S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
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                                 9902--A
                                                        Cal. No. 626

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                             April 26, 2016
                               ___________

Introduced  by M. of A. LUPARDO, ROZIC, JAFFEE, MAYER, BUCHWALD, JOYNER,
  ROBINSON, HEVESI, OTIS,  HUNTER,  RA,  DUPREY,  MONTESANO,  GOTTFRIED,
  COOK,  SIMON,  JEAN-PIERRE, FAHY, CANCEL, CAHILL -- Multi-Sponsored by
  -- M. of A.  ABBATE, CROUCH, GALEF, McKEVITT, NOLAN -- read  once  and
  referred  to  the  Committee on Children and Families -- reported from
  committee, advanced to a third reading, amended and ordered reprinted,
  retaining its place on the order of third reading

AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation  to  codifying  the
  early childhood advisory council

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. The social services law is amended by adding a new  section
483-g to read as follows:
  S  483-G.  EARLY CHILDHOOD ADVISORY COUNCIL. 1. THERE IS HEREBY ESTAB-
LISHED WITHIN THE COUNCIL AN EARLY CHILDHOOD ADVISORY COUNCIL TO PROMOTE
A COMPREHENSIVE AND HIGH QUALITY EARLY CHILDHOOD SYSTEM. MEMBERS OF  THE
EARLY  CHILDHOOD  ADVISORY COUNCIL SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO,
TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT POSSIBLE:
  (A) A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES;
  (B) A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT;
  (C) A REPRESENTATIVE OF LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES;
  (D) A REPRESENTATIVE OF INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE STATE;
  (E) A REPRESENTATIVE OF LOCAL PROVIDERS OF EARLY  CHILDHOOD  EDUCATION
AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES;
  (F)  A  REPRESENTATIVE  OF  HEAD START AGENCIES, INCLUDING MIGRANT AND
SEASONAL HEAD START PROGRAMS AND INDIAN HEAD START PROGRAMS;
  (G) THE DIRECTOR OF THE HEAD START COLLABORATION OFFICE;
  (H) A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH;
  (I) A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE OFFICE OF TEMPORARY AND DISABILITY ASSIST-
ANCE;
  (J) A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE OFFICE OF MENTAL HEALTH;
  (K) A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE OFFICE FOR PEOPLE WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISA-
BILITIES;
  (L) A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE EMPIRE STATE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION;

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
              

                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD15090-03-6

A. 9902--A                          2

  (M) A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DIVISION OF THE BUDGET;
  (N) AT LEAST FIVE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY; AND
  (O) REPRESENTATIVES OF OTHER ENTITIES DETERMINED TO BE RELEVANT BY THE
GOVERNOR.
  2.  THE  EARLY  CHILDHOOD  ADVISORY  COUNCIL SHALL, IN ADDITION TO ANY
RESPONSIBILITIES ASSIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR:
  (A) CONDUCT A PERIODIC STATEWIDE NEEDS ASSESSMENT CONCERNING THE QUAL-
ITY AND  AVAILABILITY  OF  EARLY  CHILDHOOD  EDUCATION  AND  DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAMS AND SERVICES FOR CHILDREN FROM BIRTH TO SCHOOL ENTRY, INCLUDING
AN  ASSESSMENT  OF  THE  AVAILABILITY  OF  HIGH-QUALITY PRE-KINDERGARTEN
SERVICES FOR LOW-INCOME CHILDREN IN THE STATE;
  (B) IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES FOR, AND  BARRIERS  TO,  COLLABORATION  AND
COORDINATION  AMONG FEDERALLY FUNDED AND STATE FUNDED CHILD DEVELOPMENT,
CHILD CARE, AND EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND SERVICES, INCLUD-
ING COLLABORATION AND COORDINATION AMONG STATE AGENCIES RESPONSIBLE  FOR
ADMINISTERING SUCH PROGRAMS;
  (C)  DEVELOP  RECOMMENDATIONS FOR INCREASING THE OVERALL PARTICIPATION
OF CHILDREN IN EXISTING FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL CHILD CARE  AND  EARLY
CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAMS, INCLUDING OUTREACH TO UNDERREPRESENTED AND
SPECIAL POPULATIONS;
  (D)  DEVELOP  RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A UNIFIED
DATA COLLECTION SYSTEM FOR PUBLIC EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND DEVELOP-
MENT PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THROUGHOUT THE STATE;
  (E) DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING STATEWIDE PROFESSIONAL  DEVELOP-
MENT  AND  CAREER ADVANCEMENT PLANS FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS IN THE
STATE;
  (F) ASSESS THE CAPACITY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF  TWO-YEAR  AND  FOUR-YEAR
PUBLIC  AND PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE STATE TOWARD
SUPPORTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS,  INCLUDING  THE
EXTENT TO WHICH SUCH INSTITUTIONS HAVE IN PLACE ARTICULATION AGREEMENTS,
PROFESSIONAL  DEVELOPMENT  AND CAREER ADVANCEMENT PLANS, AND PRACTICE OR
INTERNSHIPS FOR STUDENTS TO SPEND TIME IN A HEAD START OR PRE-KINDERGAR-
TEN PROGRAM;
  (G) DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT STRATEGIES  TO  ENGAGE  BUSINESS  AND  CIVIC
LEADERS AND ORGANIZATIONS IN EARLY LEARNING PLANNING AND ADVOCACY AT THE
STATE AND LOCAL LEVEL;
  (H) INCREASE BUSINESS, CIVIC AND PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF
EARLY  CHILDHOOD  EDUCATION, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE DISTRIB-
UTION OF LITERATURE THROUGH MAIL OR ONLINE, ORGANIZING OF  MEETINGS  AND
EVENTS  TO  PROMOTE  THE COST BENEFIT OF INVESTMENTS IN LEARNING AND THE
HOSTING OF AN ANNUAL ECONOMIC SUMMIT ON EARLY CHILDHOOD INVESTMENT;
  (I) DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS FOR INCREASING PUBLIC-PRIVATE  INVESTMENTS
IN EARLY CHILDHOOD AND STRATEGIES FOR MAXIMIZING RESOURCES; AND
  (J)  MAKE  RECOMMENDATIONS  FOR  IMPROVEMENTS  IN STATE EARLY LEARNING
STANDARDS AND UNDERTAKE EFFORTS TO  DEVELOP  HIGH-QUALITY  COMPREHENSIVE
EARLY LEARNING STANDARDS, AS APPROPRIATE.
  3.  MEMBERS  OF  THE  EARLY  CHILDHOOD ADVISORY COUNCIL SHALL SERVE ON
WORKGROUPS TASKED WITH IMPLEMENTING  THE  DUTIES  REQUIRED  PURSUANT  TO
SUBDIVISION  TWO OF THIS SECTION.  SUCH WORKGROUPS MAY BE ESTABLISHED AS
NEEDED, PROVIDED HOWEVER THAT THERE SHALL BE A PERMANENT EARLY  LEARNING
INVESTMENT  WORKGROUP  FOCUSED  ON  IMPLEMENTATION OF, AT A MINIMUM, THE
DUTIES DESCRIBED IN PARAGRAPHS (G), (H) AND (I) OF  SUBDIVISION  TWO  OF
THIS  SECTION.  MEMBERSHIP  OF  THE  EARLY LEARNING INVESTMENT WORKGROUP
SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO, REPRESENTATIVES  OF  THE  BUSINESS
COMMUNITY  APPOINTED  TO THE COUNCIL IN ACCORDANCE WITH PARAGRAPH (N) OF
SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION.

A. 9902--A                          3

  4. THE EARLY CHILDHOOD ADVISORY COUNCIL SHALL HOLD PUBLIC HEARINGS AND
PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE ACTIVITIES DESCRIBED IN
SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION.
  5. THE EARLY CHILDHOOD ADVISORY COUNCIL SHALL SUBMIT A STATEWIDE STRA-
TEGIC  REPORT  ADDRESSING THE ACTIVITIES DESCRIBED IN SUBDIVISION TWO OF
THIS SECTION TO THE DIRECTOR OF THE HEAD START COLLABORATION OFFICE, THE
GOVERNOR, THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY AND THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE
SENATE. AFTER SUBMISSION OF A  STATEWIDE  STRATEGIC  REPORT,  THE  EARLY
CHILDHOOD  ADVISORY COUNCIL SHALL MEET PERIODICALLY TO REVIEW ANY IMPLE-
MENTATION OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN SUCH REPORT AND ANY CHANGES IN STATE
AND LOCAL NEEDS.
  S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.