HB 1600 — An Act amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), known as the Human Services Code, in departmental powers and duties as to supervision, providing for Keystone STARS Program; and, in departmental powers and duties as to licensing, further providing for fees, providing for Keystone STARS Program and further providing for definition.

PRINTER'S NO.    1909

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 1600
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY MEHAFFIE, CERRATO, CIRESI, FREEMAN, McNEILL,
        O'MARA, RABB, SANCHEZ, SCHLOSSBERG, SOLOMON AND TAKAC,
        JUNE 11, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN AND YOUTH, JUNE 11, 2025


                                    AN ACT
 1   Amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), entitled "An
 2      act to consolidate, editorially revise, and codify the public
 3      welfare laws of the Commonwealth," in departmental powers and
 4      duties as to supervision, providing for Keystone STARS
 5      Program; and, in departmental powers and duties as to
 6      licensing, further providing for fees, providing for Keystone
 7      STARS Program and further providing for definition.
 8      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 9   hereby enacts as follows:
10      Section 1.    The act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), known
11   as the Human Services Code, is amended by adding a section to
12   read:
13      Section 923.    Keystone STARS Program.--(a)   Each certified
14   child-care provider in the Keystone STARS Program may:
15      (1)   Denote on its publicly accessible Internet website, if
16   operational, its designated STAR-level rating, which shall
17   include how many STARS that the certified child-care provider
18   has received.
19      (2)   Provide, in a linguistically appropriate manner, the
20   certified child-care provider's STAR-level rating and the
 1   publicly accessible Internet website of the department that
 2   includes information on the Keystone STARS Program in writing to
 3   a parent or legal guardian at the time of application.
 4      (3)    Obtain a department-issued placard that denotes the
 5   certified child-care provider's participation in the Keystone
 6   STARS Program and designated STAR-level rating, which may be
 7   displayed in a public-facing location.
 8      (b)    The department shall be responsible for issuing placards
 9   to program participants in conformance with the following:
10      (1)    The placards shall be clear, visible, readable and
11   linguistically appropriate.
12      (2)    The placards shall include the following information:
13      (i)    The name of the certified child-care provider.
14      (ii)    The name of the department.
15      (iii)    The date that the department issued the placard.
16      (iv)    The number of STARS that the certified child-care
17   provider has received.
18      (v)    The address, telephone number, publicly accessible
19   Internet website that includes information on the Keystone STARS
20   Program and e-mail address of the department.
21      (c)    The department shall issue guidance that establishes a
22   Keystone STARS rubric which provides a pathway for a certified
23   child-care provider that chooses to participate in the Keystone
24   STARS Program to move up a STAR level by permitting
25   demonstration of a combination of staff qualifications, work
26   experience and professional development, quality early childhood
27   education program activities, partnerships with families and
28   communities and effective leadership and program management when
29   applying for additional STARS.
30      (d)    As used in this section, the following words and phrases

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 1   shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection:
 2      "Certified child-care provider" means:
 3      (1)   A child-care center or family child-care home certified
 4   or licensed under Article X.
 5      (2)   A provider certified or licensed to provide child care
 6   under Article IX.
 7      "Keystone STARS" means the standards, training and
 8   professional development, assistance, resources and supports
 9   (STARS) used in the Commonwealth's quality rating and
10   improvement system for certified child-care providers.
11      "STAR" means a level of performance rating for early learning
12   programs participating in the Keystone STARS Program that
13   assesses staff education, learning environment, leadership and
14   management and family and community partnerships.
15      Section 2.    Section 1006 of the act is amended to read:
16      Section 1006.    Fees.--Annual licenses shall be issued when
17   the proper fee, if required, is received by the department and
18   all the other conditions prescribed in this act are met. For
19   personal care homes, the fee shall be an application fee. The
20   fees shall be:
21            Facility                                      Annual Fee
22      Adult day care center                                 $     15
23      Mental health establishment                                 50
24      Personal care home--    0 -   20 beds                       15
25                          -- 21 -   50 beds                       20
26                          -- 51 - 100 beds                        30
27                          --101 beds and above                    50
28   No fee shall be required for the annual license in the case of
29   [day] child care centers, family child care homes, boarding
30   homes for children or for public or nonprofit mental

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 1   institutions.
 2      Section 3.    The act is amended by adding a section to read:
 3      Section 1019.    Keystone STARS Program.--(a)   Each certified
 4   child-care provider in the Keystone STARS Program may:
 5      (1)    Denote on its publicly accessible Internet website, if
 6   operational, its designated STAR-level rating, which shall
 7   include how many STARS that the certified child-care provider
 8   has received.
 9      (2)    Provide, in a linguistically appropriate manner, the
10   certified child-care provider's STAR-level rating and the
11   publicly accessible Internet website of the department that
12   includes information on the Keystone STARS Program in writing to
13   a parent or legal guardian at the time of application.
14      (3)    Obtain a department-issued placard that denotes the
15   certified child-care provider's participation in the Keystone
16   STARS Program and designated STAR-level rating, which may be
17   displayed in a public-facing location.
18      (b)    The department shall be responsible for issuing placards
19   to program participants in conformance with the following:
20      (1)    The placards shall be clear, visible, readable and
21   linguistically appropriate.
22      (2)    The placards shall include the following information:
23      (i)    The name of the certified child-care provider.
24      (ii)    The name of the department.
25      (iii)    The date that the department issued the placard.
26      (iv)    The number of STARS that the certified child-care
27   provider has received.
28      (v)    The address, telephone number, publicly accessible
29   Internet website that includes information on the Keystone STARS
30   Program and e-mail address of the department.

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 1      (c)   The department shall issue guidance that establishes a
 2   Keystone STARS rubric which provides a pathway for a certified
 3   child-care provider that chooses to participate in the Keystone
 4   STARS Program to move up a STAR level by permitting appropriate
 5   demonstration of a combination of staff qualifications, work
 6   experience and professional development, quality early childhood
 7   education program activities, partnerships with families and
 8   communities and effective leadership and program management when
 9   applying for additional STARS.
10      (d)   As used in this section, the following words and phrases
11   shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection:
12      "Certified child-care provider" means:
13      (1)   A child-care center or family child-care home certified
14   or licensed under Article X.
15      (2)   A provider certified or licensed to provide child care
16   under Article IX.
17      "Keystone STARS" means the standards, training and
18   professional development, assistance, resources and supports
19   (STARS) used in the Commonwealth's quality rating and
20   improvement system for certified child-care providers.
21      "STAR" means a level of performance rating for early learning
22   programs participating in the Keystone STARS Program that
23   assesses staff education, learning environment, leadership and
24   management and family and community partnerships.
25      Section 4.   Section 1051 of the act is amended to read:
26      Section 1051.    Definition.--As used in this subarticle--
27      "Private institution" means any of the following facilities
28   by whatever term known and irrespective of the age group served:
29   Mental hospital, institution for the mentally defective, [day]
30   child care center, nursing home, hospital, personal care home,

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1   assisted living residence and other similar institution which is
2   operated for profit and which requires a license issued by the
3   department.
4      Section 5.   This act shall take effect in 180 days.




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