By Wise                                              H.C.R. No. 271
         76R14489 LHO-D                           
                             HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
 1-1           WHEREAS, Powerful new research tools, including sophisticated
 1-2     brain scans, are yielding stunning revelations about human
 1-3     development from birth to age three and the pace at which a child
 1-4     grows and learns; in no other period of human development do such
 1-5     profound changes occur so rapidly; and
 1-6           WHEREAS, These striking research results confirm that parents
 1-7     and other adult caregivers play a critical role in influencing a
 1-8     child's development; and
 1-9           WHEREAS, Scientific confirmation of the links between good
1-10     care and a healthy start underscore the importance of high-quality
1-11     preschool and daycare environments and have led several states to
1-12     launch early childhood initiatives; and
1-13           WHEREAS, Texas state government agencies strive to help
1-14     families and their young children and have launched several early
1-15     childhood initiatives that show promise; however, the state has not
1-16     coordinated its assistance to parents and families; and
1-17           WHEREAS, By drawing from models in other states or
1-18     strengthening community programs, Texas parents, community leaders,
1-19     and state agencies could reorganize and refocus efforts to serve
1-20     the state's 700,000 youngest residents aged zero to three; now,
1-21     therefore, be it
1-22           RESOLVED, That the 76th Legislature of the State of Texas
1-23     hereby request the lieutenant governor and speaker of the house of
1-24     representatives to create an interagency advisory task force to
 2-1     develop and implement a state plan for serving children up to age
 2-2     three, with a special emphasis on applying research on infant and
 2-3     toddler brain development based upon education recommendation 8 (ED
 2-4     8) of the Texas Performance Review, challenging the status quo;
 2-5     and, be it further
 2-6           RESOLVED, That the interagency advisory task force be chaired
 2-7     by the governor and include the lieutenant governor and the speaker
 2-8     of the house of representatives, or their designees, and nine
 2-9     citizen appointees, three appointed by the governor, three
2-10     appointed by the lieutenant governor, and three appointed by the
2-11     speaker of the house of representatives; and, be it further
2-12           RESOLVED, That the following representatives serve as
2-13     nonvoting advisory members:
2-14                 (1)  the commissioner of health and human services;
2-15                 (2)  the commissioner of education;
2-16                 (3)  the executive director of the Interagency Council
2-17     on Early Childhood Intervention;
2-18                 (4)  the executive director of the Texas Department of
2-19     Health;
2-20                 (5)  the executive director of the Texas Department of
2-21     Human Services;
2-22                 (6)  the executive director of the Texas Juvenile
2-23     Probation Commission;
2-24                 (7)  the executive director of the Texas Department of
2-25     Mental Health and Mental Retardation;
2-26                 (8)  the executive director of the Department of
2-27     Protective and Regulatory Services;
 3-1                 (9)  the executive director of the Texas Youth
 3-2     Commission;
 3-3                 (10)  the executive director of the Texas Workforce
 3-4     Commission; and
 3-5                 (11)  the executive director of the Children's Trust
 3-6     Fund of Texas Council; and, be it further
 3-7           RESOLVED, That the governor's appointees include at least one
 3-8     appointee representing Texas child-care providers, one appointee
 3-9     representing Parents as Teachers, and one appointee representing
3-10     Head Start; and, be it further
3-11           RESOLVED, That the commissioner of health and human services
3-12     should implement the plan by drawing upon funds appropriated from
3-13     the operating account of the children's trust fund and, if
3-14     necessary, state law should be amended to permit programs funded by
3-15     the children's trust fund to encourage the healthy development of
3-16     Texas children aged zero to three; and, be it further
3-17           RESOLVED, That the interagency advisory task force develop a
3-18     plan and budget document no later than September 1, 2000; and, be
3-19     it further
3-20           RESOLVED, That the task force make a complete report,
3-21     including findings and recommendations for statutory changes, to
3-22     the 77th Legislature when it convenes in January 2001.