Child care: alternative payment programs and contractors: electronic records.

The Child Care and Development Services Act, administered by the State Department of Education, provides that children from infancy to 13 years of age are eligible, with certain requirements, for child care and development services. The act requires the department to contract with local contracting agencies to provide for alternative payment programs, and authorizes alternative payment programs for services provided in licensed centers and family day care homes and for other types of programs that conform to applicable law. Existing law authorizes alternative payment programs and providers and other contractors providing child care development services to maintain records in electronic format if the original documents were created in electronic format, including, but not limited to, child immunization records. This bill would authorize contractors and alternative payment programs and providers to maintain records electronically regardless of whether the original documents were created in electronic format and would expand the type of records that can be maintained electronically to include, among other things, attendance sheets. The bill would authorize alternative payment programs and providers to retain a case record using either electronic or other types of alternative storage. The bill would authorize alternative payment programs and providers to use an electronic signature, as provided. The bill would require the above provisions relating to the electronic retention of records or electronic signatures to be in compliance with state and federal standards, as determined by the department.