H.B. 8 Enrolled

CHILD LITERACY PROGRAMS
1999 GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Sponsor: Sheryl L. Allen
Keele Johnson
Afton B. Bradshaw
Marda Dillree
Greg J. Curtis
A. Lamont Tyler
Kory M. Holdaway
Martin R. Stephens
Joseph G. Murray
Kevin S. Garn
Bryan D. Holladay
Marlon O. SnowJordan Tanner
DeMar Bud Bowman
Jeff Alexander
John E. Swallow
David Ure
Susan J. Koehn
Lloyd W. Frandsen
Fred J. Fife
Duane E. Bourdeaux
Ron Bigelow
David N. CoxKaren W. Morgan
Neal B. Hendrickson
Gary F. Cox
Carl W. Duckworth
Mary Carlson
Trisha S. Beck
Richard M. Siddoway
David L. Zolman
Brent H. Goodfellow
Perry L. Buckner
Loretta Baca AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION; PROVIDING FOR A LITERACY PROGRAM TO
ASSIST CHILDREN IN ACQUIRING LITERACY SKILLS; PROVIDING FOR THE
COMMISSION ON NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE TO ESTABLISH A
COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER TRAINING PROGRAM TO ASSIST SCHOOLS IN
IMPLEMENTING LITERACY PROGRAMS; PROVIDING FOR INFORMATION KITS TO
PARENTS OF NEW-BORN INFANTS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF EMERGING LITERACY
SKILLS; PROVIDING FOR A PUBLIC SERVICE CAMPAIGN TO EDUCATE PARENTS ON
THE IMPORTANCE OF EMERGING READING DEVELOPMENT; PROVIDING FOR AN
ANNUAL REPORT; PROVIDING APPROPRIATIONS TOTALING $250,000; AND
PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
This act affects sections of Utah Code Annotated 1953 as follows:
AMENDS:
9-1-809, as enacted by Chapter 119, Laws of Utah 1994
ENACTS:
26-10-5.5, Utah Code Annotated 1953
53A-1-801, Utah Code Annotated 1953
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:

Section 1. Section 9-1-809 is amended to read:
9-1-809. Commission duties.
(1) The commission shall, in the performance of its tasks and functions:
(a) ensure that its funding decisions meet all federal and state statutory requirements;
(b) recommend innovative, creative, statewide service programs to increase volunteer
participation in all age groups and community-based problem-solving among diverse participants;
(c) develop and implement a centralized, organized system of obtaining information and
technical support concerning volunteerism and community service recruitment, projects, training
methods, materials, and activities throughout the state and share such information and support upon
request;
(d) promote strong interagency collaboration as an avenue for maximizing resources and
providing that model on the state level;
(e) provide public recognition and support of individual volunteer efforts and successful or
promising private sector initiatives and public/private partnerships that address community needs;
(f) stimulate increased community awareness of the impact of volunteer services in the state;
(g) utilize local, state, and federal resources to reinforce, expand, and initiate quality service
programs;
(h) assist in the planning and implementation of volunteer programs;
(i) serve as the state's liaison and voice to appropriate national and state organizations that
support its mission;
(j) develop a three-year comprehensive state and community service plan and establish state
priorities;
(k) preselect programs and prepare applications to the corporation pursuant to the act;
(l) prepare service learning applications;
(m) administer the grants program and oversee and monitor the performance and progress
of funded programs;
(n) implement comprehensive, nonduplicative evaluation and monitoring systems;
(o) provide technical assistance to local nonprofit organizations and other entities;

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(p) assist in the development of programs established in the act;
(q) develop mechanisms for recruitment and placement of people interested in participating
in national service programs;
(r) assist in the provision of health care and child care benefits to participants under the act;
(s) make priority program recommendations to the corporation;
(t) coordinate its activities with the activities of other state agencies that administer federal
block grants; and
(u) coordinate its activities with the activities of other volunteer service programs.
(2) The commission may not directly operate or run any national service program receiving
financial assistance, in any form, from the corporation.
(3) The commission may receive and accept federal funds, private gifts, donations, or funds
from any source. All moneys shall be deposited with the state and shall be continuously available
to the commission to carry out the purposes of this part.
(4) (a) The commission shall establish a community volunteer training program to assist the
state's school districts in implementing the literacy programs required under Section 53A-1-801 .
(b) The program shall focus on:
(i) recruitment of volunteers to assist public schools in reading improvement programs;
(ii) providing for the training of volunteers recruited under Subsection (4)(b)(i), which may
include training in teaching phonetic decoding skills and phonemic awareness, to assist public
schools and community based, not-for-profit literacy programs in accomplishing the literacy goals
established in Section 53A-1-801 ;
(iii) providing grants to entities whose primary purpose is to support literacy by working
with either school districts or individual schools to accomplish their literacy goals; and
(iv) providing materials and supplies which may be used by the commission or the public
schools or both to help public education accomplish its literacy goals under Section 53A-1-801 .
(c) The commission shall coordinate its activities under Subsection (4) with other state and
community entities engaged in child literacy programs.
(d) (i) The commission shall make an annual report to the State Board of Education on:

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(A) how public monies were spent on the programs authorized under Subsection (4); and
(B) the number of volunteers recruited for and participating in the program.
(ii) The commission shall make its report by July 1, with the first report required by July 1,
2000.
Section 2. Section 26-10-5.5 is enacted to read:
26-10-5.5. Child literacy -- Distribution of information kits.
(1) The Legislature recognizes that effective child literacy programs can have a dramatic
long-term impact on each child's ability to:
(a) succeed in school;
(b) successfully compete in a global society; and
(c) become a productive, responsible citizen.
(2) (a) To help further this end, the department may make available to parents of new-born
infants, as a resource, an information kit regarding child development, the development of emerging
literacy skills, and activities which promote and enhance emerging literacy skills, including reading
aloud to the child on a regular basis.
(b) The department shall seek private funding to help support this program.
(3) (a) The department may seek assistance from the State Office of Education and local
hospitals in making the information kit available to parents on a voluntary basis.
(b) The department may also seek assistance from private entities in making the kits
available to parents.
Section 3. Section 53A-1-801 is enacted to read:
Part 8. Child Literacy Programs
53A-1-801. Child literacy program -- Coordinated activities.
(1) The State Board of Education, through the state superintendent of public instruction,
shall provide for a public service campaign to educate parents on the importance of providing their
children with opportunities to develop emerging literacy skills through a statewide "Read to Me"
program.
(2) The board shall coordinate its activities under this section with other state and

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community entities that are engaged in child literacy programs in order to maximize its efforts and
resources, including the Utah Commission on National and Community Service.
(3) (a) The board shall make an annual report to the Legislature's Education Interim
Committee on its statewide assessment of emerging reading skills in kindergarten in the public
schools as required under Section 53A-3-402.9 .
(b) The board shall make its first report no later than July 1, 2000, and by July 1, of each
succeeding year.
Section 4. Appropriation.
There is appropriated the following amounts from the following funds for fiscal year
1999-2000 for the following purposes:
(1) $150,000 from the General Fund to the Commission on National and Community Service
in the Department of Community and Economic Development for the volunteer program required
under Subsection 9-1-809 (4);
(2) $25,000 from the General Fund to the Department of Health to provide information kits
to the parents of new-born infants under Section 26-10-5.5 ; and
(3) $75,000 from the Uniform School Fund to the State Board of Education to help fund the
public service campaign on emerging literacy skills through the "Read to Me" program under
Subsection 53A-1-801 (1).
Section 5. Effective date.
This act takes effect on July 1, 1999.

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