(a) Each license-exempt childcare provider, as defined pursuant to Section 1596.60, who is compensated, in whole or in part, with funds provided pursuant to the Alternative Payment Program, Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 10225) of Part 1.8 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code or pursuant to the federal Child Care and Development Block Grant Program, except a provider who is, by marriage, blood, or court decree, the grandparent, aunt, or uncle of the child in care, shall be registered pursuant to Sections 1596.603 and 1596.605 in order to be eligible to receive this compensation. Registration under this chapter shall be required for providers who receive funds under Section 9858 and following of Title 42 of the United States Code only to the extent permitted by that law and the regulations adopted pursuant thereto. Registration under this chapter shall be required for providers who receive funds under the federal Child Care and Development Block Grant Program only to the extent permitted by that program and the regulations adopted pursuant thereto.

(b) For the purposes of registration of the providers identified in subdivision (a), the following procedures shall apply:

(1) Notwithstanding subdivision (a) of Section 1596.603, the provider shall submit the fingerprints and Trustline application to the local childcare resource and referral agency established pursuant to Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 10217) of Part 1.8 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code. The local childcare resource and referral agency shall transmit the fingerprints and completed Trustline applications to the department and address any local problems that occur in the registration system. If a fee is charged by the local childcare resource and referral agency that takes a provider’s fingerprints, the provider shall be reimbursed for this charge by the department, through the local childcare resource and referral agency, from federal Child Care and Development Block Grant funds to the extent that those funds are available.

(2) The department shall adhere to the requirements of Sections 1596.603, 1596.605, 1596.606, and 1596.607 and shall notify the California Child Care Resource and Referral Network of any action it takes pursuant to Sections 1596.605, 1596.606, and 1596.607.

(3) The California Child Care Resource and Referral Network shall notify the applicable local childcare resource and referral agencies, alternative payment programs, and county welfare departments of the status of the Trustline applicants and registered Trustline childcare providers. The network shall maintain a toll-free telephone line to provide information to the local resource and referral agencies, the alternative payment programs, and the childcare recipients of the status of providers.

(c) This section shall become operative only if funds appropriated for the purposes of this article from Item 6110-196-890 of Section 2 of the Budget Act of 1991 are incorporated into and approved as part of the state plan that is required pursuant to Section 658(E)(a) of the federal Child Care Block Grant Act of 1990 (Sec. 5082, P.L. 101-508).

(Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 116, Sec. 243. (AB 131) Effective July 23, 2021. Section conditionally operative by its own provisions.)