§ 43-20-1. Title
This chapter shall be cited as the “Mississippi Child Care Licensing Law.”
§ 43-20-11. Application for and issuance of license
An application for a license under this chapter shall be made to the licensing agency upon forms provided by it, and shall contain such information as the licensing agency may reasonably require. Each application for a license shall be accompanied by a license fee not to exceed Four Hundred Dollars ($400.00), which shall be paid […]
§ 43-20-12. Fees and penalties to be deposited in special fund
All fees collected by the State Board of Health under this chapter and any penalties collected by the board for violations of this chapter shall be deposited in a special fund hereby created in the State Treasury and shall be used for the implementation and administration of this chapter when appropriated by the Legislature for […]
§ 43-20-13. Renewal of license
A license issued under the provisions of this chapter shall be renewed upon payment of a renewal fee not to exceed Four Hundred Dollars ($400.00) per year, and upon filing by the licensee of a report upon such uniform dates and upon forms provided by the licensing agency, accompanied by a current certificate of inspection […]
§ 43-20-14. Denial, suspension, or revocation of license; hearing; appeal
The licensing agency may deny a license or refuse to renew a license for any of the reasons set forth in subsection (3) of this section. Before the licensing agency may deny or refuse to renew, the applicant or person named on the license shall be entitled to a hearing in order to show cause […]
§ 43-20-15. Inspections
The licensing agency shall make or cause to be made inspections relative to compliance with the laws and regulations governing the licensure of child care facilities. Such inspections shall be made at least once a year but additional inspections may be made as often as deemed necessary by the licensing agency.
§ 43-20-17. Information confidential; authority to release findings of investigations into allegations of abuse
Information in the possession of the licensing agency concerning the license of individual child care facilities may be disclosed to the public, except such information shall not be disclosed in such manner as to identify children or families of children cared for at a child care facility. Nothing in this section shall affect the agency’s […]
§ 43-20-19. Penalty
Any person establishing, conducting, managing or operating a child care facility without a license under this chapter after August 1, 1972, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be fined not more than One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) for the first offense, and not more than Two Hundred Dollars ($200.00) for each subsequent […]
§ 43-20-21. Injunctive relief
Notwithstanding the existence of any other remedy, the licensing agency may, in the manner provided by law, in termtime or in vacation, upon the advice of the Attorney General who, except as otherwise authorized in Section 7-5-39, shall represent the licensing agency in the proceedings, maintain an action in the name of the state for […]
§ 43-20-3. Declaration of purpose
The purpose of this chapter is to protect and promote the health and safety of the children of this state by providing for the licensing of child care facilities as defined herein so as to assure that certain minimum standards are maintained in such facilities. This policy is predicated upon the fact that a child […]
§ 43-20-5. Definitions
When used in this chapter, the following words shall have the following meanings: “Child care facility” means a place that provides shelter and personal care for six (6) or more children who are not related within the third degree computed according to the civil law to the operator and who are under thirteen (13) years […]
§ 43-20-7. Advisory council
There is hereby created an advisory council which shall be appointed by the State Health Officer, who shall serve at the pleasure of the State Health Officer. The advisory council shall consist of twelve (12) persons, six (6) of whom shall be licensed child care providers, and six (6) of whom shall represent child care […]
§ 43-20-8. Powers and duties of licensing agency; parental access to facilities; obtaining criminal records and child abuse registry records of current and prospective caregivers; authority to exclude certain crimes or findings as disqualifying for licensure; immunity; fee for background check; immunization against invasive pneumococcal disease
The licensing agency shall have powers and duties as set forth below, in addition to other duties prescribed under this chapter: Promulgate rules and regulations concerning the licensing and regulation of child care facilities as defined in Section 43-20-5; Have the authority to issue, deny, suspend, revoke, restrict or otherwise take disciplinary action against licensees […]
§ 43-20-9. License required
From and after August 1, 1972, no person acting individually or jointly with another person or persons shall establish, own, operate, conduct or maintain a child care facility in this state without a license issued under this chapter.