(a) The purpose of this article is to promote quality, access, and stability in the early care and education system by authorizing an appropriate unit of family childcare providers to choose a provider organization to act as their unit’s representative on all matters specified in this article. It is also the purpose of this article to promote full communication between family childcare providers and the state by permitting a provider organization certified as the representative of family childcare providers to meet and confer with the state regarding matters within the scope of representation and other areas as mutually agreed upon in negotiations.

(b) This article does not change the family childcare providers’ status as employees or independent business owners or classify family childcare providers as public employees.

(c) Nothing in this article is intended to change or interfere with the requirements governing licensing or enforcement thereof set forth in the California Child Day Care Facilities Act (Chapter 3.4 (commencing with Section 1596.70), Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 1596.90), and Chapter 3.6 (commencing with 1597.30) of Division 2 of the Health and Safety Code).

(d) Nothing in this article is intended to interfere with the ability of the state, the State Department of Education, the State Department of Social Services, another department or agency, or a political subdivision of the state to comply with the requirements of federal grants or federal funding.

(Added by Stats. 2019, Ch. 385, Sec. 6. (AB 378) Effective January 1, 2020.)