S.B. 184 (S-1): FIRST ANALYSIS - CHILD CARE: CPR
Senate Bill 184 (Substitute S-1 as reported)
Sponsor: Senator Jon Cisky
Committee: Health Policy and Senior Citizens
Date Completed: 3-17-98
RATIONALE
The child care licensing Act requires a child care institution, center, or group day care home to have on duty at all times (when providing care), at least one person who has been certified within the preceding two years in age-appropriate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and first aid, by the American Red Cross or a comparable organization approved by the Department of Consumer and Industry Services. It has been pointed out that the certification standards of the American Red Cross differ from the Act's requirements; that is, the American Red Cross requires that to achieve certification in first aid and in CPR one must attend Red Cross classes and lectures, and pass a skills test. To maintain certification one must be recertified at least every 36 months for first aid, and at least every 12 months for CPR. It has been suggested that the Act's certification requirements for first aid and CPR be changed to mirror Red Cross certification requirements.
CONTENT
The bill would amend the child care licensing Act to provide that the person in certain child care facilities who is required to be certified in first aid and age-appropriate CPR, would have to be certified in CPR within the preceding 12 months and in first aid within the preceding 36 months. The bill also would allow persons to obtain certification from the American Heart Association.
ARGUMENTS
(Please note: The arguments contained in this analysis originate from sources outside the Senate Fiscal Agency. The Senate Fiscal Agency neither supports nor opposes legislation.)
Supporting Argument
The bill would match the certification requirements in the Act for first aid and CPR to the certification standards of the American Red Cross. This would make it easier for child care workers who are required to be certified to achieve recertification on a regular schedule, while maintaining a high level of training for those workers. The bill also would provide additional assurance to parents that their child care providers had the most up-to-date first aid and CPR training.
- Legislative Analyst: G. Towne
FISCAL IMPACT
This bill would extend the recertification for first aid training to every three years while the requirement for recertification for cardiopulmonary resuscitation would be increased to every year. Depending on the cost of both types of training at the local level (i.e., if the cost for CPR training exceeds the cost for first aid training), there could be a fiscal impact on a local school district that runs a day care.
- Fiscal Analyst: M. Tyszkiewicz
A9798\S184A
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.