1. (a) As used in this act:

   1. (1) "Act" means K.S.A. 2025 Supp. 65-544 and 75-7701 through 75-7728, and amendments thereto.
   2. (2) "Assistant teacher" means a staff member of a child care center who is responsible for assisting the lead teacher in the care of children.
   3. (3) "Child care center" means a facility that meets child care center regulations and provides care and educational activities for children.
   4. (4) "Child care home" means the premises where care is provided for children at a residence.
   5. (5) "Child care resource and referral agency" means a business or service conducted, maintained or operated by a person engaged in providing resource and referral services, including information on specific services provided by child care facilities, to assist parents to find child care.
   6. (6) "Day care facility" means a day care home, preschool, child care center, school-age program, youth development program or other facility of a type determined by the director to require regulation under this act.
   7. (7) "Employee" means a person working, regularly volunteering or residing in a day care facility.
   8. (8) "Infant" means a child who is between two weeks and 12 months of age or a child older than 12 months who has not yet learned to walk.
   9. (9) "Lead teacher" means an individual who can independently staff any unit in a child care center.
   10. (10) "Licensure year" means the period of time beginning on the effective date and ending on the expiration date of a license.
   11. (11) "Person" means any individual, association, partnership, corporation, government, governmental subdivision or other entity.
   12. (12) "Program director" means the staff member of a child care center is responsible for implementing and supervising the comprehensive and coordinated plan of activities that provide for the education, care, protection and development of children who attend a child care center.
   13. (13) "Religious beliefs" means the same as defined in K.S.A. 44-663, and amendments thereto.
   14. (14) "School-age" means a child who will be at least six years of age on or before the first day of September of any school year but is under 16 years of age.
   15. (15) "Unit" means the number of children who may be present in one group in a child care center.
   16. (16) "Youth development program" means the same as defined in K.S.A. 2025 Supp. 75-7724, and amendments thereto.
2. (b) This section shall take effect on and after July 1, 2026.

L. 2025, ch. 118, § 16; July 1.