HR 367 IH

To promote the health and safety of children by requiring the posting of Consumer Product Safety Commission child care center safety standards in child care centers and by requiring that the Secretary of Health and Human Services report to Congress with recommendations to promote compliance with such standards.

January 31, 2001

Mr. NADLER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

To promote the health and safety of children by requiring the posting of Consumer Product Safety Commission child care center safety standards in child care centers and by requiring that the Secretary of Health and Human Services report to Congress with recommendations to promote compliance with such standards.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Child Care Safety Act of 2001'.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds the following:

(1) A study conducted by the Consumer Product Safety Commission in October and November of 1998, found that 2/3 of the child care settings studied exhibited at least 1 of the Commission's targeted safety hazards.

(2) The Consumer Product Safety Commission is aware of at least 56 children who have died in child care settings since 1990.

(3) In 1997, approximately 31,000 children, ages 4 years and younger, were treated in hospital emergency rooms after being injured in child care or school settings.

SEC. 3. POSTING OF CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION STANDARDS REQUIRED.

Section 658S of the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858q) is amended--

(1) by striking `Notwithstanding' and inserting the following:

`(a) TREATMENT OF CERTAIN FUNDS AS INCOME- Notwithstanding'; and

(2) by adding at the end the following:

`(b) CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION STANDARDS-

`(1) SECRETARY REQUIRED TO PROVIDE STANDARDS- As soon as practicable after the date of the enactment of the Child Care Center Safety Act of 2001, and with each distribution of funds under this Act, the Secretary shall provide a copy of the Consumer Product Safety Commission child care center safety standards to each eligible child care provider receiving funds under this Act.

`(2) STANDARDS REQUIRED TO BE POSTED- An eligible child care provider receiving funds under this Act shall post a copy of the standards provided under paragraph (1) in the child care facility in a location where the standards can be easily read by employees, parents, and other interested parties.

`(3) FORMAT OF STANDARDS- The Secretary, in consultation with the Consumer Product Safety Commission, shall develop a format for the standards required to be provided under paragraph (1).'.

SEC. 4. REPORT.

Not later than 6 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall report to Congress with recommendations for incentives, penalties, or other methods for encouraging eligible child care providers receiving funds under the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990, to comply with Consumer Product Safety Commission child care center safety standards.

END