(1) REQUIREMENTS FOR CHILD CARE PERSONNEL.—

(a) The department or local licensing agency shall require that the application for a child care license contain a question that specifically asks the applicant, owner, or operator if he or she has ever had a license denied, revoked, or suspended in any state or jurisdiction or has been the subject of a disciplinary action or been fined while employed in a child care facility. The applicant, owner, or operator shall attest to the accuracy of the information requested under penalty of perjury. If the applicant, owner, or operator admits that he or she has been a party in such action, the department or local licensing agency shall review the nature of the suspension, revocation, disciplinary action, or fine before granting the applicant a license to operate a child care facility. If the department or local licensing agency determines as the result of such review that it is not in the best interest of the state or local jurisdiction for the applicant to be licensed, a license shall not be granted.

(b) The child care facility employer shall require that the application for a child care personnel position contain a question that specifically asks the applicant if he or she has ever worked in a facility that has had a license denied, revoked, or suspended in any state or jurisdiction or has been the subject of a disciplinary action or been fined while employed in a child care facility. The applicant shall attest to the accuracy of the information requested under penalty of perjury. If the applicant admits that he or she has been a party in such action, the employer shall review the nature of the denial, suspension, revocation, disciplinary action, or fine before the applicant is hired.

(2) EXCLUSION FROM OWNING, OPERATING, OR BEING EMPLOYED BY A CHILD CARE FACILITY OR OTHER CHILD CARE PROGRAM; HEARINGS PROVIDED.—

(a) The department or local licensing agency shall deny, suspend, or revoke a license or pursue other remedies provided in s. 402.310, s. 402.312, or s. 402.319 in addition to or in lieu of denial, suspension, or revocation for failure to comply with this section. The disciplinary actions determination to be made by the department or the local licensing agency and the procedure for hearing for applicants and licensees shall be in accordance with s. 402.310.

(b) When the department or the local licensing agency has reasonable cause to believe that grounds for denial or termination of employment exist, it shall notify, in writing, the applicant, licensee, or other child care program and the child care personnel affected, stating the specific record which indicates noncompliance with the standards in s. 402.305(2).

(c) When the department is the agency initiating the statement regarding noncompliance, the procedures established for hearing under chapter 120 shall be available to the applicant, licensee, or other child care program and to the affected child care personnel, in order to present evidence relating either to the accuracy of the basis of exclusion or to the denial of an exemption from disqualification.

(d) When a local licensing agency is the agency initiating the statement regarding noncompliance of an employee with the standards contained in s. 402.305(2), the employee, applicant, licensee, or other child care program has 15 days from the time of written notification of the agency’s finding to make a written request for a hearing. If a request for a hearing is not received in that time, the permanent employee, applicant, licensee, or other child care program is presumed to accept the finding.

(e) If a request for a hearing is made to the local licensing agency, a hearing shall be held within 30 days and shall be conducted by an individual designated by the county commission.

(f) An employee, applicant, licensee, or other child care program shall have the right to appeal a finding of the local licensing agency to a representative of the department. Any required hearing shall be held in the county in which the permanent employee is employed. The hearing shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of chapter 120.

(g) Refusal on the part of an applicant or licensee to dismiss child care personnel who have been found to be in noncompliance with personnel standards of s. 402.305(2) shall result in automatic denial or revocation of the license in addition to any other remedies pursued by the department or local licensing agency.

History.—ss. 4, 19, ch. 84-551; s. 25, ch. 85-54; s. 24, ch. 87-238; ss. 36, 61, ch. 90-306; s. 36, ch. 90-347; ss. 1, 2, ch. 93-115; s. 811, ch. 95-148; s. 58, ch. 95-228; s. 7, ch. 95-407; s. 223, ch. 99-13; s. 12, ch. 99-304.