Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB2021 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	81R11340 UM-D
2	2	By: Watson S.B. No. 2021
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to creating the Texas Early Learning Council.
8	8	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
9	9	SECTION 1. Subtitle B, Title 3, Human Resources Code, is
10	10	amended by adding Chapter 71 to read as follows:
11	11	CHAPTER 71. TEXAS EARLY LEARNING COUNCIL
12	12	Sec. 71.001. TEXAS EARLY LEARNING COUNCIL. In this
13	13	chapter:
14	14	(1) "Board" means the board of the Texas Early
15	15	Learning Council.
16	16	(2) "Council" means the Texas Early Learning Council.
17	17	Sec. 71.002. BOARD. (a) The board is composed of:
18	18	(1) the administrative head of the following agencies
19	19	or that person's designee:
20	20	(A) the Texas Education Agency;
21	21	(B) the Health and Human Services Commission;
22	22	(C) the Department of Assistive and
23	23	Rehabilitative Services;
24	24	(D) the Texas Workforce Commission; and
25	25	(E) the Department of Family and Protective
26	26	Services;
27	27	(2) a representative from the Health and Human
28	28	Services Commission's nurse-family partnership program appointed
29	29	by the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services
30	30	Commission;
31	31	(3) a representative from the Health and Human
32	32	Services Commission's women's health program appointed by the
33	33	executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission;
34	34	(4) a representative from the early childhood
35	35	intervention services program appointed by the commissioner of the
36	36	Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services;
37	37	(5) one member appointed by the lieutenant governor;
38	38	(6) one member appointed by the speaker of the house of
39	39	representatives; and
40	40	(7) the following members appointed by the governor:
41	41	(A) an employee of the governor's office;
42	42	(B) an individual to represent federal
43	43	children's programs and services; and
44	44	(C) 11 members from the public and private
45	45	sectors who have an interest in early childhood care and education,
46	46	including representatives from the following fields:
47	47	(i) early childhood education and
48	48	development;
49	49	(ii) child care;
50	50	(iii) child advocacy;
51	51	(iv) parenting support;
52	52	(v) local community collaborations among
53	53	early care and education programs and services;
54	54	(vi) maternal and child health;
55	55	(vii) children with special needs;
56	56	(viii) business and industry;
57	57	(ix) labor; and
58	58	(x) law enforcement.
59	59	(b) The governor shall request that the director of the
60	60	regional office of the Administration for Children and Families of
61	61	the United States Department of Health and Human Services provide
62	62	the governor with a list of individuals, each of whom is eligible to
63	63	serve as a representative appointed under Subsection (a)(7)(B).
64	64	(c) In appointing the members of the council, the persons
65	65	making appointments must attempt to reflect the geographic, racial,
66	66	and cultural diversity of the state.
67	67	Sec. 71.003. PRESIDING OFFICER. The governor shall
68	68	designate a member of the board from the private sector to serve as
69	69	co-presiding officer of the board with the member who is an employee
70	70	of the governor's office.
71	71	Sec. 71.004. TERMS. The members of the board appointed by
72	72	the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house
73	73	of representatives serve for staggered six-year terms, with the
74	74	terms of one-third of the members expiring on February 1 of each
75	75	even-numbered year.
76	76	Sec. 71.005. COMPENSATION. The members of the board serve
77	77	without compensation but are entitled to reimbursement for actual
78	78	and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of official
79	79	duties as provided by the General Appropriations Act.
80	80	Sec. 71.006. POWERS AND DUTIES. The council shall:
81	81	(1) coordinate existing state programs and services
82	82	for children from birth to age three in order to better meet the
83	83	early learning needs of children and their families;
84	84	(2) implement the vision of a statewide, high-quality,
85	85	accessible, and comprehensive early learning system to benefit all
86	86	young children;
87	87	(3) address how the state can:
88	88	(A) expand access to high-quality early
89	89	childhood development programs for all at-risk children under three
90	90	years of age; and
91	91	(B) improve the quality of services offered to
92	92	very young children and their families;
93	93	(4) inventory public and private early learning
94	94	programs in the state and, if feasible, rate the effectiveness of
95	95	each program;
96	96	(5) work with pre-K and elementary school educators to
97	97	establish a link between elementary schools and programs for
98	98	children from birth to age three, and from age three to age five;
99	99	and
100	100	(6) link early learning programs to other early
101	101	childhood providers, programs, and services, including specialized
102	102	development and mental health services, pediatric and perinatal
103	103	health services, and public benefit programs.
104	104	Sec. 71.007. ANNUAL REPORT. Not later than December 1 of
105	105	each year, the council shall report to the governor and legislature
106	106	on the council's progress towards its goals and objectives.
107	107	SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.