(k) (1) Application for a license, commission, registration, or permit for an early care and education program shall be made to the department upon forms furnished by the department. Upon receipt of an application for a license, commission, registration, or permit and upon presentation by the applicant of evidence that the early care and education program meets the rules and regulations prescribed by the department, the department shall issue such early care and education program a license, registration, commission, or permit in accordance with procedures, standards, rules and regulations established by the board.
(2) The following annual fees shall apply to applications for any license or commission: (A) Capacity of one to 25 children ..$ 50.00 (B) Capacity of 26 to 50 children ..100.00 (C) Capacity of 51 to 100 children ..150.00 (D) Capacity of 101 to 200 children ..200.00 (E) Capacity of more than 200 children ..250.00
(1)If the department finds that an early care and education program that currently cares for children plans to undergo a change in ownership, the department may issue a permit to such program to facilitate such change of ownership without disruption of care. If such program complies with all licensing requirements prior to the expiration of the permit, the department may issue a license to such program in accordance with this Code section.
If the department finds that any early care and education program applicant does not meet rules and regulations prescribed by the department but is attempting to meet such rules and regulations, the department may, in its discretion, issue a temporary license, registration, or commission to such early care and education program, but such temporary license, registration, or commission shall not be issued for more than a one-year period. Upon presentation of satisfactory evidence that such program is making progress toward meeting prescribed rules and regulations of the department, the department may, in its discretion, reissue such temporary license, registration, or commission for one additional period not to exceed one year. As an alternative to a temporary license, registration, or commission, the department, in its discretion, may issue a restricted license, registration, or commission which states the restrictions on its face.
The department shall refuse to issue a license, commission, registration, or permit upon a showing of:
All licensed, commissioned, or permitted early care and education programs shall prominently display the license, commission, or permit issued to such program by the department at some point near the entrance of the premises of such program that is open to view by the public.
The department's action revoking or refusing to renew or issue a license, commission, registration, or permit required by this Code section shall be preceded by notice and opportunity for a hearing and shall constitute a contested case within the meaning of Chapter 13 of Title 50, the "Georgia Administrative Procedure Act," except that only 30 days' notice in writing from the commissioner's designee shall be required prior to such revocation or refusal to renew and except that hearings held relating to such action by the department may be closed to the public if the hearing officer determines that an open hearing would be detrimental to the physical or mental health of any child who will testify at that hearing.
It shall be the duty of the department to inspect at regular intervals all licensed, commissioned, or permitted early care and education programs within the state. The department shall have right of entrance, privilege of inspection, and right of access to all children under the care and control of the license, commission, or permit holder.
If any abuses, derelictions, or deficiencies are made known to the department or its duly authorized agents during their inspection of any licensed, commissioned, or permitted early care and education program or if, at any time, such are reported to the department, the department shall immediately investigate such matters and take such action as conditions may require.
If any abuses, derelictions, or deficiencies are found in the operation and management of any early care and education program, including failure to pay the required annual license or commission fee, they shall be brought immediately to the attention of the management of such program; and if correctable, but not corrected within a reasonable time, the department shall revoke the license, commission, registration, or permit of such program in the manner prescribed in this Code section.
The department may require periodic reports from early care and education programs in such forms and at such times as the department may prescribe.
Any person who shall operate an early care and education program without a license, commission, registration, or permit shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine of not less than $50.00 nor more than $200.00 or by imprisonment not exceeding 12 months, or both, for each such offense. Each day of operation without a license, commission, registration, or permit shall constitute a separate offense.
The department may, without regard to the availability of other remedies, including administrative remedies, seek an injunction against the continued operation of an early care and education program without a license, commission, registration, or permit or the continued operation of an early care and education program in willful violation of this chapter or of any regulation of the department or of any order of the department.
Each family child care learning home and child care learning center shall be required to obtain a separate license, commission, or permit for each facility and shall have a separate director for each facility.
(Code 1981, §20-1A-10, enacted by Ga. L. 2004, p. 645, § 1; Ga. L. 2010, p. 9, § 1-46/HB 1055; Ga. L. 2010, p. 838, § 10/SB 388; Ga. L. 2013, p. 135, § 5/HB 354; Ga. L. 2015, p. 965, § 1/HB 401.)
The 2015 amendment, effective January 1, 2016, rewrote this Code section.
Code Commission notes.- Pursuant to Code Section 28-9-5, in 2009, "Chapter 12A of Title 31" was substituted for "paragraph (4) of subsection (a) of Code Section 16-12-2" in subsection (h).