Relating to the regulation of child welfare, including licensure, community-based care contractors, family homes, and child-care facilities.

Contracts

• Insurance Riders: Do not reduce liability coverage to the new $100,000 statutory minimum before January 1, 2026. Furthermore, review all private vendor and placement contracts; many require $300,000+ coverage regardless of state law.
• SSCC Agreements: Single Source Continuum Contractors are now exempt from Child-Placing Agency licensure. Legal counsel must review master contracts to ensure "safety prioritization" clauses replace standard licensure representations.

Hiring/Training

• Administrator Recruitment: HR departments may broaden search criteria for Facility Administrators. The strict bachelor’s degree requirement is replaced by "educational or experiential equivalent," allowing for the hiring of seasoned managers without specific degrees.
• RTC Staff Training: Facility Administrators at Residential Treatment Centers must be trained that failure to display "No Trespassing" signs is a Class C Misdemeanor, creating personal criminal liability.

Reporting & Record-Keeping

• Intake Forms: Remove the mandatory field for tuberculosis (TB) testing from child admission checklists immediately.
• Insurance Filing: Effective January 1, 2026, Listed Family Homes are no longer required to file annual certificates of insurance with the Commission, though notification of coverage loss to parents remains mandatory.

Fees & Costs

• License Renewal: The penalty for renewing a license expired >90 days (but <1 year) is reduced from 2.0x the fee to 1.5x the fee.
• Insurance Premiums: Facilities should negotiate lower premiums for the 2026 renewal cycle based on the reduced $100,000 statutory liability floor.