MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2013 Regular Session
To: Public Health and Welfare; Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency
By: Senator(s) Butler (36th)
AN ACT TO CREATE "THE FAMILY CHILD CARE IDENTITY PROTECTION LAW"; TO PROVIDE CERTAIN DEFINITIONS; TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES TO IMPLEMENT AN ELECTRONIC TIME AND ATTENDANCE SYSTEM FOR CHILD CARE SUBSIDIES; TO PROVIDE THAT SUCH SYSTEM SHALL RECORD, THROUGH A SWIPE-CARD, THE ATTENDANCE OF A CHILD WHO RECEIVES CHILD CARE SERVICES THROUGH THE CHILD CARE PAYMENT PROGRAM AT A LICENSED CHILD CARE PROVIDER; TO PROHIBIT THE USE OF FINGER-SCANNING OR BIOMETRIC FINGER-IMAGING DEVICES TO TRACK THE ATTENDANCE OF A CHILD WHO RECEIVES SUCH CHILD CARE SERVICES; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. This act shall be known as the "Family Child Care Identity Protection Law."
SECTION 2. For purposes of this act, the following words and terms shall have the meanings ascribed in this section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
(a) "Biometric finger imaging" means using the physical characteristics of an individual to identify a user.
(b) "Child care payment program" means the federally funded program that is administered by the Department of Human Services to provide income-eligible parents with assistance with child care tuition.
(c) "Department" means the Mississippi Department of Human Services.
(d) "Point of service device" means machines that are used by licensed child care providers to electronically document the attendance of a child at the child care facility.
(e) "Swipe-card system" means a procedure that utilizes a magnetic striped card that is swiped through a reader by a user.
SECTION 3. (1) The Mississippi Department of Human Services shall implement an electronic time and attendance system for child care subsidies. The electronic time and attendance system shall include point-of-service (POS) devices that shall be provided by the department to licensed child care providers. Such licensed child care providers shall utilize a swipe-card system, which shall be provided by the department, to track child care time and attendance of a child participating in the department's child care payment program.
(2) The swipe-card system shall be utilized solely for the recording and tracking of child care time and attendance of a child who receives child care services through the department's child care payment program.
SECTION 4. The department is prohibited from utilizing any finger scanning devices or biometric finger imaging devices to record or track child care time and attendance of a child who receives child care services through the department's child care payment program.
SECTION 5. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2013.