HOUSE 3rd Reading Unamended April 18, 2016 HOUSE Amended 2nd Reading April 15, 2016Second Regular Session Seventieth General Assembly STATE OF COLORADO REENGROSSED This Version Includes All Amendments Adopted in the House of Introduction LLS NO. 16-0344.01 Julie Pelegrin x2700 HOUSE BILL 16-1050 HOUSE SPONSORSHIP Pettersen, Singer SENATE SPONSORSHIP Merrifield, House Committees Senate Committees Public Health Care & Human Services Appropriations A BILL FOR AN ACT Concerning a task force to address the child care needs of low-income parents of young children as the parents seek to advance their education, and, in connection therewith, making an appropriation. Bill Summary (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at http://www.leg.state.co.us/billsummaries.) Early Childhood and School Readiness Legislative Commission. The bill creates a task force to address the child care needs of low-income parents of young children as the parents seek to advance their education. The task force consists of the leaders, or their designees, of the departments of labor and employment, higher education, education, and human services; parents and representatives of organizations, appointed by the governor; and employees of county departments of human services or social services, selected by the executive director of the department of human services. The task force must identify and reduce, if possible, barriers to obtaining child care from the range of available federal, state, and private child care sources, determine whether the parents' child care needs can be met through existing sources, review and streamline the processes for providing child care for parents while they obtain education or training, communicate the availability of child care from public and private sources to parents who are seeking education or training, and recommend legislative changes, if necessary. By March 1, 2017, the task force must submit a report of its activities to the general assembly, and before July 1, 2017, the task force must submit the report to the early childhood and school readiness legislative commission. The task force is repealed, effective July 1, 2017. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado: SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 24-46.3-106 as follows: 24-46.3-106. Low-income parents of young children seeking education - child care needs - task force created - report - repeal. (1) There is hereby created a task force to develop strategies and procedures for state and local agencies and institutions of higher education to use in coordinating efforts, and to identify resources, to address the child care needs of low-income parents of young children as the parents seek to advance their education. The task force consists of the following members: (a) The executive director, or his or her designee, of the department of labor and employment, the department of higher education, and the department of human services; (b) The commissioner of education or his or her designee; and (c) The following persons appointed by the governor: (I) Up to seven, but no fewer than five, parents who have sought or completed education and training while parenting young children; (II) Two persons who represent organizations that serve parents of young children in the areas of employment and training; (III) Two persons who are licensed child care providers; (IV) Two persons who are directors of workforce development providers as described in section 22-10-103 (11) (c), C.R.S.; and (d) Two persons selected by the executive director of the department of human services who are employed by county departments of human services or social services and work in child care issues. (2) (a) The governor shall appoint, and the executive director of the department of human services shall select, the members of the task force as soon as possible after the effective date of this section. In appointing members, the governor, to the extent practicable, shall ensure that the appointed task force membership reflects the ethnic, racial, and gender diversity within the state and includes persons from areas around the state. (b) The task force shall hold its first meeting no later than September 1, 2016, at the call of the executive director of the department of higher education, or a designee. At the first meeting, the members of the task force shall select members to serve as chair and vice-chair. The task force shall meet as often as necessary at the call of the chair to fulfill its duties. (c) The members of the task force serve without per diem and without reimbursement for costs. The participating departments shall provide staff, as necessary, to assist the task force in fulfilling its duties. (3) The task force shall accomplish the following duties, taking into account the full range of public and private child care resources available to low-income parents of young children: (a) Identify and to the extent possible reduce barriers that prevent low-income parents of young children from securing the necessary child care services to enable them to obtain education or training; (b) Determine whether the child care needs of low-income parents who are seeking education and training are adequately met through the combination of existing state, federal, and campus-based child care programs and funding sources and student financial assistance; (c) Review, coordinate, and streamline the administrative processes for providing child care to low-income parents of young children as the parents seek to advance their education; (d) Create a plan for communicating to low-income parents of young children the availability of and processes for obtaining child care services while the parents are seeking additional education and training; (e) Develop recommendations for any legislation that may be necessary to implement the requirements specified in paragraphs (a) to (d) of this subsection (3). (4) On or before March 1, 2017, the task force shall submit to the public health care and human services committee of the house of representatives and the health and human services committee of the senate, or any successor committees, a report describing the results of the task force's work in implementing subsection (3) of this section, including legislative recommendations, if any. Before July 1, 2017, the task force shall also submit the report to the early childhood and school readiness legislative commission created in section 26-6.5-203, C.R.S. (5) This section is repealed, effective July 1, 2017. SECTION 2. Appropriation. For the 2016-17 state fiscal year, $19,833 is appropriated to the department of labor and employment for use by the division of employment and training. This appropriation is from the general fund and is based on an assumption that the division will require an additional 0.4 FTE. To implement this act, the division may use this appropriation for the workforce development council. SECTION 3. 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.