for the child without the friend being present. (C) Individuals who are engaged by any licensed or certified foster parent to provide short-term care to the child for periods not to exceed 24 hours. Caregivers shall use a reasonable and prudent parent standard in selecting appropriate individuals to act as appropriate occasional short-term babysitters. (4) In addition to the exemptions specified in paragraph (2), the following persons in adult day care and adult day support centers are exempt from the requirements applicable under paragraph (1): (A) Unless contraindicated by the client's individualized program plan (IPP) or needs and service plan, a spouse, significant other, relative, or close friend of a client, or an attendant or a facilitator for a client with a developmental disability if the attendant or facilitator is not employed, retained, or contracted by the licensee. This exemption applies only if the person is visiting the client or providing direct care and supervision to the client. (B) A volunteer if all of the following applies: (i) The volunteer is supervised by the licensee or a facility employee with a criminal record clearance or exemption. (ii) The volunteer is never left alone with clients. (iii) The volunteer does not provide any client assistance with dressing, grooming, bathing, or personal hygiene other than washing of hands. (5) (A) In addition to the exemptions specified in paragraph (2), the following persons in adult residential and social rehabilitation facilities, unless contraindicated by the client's individualized program plan (IPP) or needs and services plan, are exempt from the requirements applicable under paragraph (1): a spouse, significant other, relative, or close friend of a client, or an attendant or a facilitator for a client with a developmental disability if the attendant or facilitator is not employed, retained, or contracted by the licensee. This exemption applies only if the person is visiting the client or providing direct care and supervision to that client. (B) Nothing in this subdivision shall prevent a licensee from requiring a criminal record clearance of any individual exempt from the requirements of this section, provided that the individual has client contact. (6) Any person similar to those described in this subdivision, as defined by the department in regulations. (c) (1) Subsequent to initial licensure, any person specified in subdivision (b) and not exempted from fingerprinting shall, as a condition to employment, residence, or presence in a community care facility, be fingerprinted and sign a declaration under penalty of perjury regarding any prior criminal convictions. The licensee shall submit these fingerprints to the Department of Justice, along with a second set of fingerprints for the purpose of searching the records of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, or to comply with paragraph (1) of subdivision (h), prior to the person's employment, residence, or initial presence in the community care facility. These fingerprints shall be on a card provided by the State Department of Social Services or sent by electronic transmission in a manner approved by the State Department of Social Services and the Department of Justice for the purpose of obtaining a permanent set of fingerprints, and shall be submitted to the Department of Justice by the licensee. A licensee's failure to submit fingerprints to the Department of Justice or to comply with paragraph (1) of subdivision (h), as required in this section, shall result in the citation of a deficiency and the immediate assessment of civil penalties in the amount of one hundred dollars ($100) per violation, per day for a maximum of five days, unless the violation is a second or subsequent violation within a 12-month period in which case the civil penalties shall be in the amount of one hundred dollars ($100) per violation for a maximum of 30 days, and shall be grounds for disciplining the licensee pursuant to Section 1550. The department may assess civil penalties for continued violations as permitted by Section 1548. The fingerprints shall then be submitted to the State Department of Social Services for processing. Upon request of the licensee, who shall enclose a self-addressed stamped postcard for this purpose, the Department of Justice shall verify receipt of the fingerprints. (2) Within 14 calendar days of the receipt of the fingerprints, the Department of Justice shall notify the State Department of Social Services of the criminal record information, as provided for in subdivision (a). If no criminal record information has been recorded, the Department of Justice shall provide the licensee and the State Department of Social Services with a statement of that fact within 14 calendar days of receipt of the fingerprints. Documentation of the individual's clearance or exemption shall be maintained by the licensee and be available for inspection. If new fingerprints are required for processing, the Department of Justice shall, within 14 calendar days from the date of receipt of the fingerprints, notify the licensee that the fingerprints were illegible. When live-scan technology is operational, as defined in Section 1522.04, the Department of Justice shall notify the State Department of Social Services, as required by that section, and shall also notify the licensee by mail, within 14 days of electronic transmission of the fingerprints to the Department of Justice, if the person has no criminal history recorded. A violation of the regulations adopted pursuant to Section 1522.04 shall result in the citation of a deficiency and an immediate assessment of civil penalties in the amount of one hundred dollars ($100) per violation, per day for a maximum of five days, unless the violation is a second or subsequent violation within a 12-month period in which case the civil penalties shall be in the amount of one hundred dollars ($100) per violation for a maximum of 30 days, and shall be grounds for disciplining the licensee pursuant to Section 1550. The department may assess civil penalties for continued violations as permitted by Section 1548. (3) Except for persons specified in paragraph (2) of subdivision (b), the licensee shall endeavor to ascertain the previous employment history of persons required to be fingerprinted under this subdivision. If it is determined by the State Department of Social Services, on the basis of the fingerprints submitted to the Department of Justice, that the person has been convicted of, or is awaiting trial for, a sex offense against a minor, or has been convicted for an offense specified in Section 243.4, 273a, 273d, 273g, or 368 of the Penal Code, or a felony, the State Department of Social Services shall notify the licensee to act immediately to terminate the person's employment, remove the person from the community care facility, or bar the person from entering the community care facility. The State Department of Social Services may subsequently grant an exemption pursuant to subdivision (g). If the conviction or arrest was for another crime, except a minor traffic violation, the licensee shall, upon notification by the State Department of Social Services, act immediately to either (A) terminate the person's employment, remove the person from the community care facility, or bar the person from entering the community care facility; or (B) seek an exemption pursuant to subdivision (g). The State Department of Social Services shall determine if the person shall be allowed to remain in the facility until a decision on the exemption is rendered. A licensee's failure to comply with the department's prohibition of employment, contact with clients, or presence in the facility as required by this paragraph shall be grounds for disciplining the licensee pursuant to Section 1550. (4) The department may issue an exemption on its own motion pursuant to subdivision (g) if the person's criminal history indicates that the person is of good character based on the age, seriousness, and frequency of the conviction or convictions. The department, in consultation with interested parties, shall develop regulations to establish the criteria to grant an exemption pursuant to this paragraph. (5) Concurrently with notifying the licensee pursuant to paragraph (3), the department shall notify the affected individual of his or her right to seek an exemption pursuant to subdivision (g). The individual may seek an exemption only if the licensee terminates the person's employment or removes the person from the facility after receiving notice from the department pursuant to paragraph (3). (d) (1) Before issuing a license, special permit, or certificate of approval to any person or persons to operate or manage a foster family home or certified family home as described in Section 1506, the State Department of Social Services or other approving authority shall secure from an appropriate law enforcement agency a criminal record to determine whether the applicant or any person specified in subdivision (b) has ever been convicted of a crime other than a minor traffic violation or arrested for any crime specified in Section 290 of the Penal Code, for violating Section 245 or 273.5, subdivision (b) of Section 273a or, prior to January 1, 1994, paragraph (2) of Section 273a of the Penal Code, or for any crime for which the department cannot grant an exemption if the person was convicted and the person has not been exonerated. (2) The criminal history information shall include the full criminal record, if any, of those persons. (3) Neither the Department of Justice nor the State Department of Social Services may charge a fee for the fingerprinting of an applicant for a license, special permit, or certificate of approval described in this subdivision. The record, if any, shall be taken into consideration when evaluating a prospective applicant. (4) The following shall apply to the criminal record information: (A) If the applicant or other persons specified in subdivision (b) have convictions that would make the applicant's home unfit as a foster family home or a certified family home, the license, special permit, or certificate of approval shall be denied. (B) If the State Department of Social Services finds that the applicant, or any person specified in subdivision (b) is awaiting trial for a crime other than a minor traffic violation, the State Department of Social Services or other approving authority may cease processing the application until the conclusion of the trial. (C) For the purposes of this subdivision, a criminal record clearance provided under Section 8712 of the Family Code may be used by the department or other approving agency. (D) An applicant for a foster family home license or for certification as a family home, and any other person specified in subdivision (b), shall submit a set of fingerprints to the Department of Justice for the purpose of searching the criminal records of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, in addition to the criminal records search required by subdivision (a). If an applicant meets all other conditions for licensure, except receipt of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's criminal history information for the applicant and all persons described in subdivision (b), the department may issue a license, or the foster family agency may issue a certificate of approval, if the applicant, and each person described in subdivision (b), has signed and submitted a statement that he or she has never been convicted of a crime in the United States, other than a traffic infraction, as defined in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 42001 of the Vehicle Code. If, after licensure or certification, the department determines that the licensee, certified foster parent, or any person specified in subdivision (b) has a criminal record, the license may be revoked pursuant to Section 1550 and the certificate of approval revoked pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 1534. The department may also suspend the license pending an administrative hearing pursuant to Section 1550.5. (5) Any person specified in this subdivision shall, as a part of the application, be fingerprinted and sign a declaration under penalty of perjury regarding any prior criminal convictions or arrests for any crime against a child, spousal or cohabitant abuse or, any crime for which the department cannot grant an exemption if the person was convicted and shall submit these fingerprints to the licensing agency or other approving authority. (6) (A) The foster family agency shall obtain fingerprints from certified home applicants and from persons specified in subdivision (b) and shall submit them directly to the Department of Justice or send them by electronic transmission in a manner approved by the State Department of Social Services. A foster family home licensee or foster family agency shall submit these fingerprints to the Department of Justice, along with a second set of fingerprints for the purpose of searching the records of the Federal Bureau of Investigation or to comply with paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) prior to the person's employment, residence, or initial presence. A foster family agency's failure to submit fingerprints to the Department of Justice, or comply with paragraph (1) of subdivision (h), as required in this section, shall result in a citation of a deficiency, and the immediate civil penalties of one hundred dollars ($100) per violation, per day for a maximum of five days, unless the violation is a second or subsequent violation within a 12-month period in which case the civil penalties shall be in the amount of one hundred dollars ($100) per violation for a maximum of 30 days, and shall be grounds for disciplining the licensee pursuant to Section 1550. A violation of the regulation adopted pursuant to Section 1522.04 shall result in the citation of a deficiency and an immediate assessment of civil penalties in the amount of one hundred dollars ($100) per violation, per day for a maximum of five days, unless the violation is a second or subsequent violation within a 12-month period in which case the civil penalties shall be in the amount of one hundred dollars ($100) per violation for a maximum of 30 days, and shall be grounds for disciplining the foster family agency pursuant to Section 1550. A licensee's failure to submit fingerprints to the Department of Justice, or comply with paragraph (1) of subdivision (h), as required in this section, may result in the citation of a deficiency and immediate civil penalties of one hundred dollars ($100) per violation. A licensee's violation of regulations adopted pursuant to Section 1522.04 may result in the citation of a deficiency and an immediate assessment of civil penalties in the amount of one hundred dollars ($100) per violation. The State Department of Social Services may assess penalties for continued violations, as permitted by Section 1548. The fingerprints shall then be submitted to the State Department of Social Services for processing. (B) Upon request of the licensee, who shall enclose a self-addressed envelope for this purpose, the Department of Justice shall verify receipt of the fingerprints. Within five working days of the receipt of the criminal record or information regarding criminal convictions from the Department of Justice, the department shall notify the applicant of any criminal arrests or convictions. If no arrests or convictions are recorded, the Department of Justice shall provide the foster family home licensee or the foster family agency with a statement of that fact concurrent with providing the information to the State Department of Social Services. (7) If the State Department of Social Services finds that the applicant, or any other person specified in subdivision (b), has been convicted of a crime other than a minor traffic violation, the application shall be denied, unless the director grants an exemption pursuant to subdivision (g). (8) If the State Department of Social Services finds after licensure or the granting of the certificate of approval that the licensee, certified foster parent, or any other person specified in paragraph (2) of subdivision (b), has been convicted of a crime other than a minor traffic violation, the license or certificate of approval may be revoked by the department or the foster family agency, whichever is applicable, unless the director grants an exemption pursuant to subdivision (g). A licensee' s failure to comply with the department's prohibition of employment, contact with clients, or presence in the facility as required by paragraph (3) of subdivision (c) shall be grounds for disciplining the licensee pursuant to Section 1550. (e) The State Department of Social Services may not use a record of arrest to deny, revoke, or terminate any application, license, employment, or residence unless the department investigates the incident and secures evidence, whether or not related to the incident of arrest, that is admissible in an administrative hearing to establish conduct by the person that may pose a risk to the health and safety of any person who is or may become a client. The State Department of Social Services is authorized to obtain any arrest or conviction records or reports from any law enforcement agency as necessary to the performance of its duties to inspect, license, and investigate community care facilities and individuals associated with a community care facility. (f) (1) For purposes of this section or any other provision of this chapter, a conviction means a plea or verdict of guilty or a conviction following a plea of nolo contendere. Any action that the State Department of Social Services is permitted to take following the establishment of a conviction may be taken when the time for appeal has elapsed, when the judgment of conviction has been affirmed on appeal, or when an order granting probation is made suspending the imposition of sentence, notwithstanding a subsequent order pursuant to Sections 1203.4 and 1203.4a of the Penal Code permitting the person to withdraw his or her plea of guilty and to enter a plea of not guilty, or setting aside the verdict of guilty, or dismissing the accusation, information, or indictment. For purposes of this section or any other provision of this chapter, the record of a conviction, or a copy thereof certified by the clerk of the court or by a judge of the court in which the conviction occurred, shall be conclusive evidence of the conviction. For purposes of this section or any other provision of this chapter, the arrest disposition report certified by the Department of Justice, or documents admissible in a criminal action pursuant to Section 969b of the Penal Code, shall be prima facie evidence of the conviction, notwithstanding any other provision of law prohibiting the admission of these documents in a civil or administrative action. (2) For purposes of this section or any other provision of this chapter, the department shall consider criminal convictions from another state or federal court as if the criminal offense was committed in this state. (g) (1) After review of the record, the director may grant an exemption from disqualification for a license or special permit as specified in paragraphs (1) and (4) of subdivision (a), or for a license, special permit, or certificate of approval as specified in paragraphs (4) and (5) of subdivision (d), or for employment, residence, or presence in a community care facility as specified in paragraphs (3), (4), and (5) of subdivision (c), if the director has substantial and convincing evidence to support a reasonable belief that the applicant and the person convicted of the crime, if other than the applicant, are of good character as to justify issuance of the license or special permit or granting an exemption for purposes of subdivision (c). Except as otherwise provided in this subdivision, an exemption may not be granted pursuant to this subdivision if the conviction was for any of the following offenses: (A) (i) An offense specified in Section 220, 243.4, or 264.1, subdivision (a) of Section 273a or, prior to January 1, 1994, paragraph (1) of Section 273a, Section 273d, 288, or 289, subdivision (a) of Section 290, or Section 368 of the Penal Code, or was a conviction of another crime against an individual specified in subdivision (c) of Section 667.5 of the Penal Code. (ii) Notwithstanding clause (i), the director may grant an exemption regarding the conviction for an offense described in paragraph (1), (2), (7), or (8) of subdivision (c) of Section 667.5 of the Penal Code, if the employee or prospective employee has been rehabilitated as provided in Section 4852.03 of the Penal Code, has maintained the conduct required in Section 4852.05 of the Penal Code for at least 10 years, and has the recommendation of the district attorney representing the employee's county of residence, or if the employee or prospective employee has received a certificate of rehabilitation pursuant to Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 4852.01) of Title 6 of Part 3 of the Penal Code. (B) A felony offense specified in Section 729 of the Business and Professions Code or Section 206 or 215, subdivision (a) of Section 347, subdivision (b) of Section 417, or subdivision (a) of Section 451 of the Penal Code. (2) The department may not prohibit a person from being employed or having contact with clients in a facility on the basis of a denied criminal record exemption request or arrest information unless the department complies with the requirements of Section 1558. (h) (1) For purposes of compliance with this section, the department may permit an individual to transfer a current criminal record clearance, as defined in subdivision (a), from one facility to another, as long as the criminal record clearance has been processed through a state licensing district office, and is being transferred to another facility licensed by a state licensing district office. The request shall be in writing to the State Department of Social Services, and shall include a copy of the person's driver's license or valid identification card issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles, or a valid photo identification issued by another state or the United States government if the person is not a California resident. Upon request of the licensee, who shall enclose a self-addressed envelope for this purpose, the State Department of Social Services shall verify whether the individual has a clearance that can be transferred. (2) The State Department of Social Services shall hold criminal record clearances in its active files for a minimum of two years after an employee is no longer employed at a licensed facility in order for the criminal record clearance to be transferred. (3) The following shall apply to a criminal record clearance or exemption from the department or a county office with department delegated licensing authority: (A) A county office with department delegated licensing authority may accept a clearance or exemption from the department. (B) The department may accept a clearance or exemption from any county office with department delegated licensing authority. (C) A county office with department delegated licensing authority may accept a clearance or exemption from any other county office with department delegated licensing authority. (4) With respect to notifications issued by the Department of Justice pursuant to Section 11105.2 of the Penal Code concerning an individual whose criminal record clearance was originally processed by the department or a county office with department delegated licensing authority, all of the following shall apply: (A) The Department of Justice shall process a request from the department or a county office with department delegated licensing authority to receive the notice only if all of the following conditions are met: (i) The request shall be submitted to the Department of Justice by the agency to be substituted to receive the notification. (ii) The request shall be for the same applicant type as the type for which the original clearance was obtained. (iii) The request shall contain all prescribed data elements and format protocols pursuant to a written agreement between the department and the Department of Justice. (B) (i) On or before January 7, 2005, the department shall notify the Department of Justice of all county offices that have department delegated licensing authority. (ii) The department shall notify the Department of Justice within 15 calendar days of the date on which a new county office receives department delegated licensing authority or a county's delegated licensing authority is rescinded. (C) The Department of Justice shall charge the department or a county office with department delegated licensing authority a fee for each time a request to substitute the recipient agency is received for purposes of this paragraph. This fee shall not exceed the cost of providing the service. (i) The full criminal record obtained for purposes of this section may be used by the department or by a licensed adoption agency as a clearance required for adoption purposes. (j) If a licensee or facility is required by law to deny employment or to terminate employment of any employee based on written notification from the state department that the employee has a prior criminal conviction or is determined unsuitable for employment under Section 1558, the licensee or facility shall not incur civil liability or unemployment insurance liability as a result of that denial or termination. (k) (1) The Department of Justice shall coordinate with the State Department of Social Services to establish and implement an automated live-scan processing system for fingerprints in the district offices of the Community Care Licensing Division of the State Department of Social Services by July 1, 1999. These live-scan processing units shall be connected to the main system at the Department of Justice by July 1, 1999, and shall become part of that department's pilot project in accordance with its long-range plan. The State Department of Social Services may charge a fee for the costs of processing a set of live-scan fingerprints. (2) The Department of Justice shall provide a report to the Senate and Assembly fiscal committees, the Assembly Human Services Committee, and to the Senate Health and Human Services Committee by April 15, 1999, regarding the completion of backlogged criminal record clearance requests for all facilities licensed by the State Department of Social Services and the progress on implementing the automated live-scan processing system in the two district offices pursuant to paragraph (1). (l) Amendments to this section made in the 1999 portion of the 1999-2000 Regular Session shall be implemented commencing 60 days after the effective date of the act amending this section in the 1999 portion of the 1999-2000 Regular Session, except that those provisions for the submission of fingerprints for searching the records of the Federal Bureau of Investigation shall be implemented 90 days after the effective date of that act. SEC. 3. Section 362.04 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read: 362.04. (a) For purposes of this section: (1) "Caregiver" means any licensed or certified foster parent, approved relative caregiver, or approved nonrelative extended family member. (2) "Reasonable and prudent parent" or "reasonable and prudent parent standard" means the standard characterized by careful and sensible parental decisions that maintain the child's health, safety, and best interest. (3) "Short-term" means no more than 24 consecutive hours. (b) Every caregiver may arrange for occasional short-term babysitting of their foster child and allow individuals to supervise the foster child for the purposes set forth in Section 362.05, or on occasions, including, but not limited to, when the foster parent has a medical or other health care appointment, grocery or other shopping, personal grooming appointments, special occasions for the foster parents, foster parent training classes, school-related meetings (such as parent-teacher conferences), business meetings, adult social gatherings, or an occasional evening out by the foster parent. (c) Caregivers shall use a reasonable and prudent parent standard in determining and selecting appropriate babysitters for occasional short-term use. (d) The caregiver shall endeavor to provide the babysitter with the following information before leaving the child for purposes of short-term care: (1) Information about the child's emotional, behavioral, medical or physical conditions, if any, necessary to provide care for the child during the time the foster child is being supervised by the babysitter. (2) Any medication that should be administered to the foster child during the time the foster child is being supervised by the babysitter. (3) Emergency contact information that is valid during the time the foster child is being supervised by the babysitter. (e) Babysitters selected by the caregiver to provide occasional short-term care to a foster child under the provisions of this section shall be exempt from any department regulation requiring health screening or cardiopulmonary resuscitation certification or training. (f) Each state and local entity shall ensure that private agencies that provide foster care services to dependent children have policies consistent with this section. Policies that are not consistent with this section include those that are incompatible with, contradictory to, or more restrictive than this section. SEC. 4. Section 362.05 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read: 362.05. Every child adjudged a dependent child of the juvenile court shall be entitled to participate in age-appropriate extracurricular, enrichment, and social activities. No state or local regulation or policy may prevent or create barriers to participation in those activities. Each state and local entity shall ensure that private agencies that provide foster care services to dependent children have policies consistent with this section and that those agencies promote and protect the ability of dependent children to participate in age-appropriate extracurricular, enrichment, and social activities. Caregivers, as defined in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 362.04, shall use a reasonable and prudent parent standard, as defined in paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 362.04, in determining whether to give permission for a child residing in foster care to participate in extracurricular, enrichment, and social activities. The caretaker shall take reasonable steps to determine the appropriateness of the activity in consideration of the child's age, maturity, and developmental level.