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County backs day care plan

By LORRI HELFAND
Published January 5, 2007

Pinellas County's legislative delegation unanimously supported a bill Thursday that would extend the hours children can stay at licensed day care facilities.

Currently, children in licensed centers can't be in the same facility for more than 12 hours a day unless their families seek special variances.

The proposal, which was one of five considered by the legislative delegation, would let children stay at the same day care for more than 12 hours without approval from the Pinellas County License Board.

It would also authorize longer periods for children whose parents or guardians work a shift of 24 hours or more.

Like the five other bills approved by the delegation Thursday, this bill will still require approval from the state Legislature.

Pinellas day care rules are among the most restrictive in the state, a result of a special act passed in 1961 that authorized the board to set certain standards.

But with more single-parent homes and more people working longer shifts, it's time to look at those rules again, said Sen. Dennis Jones, R-Seminole, one of the bill's sponsors.

Day care provider Lynn Gibson said current rules place an unfair burden on firefighters, medical professionals and others who work long shifts and want to leave their children in a safe environment.

"Those same people are going to leave their child somewhere," Gibson said.

"By changing this act, we're encouraging families to use licensed day care facilities," Jones said.

Terri Hajian, chairman of Pinellas County License Board, said she was concerned the bill might jeopardize the special act that gives the board the authority to set standards for Pinellas child care facilities.

But Jones said that's not the case. The key thing it would do, he said, is allow facilities to serve the needs of the public.

Last month, the license board loosened certain restrictions. It agreed to allow some children to stay in licensed family day care homes longer.

With a variance, children in family day care homes - which are generally smaller operations in private homes - can stay longer than 12 hours and up to 24 hours if their parents have multiple employers, a medical condition or extended school and work hours.

Parents who work long shifts for one employer - such as nurses and firefighters - were already able to seek an exception to the 12-hour rule.

The exception requires sworn affidavits of school and work schedules, which are kept on file at the license board offices. A physician's note is necessary for the medical variance.

The recent changes affect 700 family day care homes in the county, which care for about 3,800 children. But they don't apply to 420 child care centers, which are typically larger and oversee up to 39,000 children.

Jones and Gibson said the license board didn't go far enough to accommodate parents and there is still too much red tape.

Among the other local bills approved by the delegation Thursday, one would allow marinas and docking facilities on submerged public lands near the Memorial Causeway with voter approval. Another bill would form a task force to deal with issues affecting the Lealman Special Fire Control District.

Others would let the town of Belleair Shore hold commission meetings outside of town, and let nonprofit St. Petersburg civic organizations sell alcoholic beverages at certain outdoor downtown events.

The delegation also held a public hearing, which drew the usual pleas for support from citizens, local organizations and advocacy groups on a host of topics including mental health issues, the lack of affordable housing and rising property tax and insurance rates.

[Last modified January 4, 2007, 22:06:59]