Bill Text: AZ HCR2050 | 2010 | Forty-ninth Legislature 2nd Regular | Introduced
Bill Title: First things first
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 11-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-02-22 - Referred to House RULES Committee [HCR2050 Detail]
Download: Arizona-2010-HCR2050-Introduced.html
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REFERENCE TITLE: first things first |
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State of Arizona House of Representatives Forty-ninth Legislature Second Regular Session 2010
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HCR 2050 |
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Introduced by Representatives Crandall, Ash, Court, Driggs, Pratt: Goodale, Jones, McComish, McLain, Tobin, Senator Huppenthal
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A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
enacting and ordering the submission to the people of a measure relating to early childhood development and health programs.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of Arizona, the Senate concurring:
1. Under the power of the referendum, as vested in the Legislature, the following measure, relating to early childhood development and health programs, is enacted to become valid as a law if approved by the voters and on proclamation of the Governor:
AN acT
amending sections 8-1152, 8-1161, 8-1162, 8-1171 and 8-1185, Arizona Revised Statutes; relating to early childhood development and health programs.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Section 8-1152, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
8-1152. Definitions
In this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires:
1. "Board" means the Arizona early childhood development and health board established by this chapter.
2. "Early childhood development and health programs" means programs and services provided to children prior to and their families before kindergarten and to pupils in kindergarten programs and grades one, two and three and their families for the purpose of assisting child development by providing education and other support, including parent and family support programs, child care, preschool, health screenings and access to preventive health services.
Sec. 2. Section 8-1161, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
8-1161. Responsibilities of regional partnership councils; duty to report; compliance with procurement code
A. Each regional partnership council shall identify the assets available for early childhood development and health programs in its region, including opportunities for coordination and use of other available funding sources.
B. Based on that information, each regional partnership council shall identify and prioritize the unmet need for early childhood development and health programs in its region.
C. Each regional partnership council shall submit a report detailing assets, coordination opportunities and unmet needs to the board biannually. The regional partnership council's needs and assets assessment shall be forwarded to the board for final approval no later than September 1 of each even‑numbered year, beginning in 2008. The board shall have discretion to approve or reject a council's assessment in whole or in part or to require revisions. The board shall act on all needs and assets assessments no later than October 1 of each even-numbered year, beginning in 2008.
D. Each regional partnership council shall annually develop a regional plan for the expenditure, during the next fiscal year, of funds budgeted by the board pursuant to 8-1184 to meet the needs identified in its region.
1. A regional funding plan may include programs and services to be conducted by the council directly as well as programs and services to be provided by private, public, governmental and faith-based organizations through funding grants.
2. A regional funding plan shall include amounts requested, if any, to complete the regional needs and assets assessments required by this section. These needs and assets assessments may be funded with monies from the program account established pursuant to section 8-1181.
3. As a condition of receiving funding from the board, each regional partnership council shall submit its annual regional funding plan to the board for approval no later than January 1 of each year, beginning in 2009. The board shall have discretion to may approve or reject a council's plan in whole or in part or to require revisions. The board shall act on all regional funding plans no later than February 1 of each year, beginning in 2009.
E. After its regional plan has been approved by the board, each regional partnership council shall conduct the approved programs directly and/or or make the approved grants pursuant to section 8-1173, or both.
F. The board may, on a finding of good cause, may approve needs and assets assessments and regional funding plans received after the deadlines set forth in this section, including revised assessments or plans re‑submitted resubmitted in response to board action revising or rejecting a submitted assessment or plan.
G. Each regional partnership council shall increase parents' and providers' access to information about early childhood development and health programs. Methods for meeting this requirement include:
1. Providing information about the programs and services provided by the board, the council and grant recipients.
2. Providing information about existing federal, state, local and private sources of funding available to improve the quality of and access to early childhood development and health programs.
3. Providing support and training for early childhood development and health providers.
4. Informing providers and parents about licensing and other requirements for early childhood development and health providers.
5. Fostering cooperation among early childhood development and health providers in order to increase the number of children and families served and improve outcomes for children and families served.
H. Each regional partnership council may solicit private funds from individuals, corporations and foundations to support its efforts to improve the quality of and access to early childhood development and health programs in its region. The board must approve any gifts received in response to council solicitations. Approved gifts shall be deposited into the private gifts account of the early childhood development and health fund pursuant to section 8-1182.
I. Regional partnership councils must comply with the procurement code requirements prescribed in title 41, chapter 23. END_STATUTE
Sec. 3. Section 8-1162, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
8-1162. Composition of regional partnership councils; reimbursement of expenses; immunity
A. Each regional partnership council shall be made up of eleven members who reside or work in the region, including at least:
1. One parent of a child aged who is five years of age or younger at the time of their the parent's appointment to the council.
2. One child care provider.
3. One health services provider.
4. One public school administrator. For the purposes of this requirement, charter schools established pursuant to title 15 are considered public schools.
5. One early childhood educator.
6. One member of the business community.
7. One representative of the faith community.
8. One representative of a philanthropic organization.
9. If an Indian tribe is located in the region, one public official or employee or of a tribal government.
B. Members of the regional partnership councils shall be appointed by the board after a public application process and with the input of the regional partnership council.
C. Members of the regional partnership councils shall serve four year terms, to begin and end July 1.
D. Members of the regional partnership council who miss more than three meetings without excuse or resign their membership shall be replaced by the board after a public application process and with the input of the regional partnership council.
E. Council members are not eligible to receive compensation, they are eligible for travel expenses and reimbursement for subsistence pursuant to title 38, chapter 4, article 2. Reimbursement shall be paid from the administrative costs account of the early childhood development and health fund established by section 8-1181 on claims approved by the executive director.
F. Members of the council are immune from personal liability with respect to all acts done and actions taken in good faith within the scope of their authority during duly constituted regular and special meetings with approval of a majority of the council.
G. A council member and a council member's immediate family may not be an employee or a contractor of any entity that contracts with the council or the board. A council member and a council member's immediate family may not benefit monetarily from a contract entered into by the council or the board. for the purposes of this subsection, "immediate family" means a spouse, child, sibling, parent, grandparent, grandchild, stepparent, stepchild or stepsibling whether related by adoption or blood.
Sec. 4. Section 8-1171, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
8-1171. Regional and statewide direct and grant program requirements; permitted objectives
Programs undertaken by the board and the regional partnership councils, either directly or through the award of grants, shall accomplish one or more of the following objectives:
1. Improving the quality of early childhood development and health programs.
2. Increasing access to quality early childhood development and health programs.
3. Increasing access to preventive health care and health screenings for children through age five.
4. Offering parent and family support and education concerning early child development and literacy.
5. Providing professional development and training for early childhood development and health providers.
6. Increasing coordination of early childhood development and health programs and public information about the importance of early childhood development and health.
7. Increasing child literacy.
Sec. 5. Section 8-1185, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
8-1185. Allocation of funds
A. Of the monies expended in a fiscal year from the program account of the early childhood development and health fund established by section 8-1181, no more than ten percent fifty per cent may be used to fund statewide grants or programs undertaken directly by the board pursuant to section 8-1192.
B. Of the monies in the program account used to fund approved regional plans in a fiscal year, thirty-five percent per cent must be provided to fund regional plans based on the population of children aged five years of age and younger in the region. Forty percent per cent must be provided to fund regional plans based on the population of children aged five years of age and younger in the region whose family income does not exceed one hundred percent per cent of the federal poverty guidelines level as defined by in section 46-801(9). The remaining twenty-five percent per cent may be used to fund regional programs without consideration of regional population. For the purpose of this section, the board shall estimate population based on available information and using a method chosen at its discretion.
2. The secretary of state shall submit this proposition to the voters at the next general election as provided by article IV, part 1, section 1, Constitution of Arizona.
