Bill Text: NH SB326 | 2022 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Relative to developing a plan to create the office of early childhood.
Spectrum: Strong Partisan Bill (Democrat 11-1)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2022-05-04 - Inexpedient to Legislate: Motion Adopted Regular Calendar 178-151 05/04/2022 House Journal 11 [SB326 Detail]
Download: New_Hampshire-2022-SB326-Amended.html
SB 326-FN - AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE
02/16/2022 0640s
2022 SESSION
22-3062
07/05
SENATE BILL 326-FN
AN ACT relative to developing a plan to create the office of early childhood.
SPONSORS: Sen. Whitley, Dist 15; Sen. Hennessey, Dist 1; Sen. Watters, Dist 4; Sen. Soucy, Dist 18; Sen. Perkins Kwoka, Dist 21; Sen. Cavanaugh, Dist 16; Sen. Sherman, Dist 24; Sen. Prentiss, Dist 5; Rep. Myler, Merr. 10; Rep. Mullen, Hills. 7; Rep. McWilliams, Merr. 27; Rep. Luneau, Merr. 10
COMMITTEE: Health and Human Services
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AMENDED ANALYSIS
This bill directs the commissioner of the department of health and human services, in consultation with the commissioners of the departments of education and administrative services, the office of the child advocate, and the council for thriving children, to develop a plan to create an office of early childhood.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
02/16/2022 0640s 22-3062
07/05
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Two
AN ACT relative to developing a plan to create the office of early childhood.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Statement of Findings and Purpose. The general court finds that:
I. Research across disciplines demonstrates that the early years of children's lives are critical to their healthy brain development, what happens in the earliest years makes a critical difference in children's readiness to succeed in school and life, and the return on investment in early childhood through a lifetime of higher earnings, improved education outcomes, and reduced criminal justice costs is unmatched.
II. The state of New Hampshire currently makes investments in early childhood services and supports, but because services are fragmented across multiple state agencies, and providers lack the supports and incentives needed to improve the quality of services they provide and retain a robust workforce, many parents have difficulty accessing high quality and affordable child care and early learning services.
III. A more cohesive and integrated early childhood system would result in greater efficiencies for the state, increased partnership between the state and the private sector, improved access to high quality and affordable child care and early learning services, and better employment and early learning outcomes for families and children.
IV. On January 23, 2020, the governor issued an executive order creating the council for thriving children and directing the department of health and human services and the department of education to seek to establish a joint office of early childhood care and education that further enables coordination within and across the state early childhood care and education system into local communities.
V. Therefore, it is the goal of New Hampshire to support the work of the council for thriving children, the department of health and human services, and the department of education by creating an office of early childhood to unify and integrate the early childhood system for children and families.
2 Office of Early Childhood Plan. The commissioner of the department of health and human services, in consultation with the commissioner of the department of administrative services, the commissioner of the department of education, the office of the child advocate, and the council for thriving children, shall develop a plan to create the office of early childhood by November 1, 2022. The plan shall be presented to the governor, speaker of the house of representatives, and the president of the senate. The plan shall include: role and duties of the office as well as staffing and costs and in which department where such an office shall be attached. The plan shall further include recommendations on integrated child care, early childhood care and education, childhood development, recommendations for early childhood health, safety, and learning, an early childhood information system to facilitate data sharing, recommendations on the workforce serving young children, an outreach plan for families and service providers, recommendations for kindergarten and school readiness assessment tools, and recommendations for reporting and accountability of the office early childhood programs.
3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect upon its passage.
22-3062
Redraft 12/10/21
SB 326-FN- FISCAL NOTE
AS INTRODUCED
AN ACT establishing the office of early childhood.
FISCAL IMPACT: [ X ] State [ ] County [ ] Local [ ] None
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| Estimated Increase / (Decrease) | |||
STATE: | FY 2022 | FY 2023 | FY 2024 | FY 2025 |
Appropriation | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Expenditures | $0 | Indeterminable Increase | Indeterminable Increase | Indeterminable Increase |
Funding Source: | [ X ] General [ ] Education [ ] Highway [ X ] Other - Various Funds and Federal Funds | |||
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METHODOLOGY:
This bill establishes an office of early childhood administratively attached to the Department of Administrative Service. The new office would be responsible for coordinating, consolidating and integrating early childhood programs. The new office would be appointed a commissioner with a salary determined after assessment and review. The commissioner may appoint personnel and consultants for the new office. The office is authorized to receive federal funds but has no State appropriation for the new office.
The Department of Administrative Services states the fiscal impact is an indeterminable impact on State expenditures. The Department assumes, with agreement from the agency, the agency shall pay the Department on a cost allocation basis for budgeting, record keeping and related administrative and clerical assistance per RSA 21-G:10, II(a). The Department also states the fiscal impact is unknown as they are unable to determine the costs, if needed, for office space, the salary of the new commissioner, as well as additional personnel costs. Lastly, the Department is unsure of the impact and amount of federal funds that may be received for the new office.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Department of Administrative Services
