TITLE XII
PUBLIC SAFETY AND WELFARE

CHAPTER 170-E
CHILD DAY CARE, RESIDENTIAL CARE, AND CHILD-PLACING AGENCIES

Child Day Care Licensing

Section 170-E:4

    170-E:4 License Required; Prohibition Against Child Endangerment. –
I. No person shall establish, maintain, operate or conduct any child day care agency without a license or permit issued by the department under this subdivision. The requirements of this chapter applicable to licensed child day care agencies shall apply with equal force to any child day care agency required to be licensed under this chapter that is not so licensed.
II. No child care provider, whether licensed as a child day care agency, required to be licensed as a child day care agency under paragraph I, or exempted from licensing pursuant to RSA 170-E:3, I, shall care for a child in a manner which endangers the health, safety or welfare of the child. For purposes of this paragraph, endangerment shall mean the negligent violation of a duty of care or protection owed to such child or negligently inducing such child to engage in conduct which endangers his or her health or safety. Endangerment shall also include corporal punishment, as defined by the department. Licensees in violation of this paragraph shall be subject to the provisions of RSA 170-E:12. Persons exempted from licensing who are in violation of this paragraph shall be enjoined by a court of competent jurisdiction in accordance with the provisions of RSA 170-E:22 from caring for such child and may be enjoined, as the court may determine, from caring for other children. Persons operating a child day care agency without a license in violation of paragraph I who engage in negligent conduct that endangers the health, safety, or welfare of the children in their care shall be subject to the criminal penalties in RSA 170-E:21 and may be enjoined from caring for children in accordance with the provisions of RSA 170-E:22.

Source. 1990, 257:8, eff. Jan. 1, 1991. 2016, 161:2, 9, eff. June 3, 2016. 2023, 146:1, eff. Aug. 29, 2023.