2
3
4
5
6
7 LONG TITLE
8 General Description:
9 This bill creates the Early Childhood Utah Advisory Council and the Governor's Early
10 Childhood Commission.
11 Highlighted Provisions:
12 This bill:
13 ▸ creates the Early Childhood Utah Advisory Council (council) in the Department of
14 Health;
15 ▸ creates the Governor's Early Childhood Commission (commission) in the governor's
16 office; and
17 ▸ describes the duties of the council and the membership and duties of the
18 commission.
19 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
20 None
21 Other Special Clauses:
22 None
23 Utah Code Sections Affected:
24 ENACTS:
25 26-66-101, Utah Code Annotated 1953
26 26-66-102, Utah Code Annotated 1953
27 26-66-201, Utah Code Annotated 1953
28 26-66-202, Utah Code Annotated 1953
29 26-66-203, Utah Code Annotated 1953
30 63M-13-101, Utah Code Annotated 1953
31 63M-13-102, Utah Code Annotated 1953
32 63M-13-201, Utah Code Annotated 1953
33 63M-13-202, Utah Code Annotated 1953
34 63M-13-203, Utah Code Annotated 1953
35
36 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
37 Section 1. Section 26-66-101 is enacted to read:
38
39
40 26-66-101. Title.
41 This chapter is known as the "Early Childhood Utah Advisory Council."
42 Section 2. Section 26-66-102 is enacted to read:
43 26-66-102. Definitions.
44 As used in this chapter:
45 (1) "Commission" means the Governor's Early Childhood Commission created in
46 Section 63M-13-201.
47 (2) "Council" means the Early Childhood Utah Advisory Council created in Section
48 26-66-201.
49 Section 3. Section 26-66-201 is enacted to read:
50
51 26-66-201. Early Childhood Utah Advisory Council.
52 (1) There is created the Early Childhood Utah Advisory Council.
53 (2) The department shall make rules establishing the membership, duties, and
54 procedures of the council in accordance with the requirements of:
55 (a) this chapter;
56 (b) the Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007, 42 U.S.C. Sec. 9837b;
57 and
58 (c) Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act.
59 Section 4. Section 26-66-202 is enacted to read:
60 26-66-202. Early Childhood Utah Advisory Council -- Duties.
61 (1) The council shall serve as an entity dedicated to improving and coordinating the
62 quality of programs and services for children in accordance with the Improving Head Start for
63 School Readiness Act of 2007, 42 U.S.C. Sec. 9837b.
64 (2) The council shall advise the commission and, on or before August 1, annually
65 provide to the commission:
66 (a) a statewide assessment concerning the availability of high-quality pre-kindergarten
67 services for children from low-income households; and
68 (b) a statewide strategic report addressing the activities mandated by the Improving
69 Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007, 42 U.S.C. Sec. 9837b, including:
70 (i) identifying opportunities for and barriers to collaboration and coordination among
71 federally-funded and state-funded child health and development, child care, and early
72 childhood education programs and services, including collaboration and coordination among
73 state agencies responsible for administering such programs;
74 (ii) evaluating the overall participation of children in existing federal, state, and local
75 child care programs and early childhood health, development, family support, and education
76 programs;
77 (iii) recommending statewide professional development and career advancement plans
78 for early childhood educators and service providers in the state, including an analysis of the
79 capacity and effectiveness of programs at two- and four-year public and private institutions of
80 higher education that support the development of early childhood educators; and
81 (iv) recommending improvements to the state's early learning standards and
82 high-quality comprehensive early learning standards.
83 (3) On or before August 1, 2020, and at least every five years thereafter, the council
84 shall provide to the commission a statewide needs assessment concerning the quality and
85 availability of early childhood education, health, and development programs and services for
86 children in early childhood.
87 Section 5. Section 26-66-203 is enacted to read:
88 26-66-203. Compensation.
89 A member of the council may not receive compensation or benefits for the member's
90 service.
91 Section 6. Section 63M-13-101 is enacted to read:
92
93
94 63M-13-101. Title.
95 This chapter is known as the "Governor's Early Childhood Commission."
96 Section 7. Section 63M-13-102 is enacted to read:
97 63M-13-102. Definitions.
98 As used in this chapter:
99 (1) "Commission" means the Governor's Early Childhood Commission created in
100 Section 63M-13-201.
101 (2) "Early childhood" refers to a child in the state who is six years of age or younger.
102 Section 8. Section 63M-13-201 is enacted to read:
103
104 63M-13-201. Creation of the Governor's Early Childhood Commission.
105 (1) There is created within the governor's office the Governor's Early Childhood
106 Commission consisting of the following five members:
107 (a) the lieutenant governor, who shall serve as chair of the commission;
108 (b) the executive director of the Department of Workforce Services or the deputy
109 director if designated by the executive director;
110 (c) the executive director of the Department of Health or the deputy director if
111 designated by the executive director;
112 (d) the executive director of the Department of Human Services or the deputy director
113 if designated by the executive director; and
114 (e) the state superintendent of public instruction or a deputy superintendent if
115 designated by the superintendent.
116 (2) The chair of the commission, with the approval of the commission, shall appoint a
117 vice chair of the commission.
118 (3) The commission chair:
119 (a) is responsible for the call and conduct of meetings;
120 (b) shall call and hold meetings of the commission at least quarterly;
121 (c) shall call additional meetings upon request by a majority of the commission's
122 members; and
123 (d) may delegate duties to the vice chair.
124 (4) A majority of the members of the commission constitutes a quorum of the
125 commission at any meeting and the action of the majority of members present is the action of
126 the commission.
127 (5) A member of the commission may not receive compensation or benefits for the
128 member's service, but may receive per diem and travel expenses in accordance with:
129 (a) Section 63A-3-106;
130 (b) Section 63A-3-107; and
131 (c) rules made by the Division of Finance in accordance with Sections 63A-3-106 and
132 63A-3-107.
133 (6) The Department of Workforce Services shall provide administrative staff support to
134 the commission.
135 Section 9. Section 63M-13-202 is enacted to read:
136 63M-13-202. Duties of the commission.
137 (1) The responsibilities of the commission include:
138 (a) supporting Utah parents and families, who have family members that are in early
139 childhood, by providing comprehensive and accurate information regarding the availability of
140 voluntary services that are available to children in early childhood from state agencies and
141 other private and public entities;
142 (b) facilitating improved coordination between state agencies and community partners
143 that provide services to children in early childhood;
144 (c) sharing and analyzing information regarding early childhood issues in the state;
145 (d) developing and coordinating a comprehensive delivery system of services for
146 children in early childhood that addresses the following four areas:
147 (i) family support and safety;
148 (ii) health and development;
149 (iii) early learning; and
150 (iv) economic development; and
151 (e) identifying opportunities for and barriers to the alignment of standards, rules,
152 policies, and procedures across programs and agencies that support children in early childhood.
153 (2) To fulfill the responsibilities described in Subsection (1), the commission shall:
154 (a) directly engage with parents, families, community members, and public and private
155 service providers to identify and address:
156 (i) the quality, effectiveness, and availability of existing services for children in early
157 childhood and the coordination of those services;
158 (ii) gaps and barriers to entry in the provision of services for children in early
159 childhood; and
160 (iii) community-based solutions in improving the quality, effectiveness, and
161 availability of services for children in early childhood;
162 (b) seek regular and ongoing feedback from a wide range of entities and individuals
163 that use or provide services for children in early childhood, including entities and individuals
164 that use, represent, or provide services for any of the following:
165 (i) children in early childhood who live in urban, suburban, or rural areas of the state;
166 (ii) children in early childhood with varying socioeconomic backgrounds;
167 (iii) children in early childhood with varying ethnic or racial heritage;
168 (iv) children in early childhood from various geographic areas of the state; and
169 (v) children in early childhood with special needs;
170 (c) study, evaluate, and report on the status and effectiveness of policies, procedures,
171 and programs that provide services to children in early childhood;
172 (d) study and evaluate the effectiveness of policies, procedures, and programs
173 implemented by other states and nongovernmental entities that address the needs of children in
174 early childhood;
175 (e) identify policies, procedures, and programs that are impeding efforts to help
176 children in early childhood in the state and recommend and implement changes to those
177 policies, procedures, and programs;
178 (f) identify policies, procedures, and programs related to children in early childhood in
179 the state that are inefficient or duplicative and recommend and implement changes to those
180 policies, procedures, and programs;
181 (g) recommend policy, procedure, and program changes to address the needs of
182 children in early childhood;
183 (h) develop methods for using interagency information to inform comprehensive policy
184 and budget decisions relating to early childhood services;
185 (i) develop, recommend, and coordinate a comprehensive delivery system of services
186 for children in early childhood; and
187 (j) develop strategies and monitor efforts concerning:
188 (i) increasing school readiness;
189 (ii) improving access to child care and early education programs; and
190 (iii) improving family and community engagement in early childhood education and
191 development.
192 (3) In fulfilling the duties of the commission, the commission shall collaborate with the
193 Early Childhood Utah Advisory Council created in Section 22-66-201.
194 (4) In fulfilling the commission's duties, the commission may:
195 (a) request and receive, from any state or local governmental agency or institution,
196 information relating to early childhood, including reports, audits, projections, and statistics;
197 and
198 (b) appoint special advisory groups to advise and assist the commission.
199 (5) Members of a special advisory group described in Subsection (4)(b):
200 (a) shall be appointed by the commission;
201 (b) may include:
202 (i) members of the commission; and
203 (ii) individuals from the private or public sector; and
204 (c) may not receive reimbursement or pay for work done in relation to the special
205 advisory group.
206 (6) A special advisory group created in accordance with Subsection (4)(b) shall report
207 to the commission on the progress of the special advisory group.
208 Section 10. Section 63M-13-203 is enacted to read:
209 63M-13-203. Annual report.
210 (1) On or before October 1 of each year, the commission shall provide a report to the
211 governor and the Economic Development and Workforce Services Interim Committee.
212 (2) The annual report shall:
213 (a) describe how the commission fulfilled its statutory duties during the year;
214 (b) describe the commission's progress in developing and coordinating a
215 comprehensive delivery system of services for children in early childhood; and
216 (c) include recommendations on how the state should act to address issues related to
217 providing services for children in early childhood.
218