NOTE: The governor signed this measure on 6/5/2013. HOUSE BILL 13-1007 BY REPRESENTATIVE(S) Peniston, Exum, Fields, Fischer, Ginal, Hamner, Hullinghorst, Labuda, Lebsock, Lee, Melton, Mitsch Bush, Pabon, Primavera, Rosenthal, Salazar, Vigil, Williams, Young, Ferrandino, Court, Duran, Moreno, Schafer; also SENATOR(S) Hudak, Aguilar, Giron, Guzman, Hodge, Jones, Kefalas, Newell, Nicholson, Steadman, Tochtrop, Todd, Ulibarri. Concerning recreation of the early childhood and school readiness legislative commission. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado: SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, recreate and reenact, with amendments, part 2 of article 6.5 of title 26 as follows: PART 2 EARLY CHILDHOOD AND SCHOOL READINESS LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION 26-6.5-201. Short title. This part 2 shall be known and may be cited as the "Early Childhood and School Readiness Legislative Commission Act". 26-6.5-202. Legislative declaration. (1) The general assembly finds that: (a) The most economically efficient time to develop children's skills and social abilities is in the very early years when developmental education across all of the four domains of early learning, family support and education, health care, social-emotional health, and mental health, can have the most effect; (b) Children, families, and society benefit from quality investments in early childhood development and learning. Comprehensive early childhood development provides children and their families with the resources they need for early nurturing and for early language development and learning experiences and the physical health supports they need to help them arrive at school thriving and ready to learn. (c) High-quality early childhood care and education during the crucial growth years from birth to five years of age is necessary to enable children to succeed when they start kindergarten and as they continue their education; (d) Research demonstrates that parental support and involvement, combined with a high-quality preschool education program, increases students' school readiness and achievement in kindergarten and significantly contributes to overcoming the effects of students' varying socio-economic circumstances; and (e) Research further shows that improving educational performance through improved school readiness costs much less than special education, remediation, and grade retention. (2) The general assembly concludes therefore that it is in the best interests of the state to create a legislative commission to meet on a regular basis throughout the year to study issues and recommend legislation concerning early childhood and school readiness, including health care, mental health, parental involvement, family support, child care, and early learning. 26-6.5-203. Early childhood and school readiness legislative commission - creation - membership - duties - funding. (1) (a) There is created a legislative commission for policy improvement related to early childhood and school readiness, including the areas of health, mental health, parental involvement, family support, child care, and early learning, referred to in this article as the "commission". (b) The commission consists of six members, appointed for terms of three years; except that, of the members first appointed, two members shall be appointed for one-year terms, two members shall be appointed for two-year terms, and two members shall be appointed for three-year terms. The appointing authorities shall jointly determine which commission members serve reduced terms. Each commission member serves at the pleasure of the applicable appointing authority. Vacancies shall be filled by appointment of the original appointing authority for the remainder of the unexpired term. Initial appointments to the commission shall be made on or before July 1, 2013, as follows: (I) The president of the senate shall appoint two senators to serve on the commission, one of whom serves on the senate education committee, or any successor committee, and one of whom serves on the senate health and human services committee, or any successor committee; (II) The minority leader of the senate shall appoint one senator to serve on the commission who also serves on the senate education committee, or any successor committee; (III) The speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint two representatives to serve on the commission, one of whom serves on the education committee of the house of representatives, or any successor committee, and one of whom serves on the public health care and human services committee of the house of representatives, or any successor committee; and (IV) The minority leader of the house of representatives shall appoint one representative to serve on the commission who also serves on the education committee of the house of representatives, or any successor committee. (c) The president of the senate shall select the first chair of the commission, and the speaker of the house of representatives shall select the first vice-chair. The chair and vice-chair shall alternate annually thereafter between the two houses. The chair and vice-chair of the commission may establish such organizational and procedural rules as are necessary for the operation of the commission. (d) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 2-2-307, C.R.S., the members of the commission shall not receive compensation or reimbursement for expenses incurred in fulfilling the duties of the commission. (2) (a) The commission shall meet at least four times annually. The commission shall study issues concerning early childhood and school readiness, including but not limited to health care, mental health, parental involvement, family support, child care, and early learning. The commission shall solicit input from members of the public, especially those individuals with expertise related to early childhood and school readiness issues, to aid the commission in its work. The commission shall consult with the early childhood leadership commission, created in section 24-44.7-102, C.R.S., with regard to policies concerning early childhood and school readiness. (b) The commission may accept in-kind donations in the form of administrative support from one or more nonprofit organizations. (c) The commission shall report to the legislative council by the date specified in Joint Rule 24 (b)(1)(D). The report may include recommendations for legislation, including but not limited to legislation continuing the commission and an explanation of the additional time and procedures that the commission may require to achieve the commission's study goals. Legislation that the commission recommends shall be treated as legislation recommended by an interim committee for the purposes of the introduction deadlines and bill limitations imposed by the joint rules of the senate and house of representatives. 26-6.5-204. Repeal of part. This part 2 is repealed, effective July 1, 2018. SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 26-6.5-106, amend (5) introductory portion and (9) (b) as follows: 26-6.5-106. School-readiness quality improvement program. (5) School-readiness quality rating system. The state early childhood and school-readiness legislative commission created pursuant to section 26-6-304 in section 26-6.5-203 shall adopt a voluntary school-readiness quality rating system. Such The rating system shall measure the level of preparedness of and quality of services provided by an early care and education provider to prepare children to enter elementary school. The school-readiness quality rating system shall: (9) Evaluation - report. (b) On or before April 1, 2009, and on or before April 1 every three years thereafter, the state department, or any private entity with which the state department is hereby authorized to contract for this purpose, shall submit a consolidated statewide report, based upon the reports prepared and submitted by the early childhood care and education councils, addressing the items set forth in paragraph (a) of this subsection (9) to the state early childhood and school-readiness legislative commission and to the members of the education committees of the house of representatives and the senate of the general assembly. SECTION 3. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 26-6.5-203, amend as added by House Bill 13-1007 (2) (a) as follows: 26-6.5-203. Early childhood and school readiness legislative commission - creation - membership - duties - funding. (2) (a) The commission shall meet at least four times annually. The commission shall study issues concerning early childhood and school readiness, including but not limited to health care, mental health, parental involvement, family support, child care, and early learning. The commission shall solicit input from members of the public, especially those individuals with expertise related to early childhood and school readiness issues, to aid the commission in its work. The commission shall consult with the early childhood leadership commission, created in section 24-44.7-102, C.R.S. 26-6.2-103, with regard to policies concerning early childhood and school readiness. SECTION 4. Effective date. This act takes effect upon passage; except that section 3 of this act takes effect only if House Bill 13-1117 is enacted and becomes law, in which case section 3 of this act takes effect July 1, 2013. SECTION 5. Safety clause. The general assembly hereby finds, determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety. ________________________________________________________ Mark Ferrandino John P. Morse SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE PRESIDENT OF OF REPRESENTATIVES THE SENATE ____________________________ ____________________________ Marilyn Eddins Cindi L. Markwell CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE SECRETARY OF OF REPRESENTATIVES THE SENATE APPROVED________________________________________ _________________________________________ John W. Hickenlooper GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF COLORADO