Today's Law As Amended


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AB-823 California Children’s Coordinating Council.(2011-2012)



As Amends the Law Today


SECTION 1.
 The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a) The foundation of human development is formed during a child’s earlier years, and early childhood development requires a comprehensive, coordinated approach to a child’s care and learning.
(b) The education and development of children occur not only in schools but also in families, neighborhoods, communities, and our broader society.
(c) The needs of children are increasingly complex and the networks of services available to them are managed by multiple agencies and departments, often with differing goals and objectives.
(d) Government programs must collaboratively develop and implement effective, efficient, and coordinated service delivery to ensure that all of California’s children have an equal opportunity to reach their full potential.
(e) The State of California must comprehensively address the needs of each of its children and youth and provide the understanding, encouragement, support, services, and knowledge necessary for each of them to master the skills and competencies that work, life, and active citizenship require.
(f) It is critical to California’s children that issues affecting their well-being be considered at the highest level of state government.

SEC. 2.

 Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 96050) is added to Title 15 of the Government Code, to read:

CHAPTER  2. California Children’s Coordinating Council
96050.
 (a) The California Children’s Coordinating Council is hereby established within state government, which shall serve as an advisory body responsible for improving the collaboration among agencies that provide services to the children and youth of the state.
(b) The council shall advise and make recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature on ways to improve the delivery of services to children and youth and their families.
(c) The council shall be comprised of the following members:
(1) The Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Secretary of California Health and Human Services, who shall serve as cochairs.
(2) The Chief Justice of California, or his or her designee.
(3) The Secretary of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, or his or her designee.
(4) The Director of Social Services.
(5) The Director of Health Care Services.
(6) The State Public Health Officer.
(7) The Director of Mental Health.
(8) The Director of Alcohol and Drug Programs.
(9) The Director of Developmental Services.
(10) The Director of Child Support Services.
(11) The Attorney General.
(12) Two Members of the Assembly, as appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly.
(13) Two members of the Senate, as appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules.
(14) Additional members that may be appointed at the will of the Governor.
(d) Staffing of the council shall be a shared responsibility among the cochairs of the council to the extent federal or private funds are made available for this purpose.
(e) (1) Upon the call of the cochairs, the council shall meet quarterly.
(2) The council may establish committees to further its work. Committees shall consist of at least one council member and others as the council requires.
(3) Members of the committees shall receive no compensation from the state for their services, except that they may be reimbursed for actual travel and related expenses in accordance with state policy.
(4) The council shall submit a report to the Governor and the Legislature on or before October 31 of each odd-numbered year, in compliance with Section 9795, and notwithstanding Section 10231.5. The report shall include, but shall not be limited to, recommendations on ways to improve coordination of services to children, youth, and their families, including, but not limited to, all of the following:
(A) Developing and implementing a shared vision and a strategic plan on how best to establish cross-agency coordination.
(B) Establishing baseline goals and benchmarks for assessing the extent to which state agencies successfully strengthen their cooperation and collaboration in providing services to children, youth, and their families.
(C) Identifying and implementing evidence-based practices for the effective and efficient delivery of services.
(D) Consolidating and coordinating existing programs for the purpose of improving the effectiveness and efficiency of delivering services to the children and the youth of this state.
(f) The Bureau of State Audits may conduct a performance audit of the council established pursuant to this chapter and report its finding to the board and the Legislature on or before January 1, 2018.
96051.
 (a) (1) The California Children’s Coordinating Council shall be established pursuant to this chapter only after a determination has been made by the Department of Finance that federal or private funds in an amount sufficient to fully support the activities of the council, including staffing of the council and development and distribution of the biennial report, have been deposited with the state.
(2) The determination by the Department of Finance shall be based upon an estimate from the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Secretary of California Health and Human Services of resources needed to administer the council’s duties pursuant to this chapter.
(b) Upon a determination by the Department of Finance that there are sufficient federal or private funds to fully support the activities of the council as described in subdivision (a), the funds shall be made available to the council for the purposes described in this chapter upon appropriation by the Legislature.
(c) Upon making a determination that sufficient funds have been deposited pursuant to this section, the Department of Finance shall file a written notice to that effect with the Chief Clerk of the Assembly and the Secretary of the Senate.
96052.
 This chapter shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2019, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2019, deletes or extends that date.