Sec. 3. (a) An applicant must apply for a child care center license on forms provided by the division.

     (b) An applicant must submit the required information as part of the application, including the following:

(1) If the county, city, or town in which the child care center is located requires a business permit or license to operate a child care center in the county, city, or town, proof that the applicant has a valid business permit or license.

(2) If the county, city, or town in which the child care center is located does not require a business permit or license described in subdivision (1), a statement from the county, city, or town that a business permit or license is not required.

(3) A current and valid electronic mail address for the applicant.

     (c) The applicant must submit with the application a statement attesting that the applicant:

(1) has not been convicted of:

(A) a felony:

(i) related to the health or safety of a child;

(ii) that is a sex offense (as defined in IC 11-8-8-5.2);

(iii) that is a dangerous felony; or

(iv) that is not a felony otherwise described in items (i) through (iii), and less than ten (10) years have elapsed from the date the person was discharged from probation, imprisonment, or parole, whichever discharge date is latest;

(B) a misdemeanor relating to the health or safety of children;

(C) a misdemeanor for operating a child care center without a license under section 35 of this chapter, or of a substantially similar offense committed in another jurisdiction if the offense is directly or indirectly related to jeopardizing the health or safety of a child; or

(D) a misdemeanor for operating a child care home without a license under IC 12-17.2-5-35, or of a substantially similar offense committed in another jurisdiction if the offense is directly or indirectly related to jeopardizing the health or safety of a child; and

(2) has not been charged with:

(A) a felony;

(B) a misdemeanor relating to the health or safety of children;

(C) a misdemeanor for operating a child care center without a license under section 35 of this chapter, or with a substantially similar offense in another jurisdiction if the offense is directly or indirectly related to jeopardizing the health or safety of a child; or

(D) a misdemeanor for operating a child care home without a license under IC 12-17.2-5-35, or with a substantially similar offense in another jurisdiction if the offense is directly or indirectly related to jeopardizing the health or safety of a child;

during the pendency of the application.

     (d) An applicant shall, at no expense to the state, submit:

(1) the necessary information, forms, or consents; and

(2) the applicant’s fingerprints;

for a national criminal history background check by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

     (e) Subject to section 3.3 of this chapter, the applicant must, at no expense to the state, do the following:

(1) Require an employee or volunteer of the applicant who may be present on the premises of the child care center during operating hours of the child care center to submit fingerprints for a national criminal history background check by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

(2) Report to the division any:

(A) police investigations;

(B) arrests; and

(C) criminal convictions;

of which the applicant is aware regarding the applicant or an employee or volunteer described in subdivision (1).

An applicant shall require an individual described in subdivision (1) to apply for a national criminal history background check before the individual is employed or allowed to volunteer and every three (3) years thereafter that the individual is continuously employed or allowed to volunteer.

As added by P.L.1-1993, SEC.141. Amended by P.L.61-1993, SEC.10; P.L.136-1993, SEC.11; P.L.2-1995, SEC.53; P.L.109-2002, SEC.7; P.L.241-2003, SEC.6; P.L.145-2006, SEC.97; P.L.287-2013, SEC.8; P.L.25-2018, SEC.4; P.L.121-2020, SEC.4; P.L.183-2021, SEC.1.