Connecticut 2021 Regular Session

Connecticut Senate Bill SB00912 Compare Versions

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7		-	General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 912
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	6	+	General Assembly Raised Bill No. 912
8	7		January Session, 2021
	8	+	LCO No. 3478
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	11	+	Referred to Committee on HUMAN SERVICES
	12	+
	13	+
	14	+	Introduced by:
	15	+	(HS)
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14	20		AN ACT CONCERNING FU NDING AND OVERSIGHT OF
15	21		FATHERHOOD INITIATIVES.
16	22		Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
17	23		Assembly convened:
18	24
19		-	Section 1. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) As used in this section and 1
20		-	section 2 of this act, (1) "Connecticut Fatherhood Initiative", or "CFI", 2
21		-	means an initiative that (A) promotes the positive involvement and 3
22		-	interaction of fathers with their children with an emphasis on children 4
23		-	eligible or formerly eligible for services funded under the Temporary 5
24		-	Assistance for Needy Families block grant, and (B) identifies services 6
25		-	that effectively encourage and enhance responsible and skillful 7
26		-	parenting and increase the ability of fathers to meet the financial and 8
27		-	emotional needs of their children; and 9
28		-	(2) "CFI objectives" means: 10
29		-	(A) Promoting public education concerning the financial and 11
30		-	emotional responsibilities of fatherhood; 12
31		-	(B) Assisting men in preparation for the legal, financial and emotional 13
32		-	responsibilities of fatherhood; 14
33		-	(C) Promoting the establishment of paternity at childbirth; 15
34		-	(D) Encouraging fathers, regardless of marital status, to foster their 16 Substitute Bill No. 912
	25	+	Section 1. (Effective from passage) (a) There is established an advisory 1
	26	+	council to study and make recommendations concerning funding and 2
	27	+	oversight of fatherhood initiatives, including, but not limited to, the 3
	28	+	John S. Martinez Fatherhood Initiative established pursuant to section 4
	29	+	17b-27a of the general statutes. Such study and recommendations shall 5
	30	+	include, but not be limited to, (1) whether such initiatives should be 6
	31	+	integrated with early childhood programs funded by the Office of Early 7
	32	+	Childhood, and (2) whether the Office of Early Education or the 8
	33	+	Department of Education should oversee such initiatives. 9
	34	+	(b) The advisory council shall consist of the following members: 10
	35	+	(1) Two appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, 11
	36	+	both of whom are involved in the John S. Martinez Fatherhood Initiative 12
	37	+	established pursuant to section 17b-27a of the general statutes; 13
	38	+	(2) Two appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, one of 14 Raised Bill No. 912
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41		-	emotional connection to and financial support of their children; 17
42		-	(E) Establishing support mechanisms for fathers in their relationship 18
43		-	with their children, regardless of their marital and financial status; and 19
44		-	(F) Integrating state and local services available for families. 20
45		-	(b) There is established within the Department of Social Services the 21
46		-	Office of the Connecticut Fatherhood Initiative. The office shall be 22
47		-	overseen by the Commissioner of Social Services and shall perform 23
48		-	administrative duties on behalf of the CFI in accordance with a strategic 24
49		-	plan developed and implemented by the CFI with the approval of the 25
50		-	council established pursuant to section 2 of this act. 26
51		-	Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) There is established a CFI 27
52		-	Council to approve the work of the CFI, including, but not limited to, 28
53		-	implementation of CFI objectives through a strategic plan developed by 29
54		-	the CFI. The council shall actively participate in efforts that further CFI 30
55		-	objectives, including, but not limited to, (1) fostering collaboration 31
56		-	between state agencies that provide services for fathers and families; (2) 32
57		-	seeking opportunities to coordinate comprehensive services, ensuring 33
58		-	the continuity of services, heightening the impact of services and 34
59		-	avoiding duplication of services; and (3) supporting fathers of children 35
60		-	eligible or formerly eligible for services under the Temporary Assistance 36
61		-	for Needy Families block grant, including, but not limited to: (A) 37
62		-	Providing assistance to needy families so that children can be cared for 38
63		-	in their own homes or in the homes of relatives; (B) promoting the 39
64		-	independence and self-sufficiency of needy parents by promoting job 40
65		-	preparation, work and marriage; (C) preventing and reducing the 41
66		-	incidence of out-of-wedlock pregnancies; and (D) encouraging the 42
67		-	formation and maintenance of two-parent families. 43
68		-	(b) The membership of the council shall include, but need not be 44
69		-	limited to: 45
70		-	(1) The Commissioner of Social Services, or the commissioner's 46
71		-	designee; 47 Substitute Bill No. 912
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	44	+	whom shall be a father or family leader involved in the two-generational 15
	45	+	initiative established pursuant to section 17b-112l of the general statutes 16
	46	+	and one of whom is involved in a fatherhood initiative not affiliated 17
	47	+	with the John S. Martinez Fatherhood Initiative established pursuant to 18
	48	+	section 17b-27a of the general statutes; 19
	49	+	(3) One appointed by the majority leader of the House of 20
	50	+	Representatives; 21
	51	+	(4) One appointed by the majority leader of the Senate; 22
	52	+	(5) One appointed by the minority leader of the House of 23
	53	+	Representatives; 24
	54	+	(6) One appointed by the minority leader of the Senate; 25
	55	+	(7) The Commissioner of Early Childhood, or the commissioner's 26
	56	+	designee; 27
	57	+	(8) The Commissioner of Education, or the commissioner's designee; 28
	58	+	and 29
	59	+	(9) The Commissioner of Social Services, or the commissioner's 30
	60	+	designee. 31
	61	+	(c) Any member of the advisory council appointed under subdivision 32
	62	+	(3), (4), (5) or (6) of subsection (b) of this section may be a member of the 33
	63	+	General Assembly. 34
	64	+	(d) All initial appointments to the advisory council shall be made not 35
	65	+	later than thirty days after the effective date of this section. Any vacancy 36
	66	+	shall be filled by the appointing authority. 37
	67	+	(e) The speaker of the House of Representatives and the president pro 38
	68	+	tempore of the Senate shall select the chairpersons of the advisory 39
	69	+	council from among the members of the council. Such chairpersons shall 40
	70	+	schedule the first meeting of the council, which shall be held not later 41
	71	+	than sixty days after the effective date of this section. 42 Raised Bill No. 912
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78		-	(2) The Commissioner of Children and Families, or the 48
79		-	commissioner's designee; 49
80		-	(3) The Commissioner of Correction, or the commissioner's designee; 50
81		-	(4) The Commissioner of Early Childhood, or the commissioner's 51
82		-	designee; 52
83		-	(5) The Commissioner of Education, or the commissioner's designee; 53
84		-	(6) The Commissioner of Developmental Services, or the 54
85		-	commissioner's designee; 55
86		-	(7) The Commissioner of Housing, or the commissioner's designee; 56
87		-	(8) The Labor Commissioner, or the commissioner's designee; 57
88		-	(9) The Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services, or 58
89		-	the commissioner's designee; 59
90		-	(10) The Commissioner of Public Health, or the commissioner's 60
91		-	designee; 61
92		-	(11) The commissioner of Veterans Affairs, or the commissioner's 62
93		-	designee; 63
94		-	(12) The chairperson of the Board of Pardons and Parole, or the 64
95		-	chairperson's designee; 65
96		-	(13) The executive directors of the Support Enforcement Services 66
97		-	Division and the Court Support Services Division of the Judicial Branch, 67
98		-	or their respective designees; 68
99		-	(14) The Chief Family Support Magistrate, or the Chief Family 69
100		-	Support Magistrate's designee; 70
101		-	(15) The president of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities, 71
102		-	or the president's designee; 72 Substitute Bill No. 912
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109		-	(16) The director of the Office of Child Support Services within the 73
110		-	Department of Social Services, or the director's designee; and 74
111		-	(17) At least eleven members appointed by the Commissioner of 75
112		-	Social Services, including: 76
113		-	(A) One with expertise in the area of legal assistance to low-income 77
114		-	populations; 78
115		-	(B) One representative of the Connecticut Employment and Training 79
116		-	Commission; 80
117		-	(C) One representative of a regional workforce development board; 81
118		-	(D) One member with expertise in family relations; 82
119		-	(E) One or more representatives of a local fatherhood program; 83
120		-	(F) One member with expertise in male psychology and health; 84
121		-	(G) One member representing the interests of custodial parents; 85
122		-	(H) One member representing the interests of noncustodial parents; 86
123		-	(I) One member representing the interests of children; 87
124		-	(J) One member with expertise in the area of domestic violence; and 88
125		-	(K) One member with expertise in child development. 89
126		-	(c) The Commissioner of Social Services shall serve as a chairperson 90
127		-	of the council and shall designate a second cochairperson from among 91
128		-	the membership of the council. The commissioner shall convene the 92
129		-	council not later than thirty days after the effective date of this section, 93
130		-	and the council shall meet at least quarterly thereafter. The 94
131		-	commissioner shall fill any vacancy on the council. 95
132		-	(d) The Commissioner of Social Services may designate a working 96
133		-	group from among the members of the council to carry out specific 97 Substitute Bill No. 912
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140		-	duties required under this section and section 1 of this act. The 98
141		-	commissioner shall seek the advice and participation of any person, 99
142		-	organization or state or federal agency the commissioner deems 100
143		-	necessary to carry out the provisions of this section and section 1 of this 101
144		-	act. 102
145		-	(e) The Commissioner of Social Services, in consultation with the 103
146		-	council and within available resources, shall apply for any available 104
147		-	federal and private funds for programs that promote CFI objectives in 105
148		-	accordance with this section and section 1 of this act. The commissioner 106
149		-	shall award grants from any such available funds to entities that provide 107
150		-	(1) employment and training opportunities for low-income fathers to 108
151		-	increase the earning capacity of such fathers; (2) classes in parenting and 109
152		-	financial literacy; and (3) other support services and programs that 110
153		-	promote responsible parenting, economic stability and communication 111
154		-	and interaction between fathers and their children. 112
155		-	(f) Applicants for grants provided pursuant to subsection (e) of this 113
156		-	section shall apply to the Commissioner of Social Services at such time 114
157		-	and in such manner as prescribed by the commissioner. The 115
158		-	commissioner shall, in consultation with the council, establish criteria 116
159		-	for eligibility for grants and for the awarding of grants. At a minimum, 117
160		-	the commissioner shall require grantees to (1) implement accountability 118
161		-	measures and results-based outcomes as a condition of being awarded 119
162		-	a grant; (2) leverage funds through existing resources and collaboration 120
163		-	with community-based and nonprofit organizations; and (3) consult 121
164		-	with experts in domestic violence to ensure that, when appropriate, the 122
165		-	programs and services provided to fathers and families pursuant to this 123
166		-	section and section 1 of this act address issues concerning domestic 124
167		-	violence. 125
168		-	(g) Not later than December 1, 2021, and annually thereafter, the 126
169		-	commissioner, in consultation with the council, shall report, in 127
170		-	accordance with section 11-4a of the general statutes, to the joint 128
171		-	standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of 129
172		-	matters relating to human services and children on the grant program's 130 Substitute Bill No. 912
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179		-	effectiveness in achieving CFI objectives. 131
180		-	Sec. 3. Section 17b-27a of the general statutes is repealed. (Effective 132
181		-	from passage) 133
	77	+	(f) The administrative staff of the joint standing committee of the 43
	78	+	General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education 44
	79	+	and early childhood programs shall serve as administrative staff of the 45
	80	+	advisory council. 46
	81	+	(g) Not later than January 1, 2022, the advisory council shall submit a 47
	82	+	report on its findings and recommendations to the joint standing 48
	83	+	committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 49
	84	+	relating to children, education and human services, in accordance with 50
	85	+	the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes. The council shall 51
	86	+	terminate on the date that it submits such report or January 1, 2022, 52
	87	+	whichever is later. 53
	88	+	Sec. 2. (Effective July 1, 2021) The sum of three million dollars is 54
	89	+	appropriated to the Department of Social Services, from the General 55
	90	+	Fund, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, to provide increased 56
	91	+	funding for fatherhood initiatives that promote the positive 57
	92	+	involvement of fathers in their children's lives, including, but not 58
	93	+	limited to, the John S. Martinez Fatherhood Initiative established 59
	94	+	pursuant to section 17b-27a of the general statutes. 60
182	95		This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
183	96		sections:
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185	98		Section 1 from passage New section
186		-	Sec. 2 from passage New section
187		-	Sec. 3 from passage Repealer section
	99	+	Sec. 2 July 1, 2021 New section
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189		-	Statement of Legislative Commissioners:
190		-	In Section 2(a)(3), "block grant program" was changed to "block grant"
191		-	for internal consistency.
192		-
193		-	HS Joint Favorable Subst.
	101	+	Statement of Purpose:
	102	+	To establish an advisory council to make recommendations concerning
	103	+	fatherhood initiatives and provide state funding for fatherhood
	104	+	initiatives.
	105	+	[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except
	106	+	that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
	107	+	underlined.]
194	108