Senate Bill sb2376

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
    Florida Senate - 2006                                  SB 2376

    By Senator Rich





    34-1532A-06                                        See HB 1233

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to early learning; establishing

  3         the Early Learning Quality Incentives Task

  4         Force to be administratively housed in the

  5         Agency for Workforce Innovation; providing

  6         duties and membership; requiring

  7         recommendations to the Governor and

  8         Legislature; providing for termination of the

  9         task force; requiring the Department of

10         Children and Family Services, in cooperation

11         with the Agency for Workforce Innovation, to

12         contract for a study relating to the

13         administration and regulation of child care

14         services; requiring submission of findings to

15         the task force for purposes of its final

16         recommendations; providing an effective date.

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18  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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20         Section 1.  Early Learning Quality Incentives Task

21  Force.--

22         (1)  There is established the Early Learning Quality

23  Incentives Task Force to be administratively housed in the

24  Agency for Workforce Innovation. The Agency for Workforce

25  Innovation is authorized to contract with one or more

26  nationally known experts on quality incentives and rating

27  systems to serve as facilitators and resources in directing

28  the task force. The task force shall perform all of the

29  following duties:

30         (a)  Identify and examine existing early learning

31  quality incentives and rating systems in the state.

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    Florida Senate - 2006                                  SB 2376
    34-1532A-06                                        See HB 1233




 1         (b)  Identify and examine early learning quality

 2  incentives and rating systems in other states, including, but

 3  not limited to, systems in North Carolina and Oklahoma.

 4         (c)  Develop a recommended early learning quality

 5  incentives and rating system that includes uniform standards

 6  and levels of financial quality incentives for participating

 7  providers.

 8         (d)  Recommend appropriate levels of financial

 9  commitment of state resources to ensure quality early learning

10  programs.

11         (e)  Recommend initial investment of quality incentive

12  dollars for pilot programs in five counties.

13         (2)(a)  The task force shall consist of representatives

14  appointed by the Governor from each of the following

15  categories:

16         1.  One member each from a large, medium, and small

17  children's services council with an appropriate mix from urban

18  and rural counties.

19         2.  One chair each from a large, medium, and small

20  early learning coalition with an appropriate mix from urban

21  and rural counties.

22         3.  One member from an early learning services

23  provider.

24         4.  One member from a private child care provider

25  association.

26         5.  One member from a faith-based child care provider

27  association.

28         6.  One member each from a community college and a

29  state university with a child care training component.

30         7.  One parent who currently has a child in an early

31  learning program.

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    Florida Senate - 2006                                  SB 2376
    34-1532A-06                                        See HB 1233




 1         (b)  The task force shall also consist of the following

 2  members:

 3         1.  A member of the Senate appointed by the President

 4  of the Senate.

 5         2.  A member of the House of Representatives appointed

 6  by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

 7         3.  A member appointed by the Secretary of Children and

 8  Family Services who has expertise in child care licensing and

 9  regulation.

10         4.  A member appointed by the Commissioner of Education

11  who has expertise in the education of young children.

12         (3)  The members of the task force shall serve without

13  compensation but shall be entitled to receive reimbursement

14  for per diem and travel expenses as provided in s. 112.061,

15  Florida Statutes.

16         (4)  The task force shall submit its recommendations to

17  the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of

18  the House of Representatives by February 15, 2007, at which

19  time the task force shall be terminated.

20         Section 2.  The Department of Children and Family

21  Services, in cooperation with the Agency for Workforce

22  Innovation, shall contract with an independent research

23  institution to conduct a study of the administrative and

24  operational structure of the Child Care Services Program

25  Office of the Department of Children and Family Services which

26  will include a review of all resources supporting the office

27  as well as a review of child care services offices in other

28  states. The findings of the study shall include a

29  recommendation regarding the appropriate administrative and

30  operational structures and the appropriate state agency to

31  administer child care regulation functions. The findings of

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    Florida Senate - 2006                                  SB 2376
    34-1532A-06                                        See HB 1233




 1  the study shall be submitted to the Early Learning Quality

 2  Incentives Task Force by January 1, 2007, for incorporation

 3  into the final recommendations of the task force.

 4         Section 3.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a

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