Bill Text: NY S06961 | 2013-2014 | General Assembly | Introduced

New York Senate Bill 6961 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Relates to the creation of an early learning council; provides support for public and private investment in early learning for children up to the age of five.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-06-11 - SUBSTITUTED BY A8921 [S06961 Detail]

Download: New_York-2013-S06961-Introduced.html

                           S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                         6961
                                   I N  S E N A T E
                                     April 9, 2014
                                      ___________
       Introduced  by  Sens. AVELLA, VALESKY -- read twice and ordered printed,
         and when printed to be committed to  the  Committee  on  Children  and
         Families
       AN  ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to the creation of
         the early learning council
         THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
       BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
    1    Section  1. The social services law is amended by adding a new article
    2  10-E to read as follows:
    3                                ARTICLE 10-E
    4                           EARLY LEARNING COUNCIL
    5  SECTION 484-A. CREATION AND PURPOSE.
    6          484-B. COMPOSITION.
    7          484-C. POWERS AND DUTIES.
    8          484-D. TERM.
    9          484-E. SHARING OF INFORMATION.
   10    S 484-A. CREATION AND PURPOSE. THERE IS HEREBY  ESTABLISHED  AN  EARLY
   11  LEARNING COUNCIL. THE PURPOSE OF THE EARLY LEARNING COUNCIL IS TO SECURE
   12  SUPPORT FOR PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INVESTMENT IN EARLY LEARNING FOR CHILDREN
   13  UP  TO  THE AGE OF FIVE BY FOCUSING ON PRACTICES THAT ARE EDUCATIONALLY,
   14  ECONOMICALLY, AND SCIENTIFICALLY SOUND.
   15    S 484-B. COMPOSITION. THE EARLY  LEARNING  COUNCIL  SHALL  CONSIST  OF
   16  MEMBERS  INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE DIRECTORS OF THE BUDGET, THE
   17  COMMISSIONER OF THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES, THE  COMMIS-
   18  SIONER OF THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, THE COMMISSIONER OF THE OFFICE
   19  OF  TEMPORARY  AND  DISABILITY  ASSISTANCE,  THE PRESIDENT OF THE EMPIRE
   20  STATE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, OR THEIR RESPECTIVE DESIGNEES;  AT  LEAST
   21  FOUR  REPRESENTATIVES  OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY APPOINTED BY THE GOVER-
   22  NOR,  AND  AT  LEAST  TWO  REPRESENTATIVES  OF  THE  BUSINESS  COMMUNITY
   23  APPOINTED  BY  THE  SPEAKER  AND  THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE,
   24  RESPECTIVELY. THE COUNCIL MAY ORGANIZE SUBCOMMITTEES TO REVIEW  SPECIFIC
   25  FUNDING AND POLICY PRIORITIES.
   26    S  484-C.  POWERS  AND DUTIES. THE EARLY LEARNING COUNCIL WILL MEET AT
   27  LEAST TWICE A YEAR AND WILL HAVE THE FOLLOWING POWERS AND DUTIES:
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD14008-02-4
       S. 6961                             2
    1    1. DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING STRATEGIES TO ENGAGE BUSINESS AND CIVIC
    2  LEADERS AND ORGANIZATIONS IN EARLY LEARNING PLANNING AND ADVOCACY AT THE
    3  STATE AND LOCAL LEVEL;
    4    2.  CONSULTING  WITH  PERSONS  WITH  EXPERIENCE  IN THE FIELD OF EARLY
    5  CHILDHOOD EDUCATION ON FUNDING AND POLICY PRIORITIES;
    6    3. INCREASING BUSINESS, CIVIC AND PUBLIC AWARENESS OF  THE  IMPORTANCE
    7  OF  EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION; INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE DISTRIB-
    8  UTION OF LITERATURE THROUGH MAIL OR ONLINE, ORGANIZING OF  MEETINGS  AND
    9  EVENTS AND PROMOTING THE COST BENEFITS OF INVESTMENTS IN LEARNING; AND,
   10    4.  DEVELOPING  AN  ANNUAL  REPORT  TO  THE  GOVERNOR  AND LEGISLATURE
   11  CONTAINING INFORMATION ON ALL ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT THE PREVIOUS YEAR AS
   12  WELL AS RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVEMENTS IN EARLY LEARNING PROGRAMS  AND
   13  POLICIES.
   14    S  484-D.  TERM. APPOINTED MEMBERS OF THE EARLY LEARNING COUNCIL SHALL
   15  SERVE FOR A TERM OF THREE  YEARS  AND  CONTINUE  TO  SERVE  UNTIL  THEIR
   16  SUCCESSOR  IS  APPOINTED.  MEMBERS SERVING AS A RESULT OF THEIR POSITION
   17  WITH STATE GOVERNMENT SHALL SERVE SO LONG AS THEY REMAIN IN SUCH CAPACI-
   18  TY. ANY VACANCIES SHALL BE  FILLED  PURSUANT  TO  SECTION  FOUR  HUNDRED
   19  EIGHTY-FOUR-B  OF THIS ARTICLE. MEMBERS SHALL SERVE WITHOUT COMPENSATION
   20  EXCEPT FOR PAYMENT OF NECESSARY AND ACTUAL EXPENSES INCURRED IN  ATTEND-
   21  ING  MEETINGS  AND  IN  PERFORMING  THEIR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES AS
   22  MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
   23    S 484-E. SHARING  OF  INFORMATION.  THE  EARLY  LEARNING  COUNCIL  MAY
   24  REQUEST,  AND SHALL RECEIVE, INFORMATION FROM ANY STATE OR LOCAL GOVERN-
   25  MENTAL AGENCY NECESSARY TO COMPLETE ITS DUTIES PURSUANT TO THIS ARTICLE,
   26  SO LONG  AS  SUCH  INFORMATION  IS  NON-IDENTIFYING  AND  NOT  OTHERWISE
   27  PROTECTED BY LAW.
   28    S  2.  This act shall take effect immediately; provided that the first
   29  annual report required pursuant to section 484-c of the social  services
   30  law  as  added by section one of this act shall be due September 1, 2015
   31  and every September 1 thereafter.