Day care facilities: immunizations: exemptions.

Existing law, the California Child Day Care Facilities Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of day care centers, as defined, and family day care homes, as defined, by the State Department of Social Services. A violation of the act is a crime. Existing law requires a child to be immunized prior to admission to a day care center or family day care home. Existing law authorizes an exemption from those provisions for medical reasons or because of personal beliefs, if specified forms are submitted to the day care center or family day care home. Existing law requires an applicant for licensure as a family day care home to present evidence of a current tuberculosis clearance for any adult in the home during the time that children are under care. This bill, commencing September 1, 2016, would prohibit a person from being employed or volunteering at a day care center or a family day care home if he or she has not been immunized against influenza, pertussis, and measles. The bill would specify circumstances under which a person would be exempt from the immunization requirement, based on medical safety, current immunity, declining the influenza vaccination, or the date upon which he or she was hired, as specified. The bill would require a day care center or a family day care home to maintain documentation of the required immunizations or exemptions from immunization in the employee's or volunteer's personnel record. The bill would make conforming changes to provisions that set forth qualifications for day care center teachers and applicants for licensure as a family day care home. The bill would provide that a violation of these provisions would not be subject to a crime. The bill would require any person hired as a teacher in a day care center to present evidence of a current tuberculosis clearance, as specified.