NOTICE OF
RULEMAKING AND PUBLIC RULE HEARING
The
New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department hereby gives notice as
required under Section 14 - 4 - 5.2 NMSA 1978 and 1.24.25.11 NMAC that it proposes
to adopt amendments to the following rules regarding CHILDREN, YOUTH AND
FAMILIES GENERAL PROVISIONS GOVERNING BACKGROUND CHECKS AND EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
VERIFICATION as authorized by Section 9 - 2A - 7 NMSA 1978:
8.8.3.6
NMAC - OBJECTIVE
8.8.3.7
NMAC - DEFINITIONS
8.8.3.11
NMAC - COMPLIANCE EXCEPTIONS
8.8.3.13
NMAC - ARRESTS, CONVICTIONS AND REFERRALS
8.8.3.16
NMAC - ELIGIBILITY SUSPENSIONS, REINSTATEMENTS AND REVOCATIONS
No
technical scientific information was consulted in drafting these proposed
rules.
Purpose of proposed rules:
The purpose of the rules is to amend the background check requirements
to clarify that abuse and neglect screens in each state where the applicant
resided within the last five years will only be conducted for applicants
applying pursuant to 8.16.2 NMAC and 8.17.2 NMAC. In addition, language is added to incorporate
a two - step clearance process for applicants applying pursuant to 8.16.2 NMAC
and 8.17.2 NMAC. A notice of provisional
employment or background check eligibility will be required prior to commencing
employment and will include a timeline for issuance of the notice. These amendments are to comply with federal
requirements. Additional minor changes
will be made to clarify existing language within 8.8.3 NMAC.
Copies
of the proposed rules may be found at CYFD’s website at
https://www.newmexicokids.org/ or may be obtained from 1120 Paseo De Peralta,
Santa Fe, New Mexico, 30 days prior to the Public Hearing.
Notice of public rule hearing:
The public rule hearing will be held on Thursday, August 29, 2019 at
10:00 a.m. in Apodaca Hall, 1120 Paseo de Peralta, Santa
Fe, New Mexico 87502. The public hearing
will be conducted in a fair and equitable manner by a CYFD agency
representative or hearing officer and shall be recorded. Any interested member of the public may
attend the hearing and will be provided a reasonable opportunity to offer
public comment, either orally or in writing, including presentation of data,
views, or arguments, on the proposed rules during the hearing. Individuals with disabilities who need any
form of auxiliary aid to attend or participate in the public hearing are asked
to contact Debra Gonzales at debra.gonzales@state.nm.us. CYFD will make every effort to accommodate
all reasonable requests, but cannot guarantee accommodation of a request that
is not received at least ten calendar days before the scheduled hearing.
Notice of acceptance of written public
comment: Written public comment, including
presentation of data, views, or arguments about the proposed rules, from any
interested member of the public, may also be submitted via email to CYFD - ECS-
PublicComment@state.nm.us with the subject line “8.8.3 NMAC Public Comment,” or
via first class mail to, or by hand delivery to Kimberly Brown, Child Care
Services Bureau, Children, Youth and Families Department, P.O. Drawer 5160,
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87502 - 5160. The
comment period ends at the conclusion of the public hearing on August 29, 2019.
AVISO DE PROMULGACION DE LEYES ADMINISTRATIVAS Y
AUDIENCIA PÚBLICA
El Departamento de Niños, Jóvenes y Familias de Nuevo
México por este medio da aviso como se require bajo
la Sección 14-4-5.2 NMSA 1978 y 1.24.25.11 NMAC propone adoptar enmiendas a las
siguientes reglas con respecto a PROVISONES GENERALES DEL DEPARTAMENTO DE
NIÑOS, JÓVENES Y FAMILIAS, GOVERNANDO LA COMPROBACIÓN DE ANTECEDENTES Y HUELLASY VERIFICACION DE HISTORIAL DE EMPLEO según lo
autorizado por la sección 9-2A-7 NMSA 1978:
8.8.3.6 NMAC – OBJECTIVO
8.8.3.7 NMAC – DEFINICIONES
8.8.3.11 NMAC – EXCEPCIONES DE CONFORMIDAD
8.8.3.13 NMAC – ARRESTOS, CONVICCIONES Y
REFERENCIAS SUBSTANCIADAS
8.8.3.16 NMAC – SUSPENSION DE ELIGIBILIDAD, REINSTALACIÓNES Y REVOCACIONES
No se consultó información científica o técnica cuando
se redactaron las propuestas leyes administrativas.
Propósito de las propuestas leyes administrativas s: El propósito de las leyes administrativas es enmendar
los requisitos para clarificar que la detección de negligencia y abuso en cada estado
donde el solicitante ha vivido durante los últimos cinco
años, solo será realizada para solicitantes que aplican conforme a 8.16.2 NMAC y 8.17.2 NMAC. Adicionalmente, lenguaje será añadido
para incorporar un proceso de dos pasos de autorización para solicitantes que
aplican conforme a 8.16.2
NMAC y 8.17.2 NMAC. Un
aviso de empleo provisional (o comprobación de antecedentes y huellas elegibles aprobada) será requerido antes de empezar empleo e incluirá un
cronograma cuando el aviso será emitido.
Estas enmiendas tienen que estar conformes con requerimientos
federales. Se harán menores cambios
adicionales para clarificar el lenguaje actual en el 8.8.3 NMAC.
Copias de las propuestas leyes administrativas pueden
ser localizadas en el sitio de la red de CYFD @https://www.newmexicokids.org/ o se pueden obtener en: 1120 Paseo De Peralta, Santa Fe, New
México, 30 días antes de la Audiencia Pública.
Aviso de Audiencia Pública de
leyes administrativas: La audiencia pública de leyes administrativas será el
jueves,29 de agosto,2019 a las 10:00 a.m. en , 1120 Paseo de Peralta, Santa Fe,
Nuevo México 87502, en la sala Apodaca Hall, La audiencia pública se llevará a
cabo de manera justa y equitativa por un representante de la agencia de CYFD o
el funcionario de audiencias y será grabada.
Cualquier miembro del público interesado en asistir la audiencia tendra una oportunidad razonable para ofrecer comentarios
al público, oralmente o por escrito, incluso una presentación de datos, puntos
de vista s o argumentos, sobre las propuestas.
Personas con discapacidades que necesiten cualquier forma de asistencia
auxiliar para asistir o participar en la audiencia pública deben comunicarse
con Debra Gonzales, debra.gonzales@state.nm.us. CYFD hará todos los esfuerzos posibles para
acomodar todas solicitudes razonables, pero no puede garantizar acomodar
solicitudes que no sean recibas por lo menos diez días antes de la fecha programada para la
audiencia.
Aviso de aceptación de comentario público por escrito: Comentarios públicos por
escritos, incluso presentaciónes de datos, puntos de
vista o argumentos de cualquier miembro del público interesado, sobre las
propuestas leyes administrativas, pueden ser enviados s a través de correo
electrónico a: CYFD-ECS-PublicComment@state.nm.us,
especificando en la línea de Asunto: “8.8.3 NMAC Public Comment,” o por correo de
primera clase a Child Care Services Bureau, Children, Youth and Families Department, P.O. Drawer 5160,
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87502-5160, o se pueden entregar
en mano a Kimberly Brown. El período de
comentarios termina a la conclusión de
la audiencia pública del 29 de agosto de 2019.
Proposed Rules/Reglas Propuestas
8.8.3.6 OBJECTIVE:
***
C. Abuse and
neglect screens of databases in New Mexico are conducted by BCU staff [and
include a screen of abuse and neglect information in databases in New Mexico
and in each state where the applicant resided during the preceding five years]
in order to identify those persons who pose a continuing threat of abuse or
neglect to care recipients in settings to which these regulations apply. Applicants required to
obtain background checks pursuant to 8.16.2 NMAC and 8.17.2 NMAC will
also undergo a screen of abuse and neglect information in each State where the
applicant resided during the preceding five years.
8.8.3.7 DEFINITIONS:
***
V. “Notice Of
Provisional Employment” means a written notice issued to a child care
center or home applicant indicating the BCU reviewed the applicant’s
fingerprint based federal or New Mexico criminal record and made a
determination that the applicant may begin employment under direct physical
supervision until receiving background eligibility. A notice may also indicate the applicant must
receive a complete background eligibility prior to
beginning employment.
[V.] W. “Relevant
Conviction” means a plea, judgment or verdict of guilty, no contest, nolo
contendere, conditional plea of guilty, or any other plea that would result in
a conviction for a crime in a court of law in New Mexico or any other
state. The term “relevant conviction”
also includes decrees adjudicating juveniles as serious youthful offenders or
youthful offenders, or convictions of children who are tried as adults for
their offenses. Successful or pending
completion of a conditional discharge under Section 31 - 20 - 13 (1994) NMSA
1978, or Section 30 - 31 - 28 (1972) NMSA 1978, or a comparable provision of
another state’s law, is not a relevant conviction for purposes of these
regulations, unless or until such time as the conditional discharge is revoked
or rescinded by the issuing court. The
term “relevant conviction” does not include any of the foregoing if a court of
competent jurisdiction has overturned the conviction or adjudicated decree and
no further proceedings are pending in the case or if the applicant has received
a legally effective executive pardon for the conviction. The burden is on the applicant to show that the
applicant has a pending or successful completion of any conditional discharge
or consent decree, or that the relevant conviction has been overturned on
appeal, or has received a legally effective pardon.
[W.] X. “Unreasonable
Risk” means the quantum of risk that a reasonable person would be unwilling
to take with the safety or welfare of care recipients.
8.8.3.11 COMPLIANCE
EXCEPTIONS:
A. An
applicant may not begin providing services prior to obtaining background check eligibility
unless all of the following requirements are met:
(1) the CYFD licensee may not be operating under a corrective
action plan (childcare), sanctions, or other form of disciplinary action;
(2) [until
receiving background eligibility the applicant shall at all times be under
direct physical supervision; this provision does not apply to registered child
care home applicants;] the licensee or applicant shall send the BCU a
completed application form and an electronic fingerprint submission receipt
prior to employment;
(3) [the
licensee or applicant shall send the BCU a completed application form and an
electronic fingerprint submission receipt prior to the commencement of
supervised services; and] until receiving background eligibility, the
applicant shall at all times be under direct physical supervision. See paragraph (4) of Subsection A of Section
8.8.3.11 NMAC for standards regarding applicants required to obtain a
background check pursuant to 8.16.2 NMAC or 8.17.2 NMAC;
(4) a licensee or applicant required
to obtain a background check pursuant to 8.16.2 NMAC or 8.17.2 NMAC must
receive either a notice of provisional employment or background check
eligibility prior to beginning employment.
Applicants working after receipt of a notice of provisional employment
shall at all times be under direct physical supervision until receiving
background check eligibility. Upon
completion of paragraph (2) of Subsection A of Section 8.8.3.11 NMAC, a notice
of provisional employment decision will be provided to the child care center or
home within 10 days; and
[(4)]
(5) no more than 45 days shall have passed since the date of the
initial application unless the BCU documents good cause shown for an extension.
8.8.3.13 ARRESTS,
CONVICTIONS AND REFERRALS:
A. For
the purpose of these regulations, the following information shall result in a
conclusion that the applicant is an unreasonable risk:
(1) a conviction for a felony, or a misdemeanor involving moral
turpitude, and the criminal conviction directly relates to whether the
applicant can provide a safe, responsible and morally positive setting for care
recipients;
(2) a
conviction for a felony, or a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude, and the
criminal conviction does not directly relate to whether the applicant can
provide a safe, responsible and morally positive setting for care recipients if
the department determines that the applicant so convicted has not been
sufficiently rehabilitated;
(3) a
conviction, regardless of the degree of the crime or the date of the
conviction, of trafficking in controlled substances, criminal sexual
penetration or related sexual offenses or child abuse;
(4) a substantiated referral, regardless of the date, for sexual
abuse or for a substantiation of abuse or neglect relating to a failure to
protect against sexual abuse;
(5) the applicant’s child is in CYFD or another state’s custody
[at the time the application is processed by the BCU] ; or
(6) a
registration, or a requirement to be registered, on a state sex offender
registry or repository or the national sex offender registry established under
the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006.
8.8.3.16 ELIGIBILITY
SUSPENSIONS, REINSTATEMENTS AND REVOCATIONS:
A. An applicant’s background check eligibility may be suspended for the
following:
(1) an arrest or criminal charge for any felony offense, any
misdemeanor offense involving domestic violence, child abuse or any other
misdemeanor offense of moral turpitude if a conviction as charged would result
in a determination of unreasonable risk;
(2) a pending child protective services referral or any other
CYFD investigation of abuse or neglect; [or]
(3) an outstanding warrant [.] ; or
(4) any other reason that creates an unreasonable risk
determination pursuant to these regulations.
B. It
is the duty of the administrator of a facility or the licensee and the
background check eligibility holder, upon learning of any of the above, to
notify the licensing authority immediately.
Failure to immediately notify the licensing authority may result in the
revocation of background check eligibility.
C. A
suspension of background check eligibility shall have the same effect as a
determination of unreasonable risk until the matter is resolved and eligibility
is affirmatively reinstated by the BCU.
D. Background
check eligibility may be reinstated or revoked as follows:
(1) If the
applicant can provide information relating to the disqualifying criminal charge
that would show that a criminal conviction as charged would not lead to an
unreasonable risk;
(2) If the
matter causing the suspension is resolved within six months of the suspension, the
applicant may provide documentation to the BCU showing how the matter was
resolved and requesting reinstatement of background check eligibility. After review, the BCU may reinstate
background check eligibility or may revoke eligibility. If, the applicant’s eligibility is revoked,
the applicant may appeal the revocation.
(3) If the
matter causing the suspension is resolved after six months of the suspension,
the applicant may reapply for clearance for the same licensee by submitting an
electronic fingerprint submission receipt and the required forms. After review, the BCU may reinstate
background check eligibility or may revoke eligibility. If the applicant’s eligibility is revoked,
the applicant may appeal the revocation.