Early childhood education and childcare: electronic signatures.

Plain English Breakdown

The bill does not explicitly state requirements for following UETA, but it implies compliance with existing law.

Using Electronic Signatures for Childcare Programs

This law allows childcare programs to accept electronic signatures and documents, as long as they follow certain rules.

What This Bill Does

• Allows childcare programs to accept electronic signatures instead of handwritten ones.
• Permits childcare program documents with electronic signatures to be stored electronically.
• Gives the State Department of Social Services permission to make rules about using electronic signatures in childcare programs.

Who It Names or Affects

• Childcare providers and contractors who run programs for children up to age 13.
• The State Department of Social Services, which oversees these childcare programs.

Terms To Know

Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (UETA)

A law that says electronic records and signatures are just as legal as paper ones.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify how much it will cost to implement these changes.
• It is unclear if all childcare programs will be ready or able to use electronic signatures right away.

Official Summary Text

SB 902, as amended, Grayson.
Childcare:
Early childhood education and childcare:
electronic signatures.
Existing law, the Child Care and Development Services Act, administered by the State Department of Social Services, establishes a system of childcare and development services for children up to 13 years of age, which includes various programs and services, including, among others, general childcare and development programs and migrant childcare and development programs.
Existing law, the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (UETA), provides that a record or signature may not be denied legal effect or enforceability solely because it is in electronic form.
This bill would specify that a signature required by the Child Care and Development Services Act may be satisfied by use of an electronic signature in compliance with the UETA. The bill would authorize documents with an electronic signature to be
created and stored in an electronic format in compliance with the UETA, and would authorize the department to adopt regulations to implement these provisions.
Existing law, the Early Education Act, requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to, among other things, provide an inclusive and cost-effective preschool program. The Early Education Act and the Child Care and Development Services Act authorize contractors operating or providing services under the acts to use digital signatures that comply with state and federal standards, including specified state regulations.
This bill would instead condition the authority of contractors operating under the Early Education Act and the Child Care and Development Services Act to use an
electronic signature on compliance with the UETA.

Current Bill Text

Download Bill PDF