1999
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 99-034
BY SENATORS Linkhart, Andrews, Arnold, Dennis, Dyer, Epps, Evans, Feeley, Hernandez, Martinez, Matsunaka, Musgrave, Nichol, Pascoe, Phillips, Reeves, Rupert, Sullivant, Tanner, Teck, Thiebaut, Weddig, Wham, Powers, and Tebedo;
also REPRESENTATIVES Alexander, Hefley, Johnson,
Keller, Larson, Lawrence, Morrison, Tochtrop, S. Williams, Witwer,
Coleman, Hoppe, Kaufman, Smith, Stengel, Veiga, and Vigil.
CONCERNING THE CREATION OF AN INTERIM COMMITTEE TO
STUDY CHILD CARE.
WHEREAS, The safety and quality of available child
care is a great concern for many Colorado citizens and is integral
to the wellbeing and development of the children of the
state; and
WHEREAS, In August 1998, the state auditor released
a report containing the results of a performance audit of child
care licensing in the state of Colorado; and
WHEREAS, The performance audit reviewed many aspects
of Colorado's child care licensing system, including riskbased
inspections of licensed facilities, enforcement of child care
standards, and procedures for handling complaints, and also identified
several areas in which the safety and quality of child care need
improvement; and
WHEREAS, The audit showed that the current system
for conducting criminal background checks of child care licensees
is inadequate; and
WHEREAS, Several reports have been issued by state
and nonprofit agencies indicating problems in the child care system,
including issues related to quality of care, lack of training,
safety, and accountability; and
WHEREAS, Given the recognized need for improvement in the safety and quality of child care in Colorado, the General Assembly finds that it would be beneficial to examine the current condition of child care in the state; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Senate of the Sixtysecond
General Assembly of the State of Colorado, the House concurring
herein:
(1) That there is hereby created an interim
committee to work through the 1999 interim to study child care
in the state of Colorado. The interim committee shall consider,
but need not be limited to, the following issues:
(a) The overall quality of child care
in Colorado and recommendations for expected outcomes;
(b) The quality of the workforce that
provides child care, including but not limited to the following:
(I) Training requirements and potential
credentialing requirements for child care providers, including
continuing education;
(II) Costeffective means of conducting
criminal background checks of persons providing child care and
working with or otherwise associated with child care providers,
taking into consideration the results of any relevant research
or studies conducted by the state Department of Human Services;
and
(III) Compensation and benefits received
by qualified child care providers;
(c) Licensing requirements for, and flexibility
needs of, child care providers;
(d) Alternative approaches to regulating
the provision of child care in the state of Colorado;
(e) Options for use of federal funds received
by the state Department of Human Services for child care quality
initiatives;
(f) Methods of encouraging or facilitating
the location of child care facilities in workplaces.
(2) That the interim committee shall be
representative of all geographic areas of the state and shall
consist of eleven members, as follows:
(a) (I) Three state senators appointed
by the President of the Senate, one of whom shall be named chair
of the committee;
(II) Two state senators appointed by the
minority leader of the Senate;
(b) Six state representatives appointed
by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, one of whom shall
be named vice-chair of the committee and no more than four of
whom shall be members of the same political party.
(3) That the interim committee shall consult
with child care providers, parents, and related and concerned
organizations.
(4) That the interim committee shall make
findings and recommendations regarding the issues reviewed in
this study, including but not limited to any necessary legislation,
and shall submit a written report on the interim committee's findings
and recommendations to the Legislative Council no later than November
15, 1999. Legislation recommended by the interim committee shall
be treated as legislation recommended by any other interim committee
for purposes of any introduction deadlines or bill limitations
imposed by the joint rules of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
(5) That the interim committee shall meet
at least four times to fulfill its responsibilities in this study.
(6) That the members of the interim committee
shall be compensated as provided in section 22307,
Colorado Revised Statutes, for attendance at meetings of the interim
committee.
(7) That the Legislative Council staff
and the Office of Legislative Legal Services shall be made available
to assist the interim committee in carrying out its duties. All
personnel of the Department of Human Services shall cooperate
with the interim committee and with any persons assisting the
interim committee in carrying out its duties.
(8) That all expenditures incurred while
conducting this study shall be approved by the chair of the Legislative
Council and paid by vouchers and warrants drawn as provided by
law from moneys allocated to the Legislative Council for legislative
studies from appropriations made by the General Assembly.
_________________________ _________________________
Ray Powers Russell George
PRESIDENT OF SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE
THE SENATE OF REPRESENTATIVES
_________________________ _________________________
Patricia K. Dicks Judith M. Rodrigue
SECRETARY OF CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE
THE SENATE OF REPRESENTATIVES