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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to creating the Texas Early Learning Council. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subtitle B, Title 3, Human Resources Code, is |
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amended by adding Chapter 71 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 71. TEXAS EARLY LEARNING COUNCIL |
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Sec. 71.001. TEXAS EARLY LEARNING COUNCIL. In this |
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chapter: |
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(1) "Board" means the board of the Texas Early |
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Learning Council. |
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(2) "Council" means the Texas Early Learning Council. |
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Sec. 71.002. BOARD. (a) The board is composed of: |
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(1) the administrative head of the following agencies |
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or that person's designee: |
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(A) the Texas Education Agency; |
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(B) the Health and Human Services Commission; |
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(C) the Department of Assistive and |
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Rehabilitative Services; |
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(D) the Texas Workforce Commission; and |
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(E) the Department of Family and Protective |
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Services; |
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(2) a representative from the Health and Human |
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Services Commission's nurse-family partnership program appointed |
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by the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services |
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Commission; |
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(3) a representative from the Health and Human |
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Services Commission's women's health program appointed by the |
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executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission; |
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(4) a representative from the early childhood |
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intervention services program appointed by the commissioner of the |
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Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services; |
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(5) one member appointed by the lieutenant governor; |
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(6) one member appointed by the speaker of the house of |
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representatives; and |
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(7) the following members appointed by the governor: |
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(A) an employee of the governor's office; |
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(B) an individual to represent federal |
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children's programs and services; and |
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(C) 11 members from the public and private |
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sectors who have an interest in early childhood care and education, |
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including representatives from the following fields: |
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(i) early childhood education and |
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development; |
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(ii) child care; |
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(iii) child advocacy; |
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(iv) parenting support; |
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(v) local community collaborations among |
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early care and education programs and services; |
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(vi) maternal and child health; |
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(vii) children with special needs; |
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(viii) business and industry; |
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(ix) labor; and |
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(x) law enforcement. |
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(b) The governor shall request that the director of the |
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regional office of the Administration for Children and Families of |
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the United States Department of Health and Human Services provide |
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the governor with a list of individuals, each of whom is eligible to |
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serve as a representative appointed under Subsection (a)(7)(B). |
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(c) In appointing the members of the council, the persons |
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making appointments must attempt to reflect the geographic, racial, |
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and cultural diversity of the state. |
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Sec. 71.003. PRESIDING OFFICER. The governor shall |
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designate a member of the board from the private sector to serve as |
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co-presiding officer of the board with the member who is an employee |
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of the governor's office. |
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Sec. 71.004. TERMS. The members of the board appointed by |
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the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house |
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of representatives serve for staggered six-year terms, with the |
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terms of one-third of the members expiring on February 1 of each |
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even-numbered year. |
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Sec. 71.005. COMPENSATION. The members of the board serve |
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without compensation but are entitled to reimbursement for actual |
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and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of official |
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duties as provided by the General Appropriations Act. |
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Sec. 71.006. POWERS AND DUTIES. The council shall: |
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(1) coordinate existing state programs and services |
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for children from birth to age three in order to better meet the |
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early learning needs of children and their families; |
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(2) implement the vision of a statewide, high-quality, |
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accessible, and comprehensive early learning system to benefit all |
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young children; |
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(3) address how the state can: |
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(A) expand access to high-quality early |
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childhood development programs for all at-risk children under three |
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years of age; and |
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(B) improve the quality of services offered to |
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very young children and their families; |
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(4) inventory public and private early learning |
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programs in the state and, if feasible, rate the effectiveness of |
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each program; |
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(5) work with pre-K and elementary school educators to |
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establish a link between elementary schools and programs for |
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children from birth to age three, and from age three to age five; |
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and |
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(6) link early learning programs to other early |
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childhood providers, programs, and services, including specialized |
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development and mental health services, pediatric and perinatal |
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health services, and public benefit programs. |
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Sec. 71.007. ANNUAL REPORT. Not later than December 1 of |
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each year, the council shall report to the governor and legislature |
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on the council's progress towards its goals and objectives. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |