26-6-9. License or registration required for child care or placement by public or private agency--Waiver violation as misdemeanor.

No person, firm, limited liability company, corporation, association, organization, municipality, or county, other than the Department of Social Services, may establish or maintain a child welfare agency or receive children for care or for placement in a family home unless licensed pursuant to § 26-6-14 or registered pursuant to § 26-6-14.2 to do so by the Department of Social Services. The department, upon request, may waive licensure for activities set out in § 26-6-14 for any facility that would otherwise be required to be licensed by the department as a child welfare agency if the requesting agency is similarly regulated by another state agency. Before the department may consider or grant a waiver of licensure for activities set out in § 26-6-14, the agency requesting waiver of licensure shall provide the department with appropriate documentation of current and valid approval by the appropriate state regulatory agency. Submission of false or fraudulent licensure information or documentation to the department or any violation of this section is a Class 2 misdemeanor.

Source: SL 1939, ch 168, §§ 3, 13; SDC Supp 1960, §§ 55.3708, 55.9936; SL 1979, ch 170, § 1; SL 1994, ch 351, § 48; SL 1995, ch 147, § 1.