The change follows the death of four year-old Jacob Fox, who died of heatstroke last summer while on a day care field trip in Dallas. The owner of the day care got a state child care license despite having a criminal record that included the stabbing of a woman.

While supporters of the new law site the background screening requirement as a necessary safety precaution, child care business owners say the checks are an undue financial burden in an industry that tends to have a high turnover rate.

Applicants and employees are expected to pay the $50 fee for the background check out-of-pocket. In Texas, the average salary of a child care worker is $7.55 an hour, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Business owners worry that potential and current employees will balk at paying $50 to get or keep such a low-paying job, leading to fears of worker shortages. To alleviate the financial strain on their employees, some day care owners plan to pass the fees along to parents in the form of a monthly rate hike.

Adding to the controversy is the fact that many of Texas' 9,000 licensed child care centers are unaware of the change because it was a stand-alone measure that was slipped into a foster care bill in late May.

State officials recognize that the new $50 fee may be considered a burden by some, but say that the measure is a critical step to better protect Texas children.

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(Source: http://www.statesman.com)