(a) All agencies or childcare facilities licensed by the Department of Human Services under this subchapter or the Child Welfare Agency Licensing Act, § 9-28-401 et seq., that transport children shall have approved child safety alarm devices installed on any vehicles designed or used to transport more than seven (7) passengers and one (1) driver.
(b)
(1) All such vehicles in active child transportation service before July 1, 2005, shall have a child safety alarm device installed by a qualified technician or mechanic no later than December 31, 2005.
(2) On or after July 1, 2005, each newly acquired vehicle placed in child transportation service shall have a child safety alarm installed before placing the vehicle into service.
(3) Any agencies or childcare facilities required to have approved child safety alarm devices installed in a vehicle shall ensure that the devices are maintained and are in proper working order any time that the vehicle is in use for transporting children.
(c) The department shall:
(1) Maintain a list of approved child safety alarm devices; and
(2) Promulgate rules as necessary for the proper implementation of this section.
(d) Contingent upon the availability of funding for this purpose, the department may provide reimbursement to agencies or childcare facilities required under this section to retrofit vehicles in service before July 1, 2005, but the requirement to have approved child safety alarm devices in vehicles as required under this section shall not be contingent on the availability of funding or upon an agency's or a childcare facility's eligibility for reimbursement.