DEFINITIONS.

In this chapter:

(1) "Child" means a person under 18 years of age.

(2) "Division" means the division designated by the department to carry out the provisions of this chapter.

(3) "Child-care facility" means a facility licensed, certified, or registered by the department to provide assessment, care, training, education, custody, treatment, or supervision for a child who is not related by blood, marriage, or adoption to the owner or operator of the facility, for all or part of the 24-hour day, whether or not the facility is operated for profit or charges for the services it offers.

(4) "General residential operation" means a child-care facility that provides care for seven or more children for 24 hours a day, including facilities known as residential treatment centers and emergency shelters.

(5) "Continuum-of-care residential operation" means a group of residential child-care facilities that operate under the same license or certification to provide a continuum of services to children.

(6) "Cottage home operation" means cottage family homes that:

(A) are identified on the operation's license;

(B) share a child-care administrator who is responsible for oversight for all homes within the operation; and

(C) are all in or near the same location as defined by department rule.

(7) "Day-care center" means a child-care facility that provides care at a location other than the residence of the director, owner, or operator of the child-care facility for seven or more children under 14 years of age for less than 24 hours a day, but at least two hours a day, three or more days a week.

(8) "Group day-care home" means a child-care facility that provides care at the residence of the director, owner, or operator of the child-care facility for seven or more children under 14 years of age for less than 24 hours a day, but at least two hours a day, three or more days a week.

(9) "Family home" means a home that provides regular care in the caretaker's own residence for not more than six children under 14 years of age, excluding children who are related to the caretaker, and that provides care after school hours for not more than six additional elementary school children, but the total number of children, including children who are related to the caretaker, does not exceed 12 at any given time. The term does not include a home that provides care exclusively for any number of children who are related to the caretaker.

(10) "Cottage family home" means a family residential setting with one or more homes operating under the license of a cottage home operation and in which:

(A) each home has at least one houseparent who lives at the home while children are in care; and

(B) based on the size of the home and the children's needs, each home cares for not more than six children.

(11) "Agency foster home" means a facility that provides care for not more than six children for 24 hours a day, is used only by a licensed child-placing agency or continuum-of-care residential operation, and meets department standards.

(12) "Child-placing agency" means a person, including an organization, other than the natural parents or guardian of a child who plans for the placement of or places a child in a child-care facility, agency foster home, or adoptive home.

(13) "Facilities" includes child-care facilities, child-placing agencies, and continuum-of-care residential operations.

(14) "State of Texas" or "state" does not include political subdivisions of the state.

(15) "Religious organization" means a church, synagogue, or other religious institution whose purpose is to support and serve the propagation of truly held religious beliefs.

(16) "Children who are related to the caretaker" means children who are the children, grandchildren, siblings, great-grandchildren, first cousins, nieces, or nephews of the caretaker, whether by affinity or consanguinity or as the result of a relationship created by court decree.

(17) "Regular care" means care that is provided at least:

(A) four hours a day, three or more days a week, for three or more consecutive weeks; or

(B) four hours a day for 40 or more days in a period of 12 months.

(18) "Controlling person" means a person who, either alone or in connection with others, has the ability to directly or indirectly influence or direct the management, expenditures, or policies of a facility or family home.

(19) "Residential child-care facility" means a facility licensed or certified by the department that operates for all of the 24-hour day. The term includes general residential operations, child-placing agencies, specialized child-care homes, cottage home operations, continuum-of-care residential operations, and agency foster homes.

(20) "Before-school or after-school program" means a child-care facility that provides care before or after, or before and after, the customary school day and during school holidays, for at least two hours a day, three days a week, to children who attend prekindergarten through grade six.

(21) "School-age program" means a child-care facility that provides supervision, along with recreation or skills instruction or training, and may provide transportation, before or after the customary school day, for at least two hours a day, three days a week, to children attending prekindergarten through grade six. A school-age program may also operate during school holidays, the summer period, or any other time when school is not in session.

(22) "Children's product" means a product that is designed or intended to be used by a child under 13 years of age or used by a caregiver during the care of a child under 13 years of age. The term does not include:

(A) an item that is not designed or intended to be used solely or primarily by a child under 13 years of age or in the care of a child under 13 years of age;

(B) a medication, a drug, food, or another item that is intended to be ingested; or

(C) clothing.

(23) "Other maltreatment" means:

(A) abuse, as defined by Section 261.001, Family Code; or

(B) neglect, as defined by Section 261.001, Family Code.

(24) "Specialized child-care home" means a child-care facility that:

(A) based on the size of the home and the children's needs, provides care for not more than six children for 24 hours a day; and

(B) has a director and has at least one houseparent who lives at the home while children are in care.

(25) "Grounds" means, with regard to property, the real property, whether fenced or unfenced, of the parcel of land on which is located any appurtenant building, structure, or other improvement, including a public or private driveway, street, sidewalk or walkway, parking lot, and parking garage on the property.