LCO No. 3478 1 of 3
General Assembly Raised Bill No. 912
January Session, 2021
LCO No. 3478
Referred to Committee on HUMAN SERVICES
Introduced by:
(HS)
AN ACT CONCERNING FU NDING AND OVERSIGHT OF
FATHERHOOD INITIATIVES.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. (Effective from passage) (a) There is established an advisory 1
council to study and make recommendations concerning funding and 2
oversight of fatherhood initiatives, including, but not limited to, the 3
John S. Martinez Fatherhood Initiative established pursuant to section 4
17b-27a of the general statutes. Such study and recommendations shall 5
include, but not be limited to, (1) whether such initiatives should be 6
integrated with early childhood programs funded by the Office of Early 7
Childhood, and (2) whether the Office of Early Education or the 8
Department of Education should oversee such initiatives. 9
(b) The advisory council shall consist of the following members: 10
(1) Two appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, 11
both of whom are involved in the John S. Martinez Fatherhood Initiative 12
established pursuant to section 17b-27a of the general statutes; 13
(2) Two appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, one of 14 Raised Bill No. 912
LCO No. 3478 2 of 3
whom shall be a father or family leader involved in the two-generational 15
initiative established pursuant to section 17b-112l of the general statutes 16
and one of whom is involved in a fatherhood initiative not affiliated 17
with the John S. Martinez Fatherhood Initiative established pursuant to 18
section 17b-27a of the general statutes; 19
(3) One appointed by the majority leader of the House of 20
Representatives; 21
(4) One appointed by the majority leader of the Senate; 22
(5) One appointed by the minority leader of the House of 23
Representatives; 24
(6) One appointed by the minority leader of the Senate; 25
(7) The Commissioner of Early Childhood, or the commissioner's 26
designee; 27
(8) The Commissioner of Education, or the commissioner's designee; 28
and 29
(9) The Commissioner of Social Services, or the commissioner's 30
designee. 31
(c) Any member of the advisory council appointed under subdivision 32
(3), (4), (5) or (6) of subsection (b) of this section may be a member of the 33
General Assembly. 34
(d) All initial appointments to the advisory council shall be made not 35
later than thirty days after the effective date of this section. Any vacancy 36
shall be filled by the appointing authority. 37
(e) The speaker of the House of Representatives and the president pro 38
tempore of the Senate shall select the chairpersons of the advisory 39
council from among the members of the council. Such chairpersons shall 40
schedule the first meeting of the council, which shall be held not later 41
than sixty days after the effective date of this section. 42 Raised Bill No. 912
LCO No. 3478 3 of 3
(f) The administrative staff of the joint standing committee of the 43
General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education 44
and early childhood programs shall serve as administrative staff of the 45
advisory council. 46
(g) Not later than January 1, 2022, the advisory council shall submit a 47
report on its findings and recommendations to the joint standing 48
committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 49
relating to children, education and human services, in accordance with 50
the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes. The council shall 51
terminate on the date that it submits such report or January 1, 2022, 52
whichever is later. 53
Sec. 2. (Effective July 1, 2021) The sum of three million dollars is 54
appropriated to the Department of Social Services, from the General 55
Fund, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, to provide increased 56
funding for fatherhood initiatives that promote the positive 57
involvement of fathers in their children's lives, including, but not 58
limited to, the John S. Martinez Fatherhood Initiative established 59
pursuant to section 17b-27a of the general statutes. 60
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 from passage New section
Sec. 2 July 1, 2021 New section
Statement of Purpose:
To establish an advisory council to make recommendations concerning
fatherhood initiatives and provide state funding for fatherhood
initiatives.
[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except
that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
underlined.]