Rep. Norm Thurston — Voting Record

Bill

Number

H.B. 47 First Substitute (2019GS)

Sponsor

Rep. Snow, V. L.

Final action

Governor Signed 3/21/2019

Outcome

Became law — signed by Gov. Gary R. Herbert

Summary

What it does

• This bill:
• creates the Early Childhood Utah Advisory Council (council) in the Department of Health;
• creates the Governor's Early Childhood Commission (commission) in the governor's office; and
• describes the duties of the council and the membership and duties of the commission.

Every vote on this bill

Bill text

EARLY CHILDHOOD COORDINATION AMENDMENTS
GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: V. Lowry Snow
Senate Sponsor: 
Ann Millner
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill creates the Early Childhood Utah Advisory Council and the Governor's Early
Childhood Commission.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
▸ creates the Early Childhood Utah Advisory Council (council) in the Department of
Health;
▸ creates the Governor's Early Childhood Commission (commission) in the governor's
office; and
▸ describes the duties of the council and the membership and duties of the
commission.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
None
Utah Code Sections Affected:
ENACTS:
26-66-101
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
26-66-102
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
26-66-201
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
26-66-202
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
26-66-203
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
63M-13-101
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
63M-13-102
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
63M-13-201
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
63M-13-202
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
63M-13-203
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Section 
26-66-101
 is enacted to read:
CHAPTER 66. EARLY CHILDHOOD UTAH ADVISORY COUNCIL
Part 1. General Provisions
 26-66-101.
Title.
This chapter is known as the "Early Childhood Utah Advisory Council."
Section 2. Section 
26-66-102
 is enacted to read:
 26-66-102.
Definitions.
As used in this chapter:
(1) "Commission" means the Governor's Early Childhood Commission created in
Section 
63M-13-201
.
(2) "Council" means the Early Childhood Utah Advisory Council created in Section
26-66-201
.
Section 3. Section 
26-66-201
 is enacted to read:
Part 2. Early Childhood Utah Advisory Council
 26-66-201.
Early Childhood Utah Advisory Council.
(1) There is created the Early Childhood Utah Advisory Council.
(2) The department shall make rules establishing the membership, duties, and
procedures of the council in accordance with the requirements of:
(a) this chapter;
(b) the Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007, 42 U.S.C. Sec. 9837b;
and
(c) Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act.
Section 4. Section 
26-66-202
 is enacted to read:
 26-66-202.
Early Childhood Utah Advisory Council -- Duties.
(1) The council shall serve as an entity dedicated to improving and coordinating the
quality of programs and services for children in accordance with the Improving Head Start for
School Readiness Act of 2007, 42 U.S.C. Sec. 9837b.
(2) The council shall advise the commission and, on or before August 1, annually
provide to the commission:
(a) a statewide assessment concerning the availability of high-quality pre-kindergarten
services for children from low-income households; and
(b) a statewide strategic report addressing the activities mandated by the Improving
Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007, 42 U.S.C. Sec. 9837b, including:
(i) identifying opportunities for and barriers to collaboration and coordination among
federally-funded and state-funded child health and development, child care, and early
childhood education programs and services, including collaboration and coordination among
state agencies responsible for administering such programs;
(ii) evaluating the overall participation of children in existing federal, state, and local
child care programs and early childhood health, development, family support, and education
programs;
(iii) recommending statewide professional development and career advancement plans
for early childhood educators and service providers in the state, including an analysis of the
capacity and effectiveness of programs at two- and four-year public and private institutions of
higher education that support the development of early childhood educators; and
(iv) recommending improvements to the state's early learning standards and
high-quality comprehensive early learning standards.
(3) On or before August 1, 2020, and at least every five years thereafter, the council
shall provide to the commission a statewide needs assessment concerning the quality and
availability of early childhood education, health, and development programs and services for
children in early childhood.
Section 5. Section 
26-66-203
 is enacted to read:
 26-66-203.
Compensation.
A member of the council may not receive compensation or benefits for the member's
service.
Section 6. Section 
63M-13-101
 is enacted to read:
CHAPTER 13. GOVERNOR'S EARLY CHILDHOOD COMMISSION
Part 1. General Provisions
 63M-13-101.
Title.
This chapter is known as the "Governor's Early Childhood Commission."
Section 7. Section 
63M-13-102
 is enacted to read:
 63M-13-102.
Definitions.
As used in this chapter:
(1) "Commission" means the Governor's Early Childhood Commission created in
Section 
63M-13-201
.
(2) "Early childhood" refers to a child in the state who is six years of age or younger.
Section 8. Section 
63M-13-201
 is enacted to read:
Part 2. Governor's Early Childhood Commission
 63M-13-201.
Creation of the Governor's Early Childhood Commission.
(1) There is created within the governor's office the Governor's Early Childhood
Commission consisting of the following five members:
(a) the lieutenant governor, who shall serve as chair of the commission;
(b) the executive director of the Department of Workforce Services or the deputy
director if designated by the executive director;
(c) the executive director of the Department of Health or the deputy director if
designated by the executive director;
(d) the executive director of the Department of Human Services or the deputy director
if designated by the executive director; and
(e) the state superintendent of public instruction or a deputy superintendent if
designated by the superintendent.
(2) The chair of the commission, with the approval of the commission, shall appoint a
vice chair of the commission.
(3) The commission chair:
(a) is responsible for the call and conduct of meetings;
(b) shall call and hold meetings of the commission at least quarterly;
(c) shall call additional meetings upon request by a majority of the commission's
members; and
(d) may delegate duties to the vice chair.
(4) A majority of the members of the commission constitutes a quorum of the
commission at any meeting and the action of the majority of members present is the action of
the commission.
(5) A member of the commission may not receive compensation or benefits for the
member's service, but may receive per diem and travel expenses in accordance with:
(a) Section 
63A-3-106
;
(b) Section 
63A-3-107
; and
(c) rules made by the Division of Finance in accordance with Sections 
63A-3-106
 and
63A-3-107
.
(6) The Department of Workforce Services shall provide administrative staff support to
the commission.
Section 9. Section 
63M-13-202
 is enacted to read:
 63M-13-202.
Duties of the commission.
(1) The responsibilities of the commission include:
(a) supporting Utah parents and families, who have family members that are in early
childhood, by providing comprehensive and accurate information regarding the availability of
voluntary services that are available to children in early childhood from state agencies and
other private and public entities;
(b) facilitating improved coordination between state agencies and community partners
that provide services to children in early childhood;
(c) sharing and analyzing information regarding early childhood issues in the state;
(d) developing and coordinating a comprehensive delivery system of services for
children in early childhood that addresses the following four areas:
(i) family support and safety;
(ii) health and development;
(iii) early learning; and
(iv) economic development; and
(e) identifying opportunities for and barriers to the alignment of standards, rules,
policies, and procedures across programs and agencies that support children in early childhood.
(2) To fulfill the responsibilities described in Subsection (1), the commission shall:
(a) directly engage with parents, families, community members, and public and private
service providers to identify and address:
(i) the quality, effectiveness, and availability of existing services for children in early
childhood and the coordination of those services;
(ii) gaps and barriers to entry in the provision of services for children in early
childhood; and
(iii) community-based solutions in improving the quality, effectiveness, and
availability of services for children in early childhood;
(b) seek regular and ongoing feedback from a wide range of entities and individuals
that use or provide services for children in early childhood, including entities and individuals
that use, represent, or provide services for any of the following:
(i) children in early childhood who live in urban, suburban, or rural areas of the state;
(ii) children in early childhood with varying socioeconomic backgrounds;
(iii) children in early childhood with varying ethnic or racial heritage;
(iv) children in early childhood from various geographic areas of the state; and
(v) children in early childhood with special needs;
(c) study, evaluate, and report on the status and effectiveness of policies, procedures,
and programs that provide services to children in early childhood;
(d) study and evaluate the effectiveness of policies, procedures, and programs
implemented by other states and nongovernmental entities that address the needs of children in
early childhood;
(e) identify policies, procedures, and programs that are impeding efforts to help
children in early childhood in the state and recommend and implement changes to those
policies, procedures, and programs;
(f) identify policies, procedures, and programs related to children in early childhood in
the state that are inefficient or duplicative and recommend and implement changes to those
policies, procedures, and programs;
(g) recommend policy, procedure, and program changes to address the needs of
children in early childhood;
(h) develop methods for using interagency information to inform comprehensive policy
and budget decisions relating to early childhood services;
(i) develop, recommend, and coordinate a comprehensive delivery system of services
for children in early childhood; and
(j) develop strategies and monitor efforts concerning:
(i) increasing school readiness;
(ii) improving access to child care and early education programs; and
(iii) improving family and community engagement in early childhood education and
development.
(3) In fulfilling the duties of the commission, the commission shall collaborate with the
Early Childhood Utah Advisory Council created in Section 
22-66-201
.
(4) In fulfilling the commission's duties, the commission may:
(a) request and receive, from any state or local governmental agency or institution,
information relating to early childhood, including reports, audits, projections, and statistics;
and
(b) appoint special advisory groups to advise and assist the commission.
(5) Members of a special advisory group described in Subsection (4)(b):
(a) shall be appointed by the commission;
(b) may include:
(i) members of the commission; and
(ii) individuals from the private or public sector; and
(c) may not receive reimbursement or pay for work done in relation to the special
advisory group.
(6) A special advisory group created in accordance with Subsection (4)(b) shall report
to the commission on the progress of the special advisory group.
Section 10. Section 
63M-13-203
 is enacted to read:
 63M-13-203.
Annual report.
(1) On or before October 1 of each year, the commission shall provide a report to the
governor and the Economic Development and Workforce Services Interim Committee.
(2) The annual report shall:
(a) describe how the commission fulfilled its statutory duties during the year;
(b) describe the commission's progress in developing and coordinating a
comprehensive delivery system of services for children in early childhood; and
(c) include recommendations on how the state should act to address issues related to
providing services for children in early childhood.