BILL ANALYSIS �
Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
Senator Christine Kehoe, Chair
SB 737 (Walters)
Hearing Date: 05/26/2011 Amended: 05/10/2011
Consultant: Jacqueline Wong-HernandezPolicy Vote: Human Services
7-0
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BILL SUMMARY: SB 737 makes changes to licensure and reporting
requirements for certain organizations serving children.
Specifically, this bill:
1) Increases the number of hours, from 30 to 60 hours per week,
that a participating program operated by a city, county, or
nonprofit organization in the After School Learning and Safe
Neighborhoods Partnership Program may operate without
obtaining a license or special permit otherwise required under
existing law;
2) Clarifies that specified recreation programs conducted for
children are exempt from day care licensure and
administration regulations;
3) Modifies the definition of the term "organized camp" and
defines the term "organized day camp"; and
4) Requires an organized camp or day camp to develop an
operating plan and file the plan with the local health
department, as specified. The bill would also require the
officer to acknowledge receipt of the plan within 30 days.
5) Requires the Department of Public Health (DPH), in
promulgating regulations pertaining to day camps, to obtain
input from affected organizations, and recover costs from
those organizations, as specified.
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Fiscal Impact (in thousands)
Major Provisions 2011-12 2012-13
2013-14 Fund
DPH regulations $29
$60 $30 General
SB 737 (Walters)
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Local health department notifications Significant costs
recovered by fees Local
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STAFF COMMENTS: SUSPENSE FILE.
This bill would define "organized day camp" as distinct from
"organized camp", in statute, and provide that organized day
camps be exempt from child care licensing. This bill also
specifies (but does not limit the definition to) existing
organizations and programs that meet the definition of organized
day camps, and whose programs for children would be exempt from
child care licensing.
Existing law requires the Department of Public Health (DPH) to
establish minimum standards for organized camps and directs
local health officers to enforce these standards. This bill
requires that DPH, in amending regulations to organized camps to
accommodate organized day camps, obtain the input and advice of
organizations in the field, including, but not limited to, the
California State Alliance of YMCAs and the California
Collaboration for Youth, as specified. The DPH has indicated it
will require one limited-term PY to develop regulations for
organized day camps, for a total cost of $119,000 over two
calendar years.
This bill requires day camps to, similarly to an organized camp,
develop a written operating plan and file the plan with the
local health department at least 30 days prior to operation.
This bill specifies that the local health department shall
acknowledge receipt of the operating plan within 30 days.
Additionally, If an organized camp also constructs or operates
certain educational facilities and programs, they must meet
certain construction and operating standards. This bill requires
that a separate written operating plan prepared pursuant to this
subdivision shall be filed with the local health department at
least 30 days prior to construction, and shall also be filed
annually thereafter.
Local health departments have broad authority to charge fees to
organizations requesting this type of review, and currently
SB 737 (Walters)
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charge organized camps for similar activities. Thus, while there
may be significant local costs to this bill, it is not a
reimbursable state mandate.
As proposed to be amended: Remove provision that provides for
automatic approval of operating plans if no response is received
within 30 days.