093_SB0565eng

 
SB565 Engrossed                      LRB093 10048 NHT 10299 b

 1        AN  ACT  relating  to  young  children's   learning   and
 2    development.

 3        Be  it  enacted  by  the People of the State of Illinois,
 4    represented in the General Assembly:

 5        Section 1.  Short title. This Act may  be  cited  as  the
 6    Illinois Early Learning Council Act.

 7        Section 5.  Illinois Early Learning Council. The Illinois
 8    Early  Learning  Council  is  hereby  created  to  coordinate
 9    existing  programs  and services for children from birth to 5
10    years of age in order to better meet the early learning needs
11    of children and their families. The goal of the Council is to
12    fulfill the vision of a statewide, high-quality,  accessible,
13    and  comprehensive early learning system to benefit all young
14    children whose parents choose it.  The  Council  shall  guide
15    collaborative  efforts  to  improve  and expand upon existing
16    early  childhood  programs  and  services.  This  work  shall
17    include  making  use  of  existing  reports,  research,   and
18    planning efforts.

19        Section  10.  Membership.  The  Illinois  Early  Learning
20    Council  shall  include  representation  from both public and
21    private  organizations,  and  its  membership  shall  reflect
22    regional,  racial,   and   cultural   diversity   to   ensure
23    representation  of  the  needs  of all Illinois children. One
24    member shall be appointed by the President of the Senate, one
25    member appointed by the Minority Leader of  the  Senate,  one
26    member   appointed   by   the   Speaker   of   the  House  of
27    Representatives, one member appointed by the Minority  Leader
28    of  the House of Representatives, and other members appointed
29    by the Governor. The Governor's  appointments  shall  include
30    without limitation the following:
 
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 1             (1)  A leader of stature from the Governor's office,
 2        to serve as co-chairperson of the Council.
 3             (2)  The chief administrators of the following State
 4        agencies:  State  Board of Education; Department of Human
 5        Services; Department of  Children  and  Family  Services;
 6        Department  of  Public  Health; Department of Public Aid;
 7        Board of Higher Education; and Illinois Community College
 8        Board.
 9             (3)  Local government stakeholders and nongovernment
10        stakeholders with an interest in early childhood care and
11        education, including representation  from  the  following
12        private-sector fields and constituencies: early childhood
13        education  and  development;  child care; child advocacy;
14        parenting support; local community  collaborations  among
15        early  care and education programs and services; maternal
16        and child health; children with special needs;  business;
17        labor;  and law enforcement. The Governor shall designate
18        one of the members who is a nongovernment stakeholder  to
19        serve as co-chairperson.
20    In  addition,  the  Governor  shall request that the Region V
21    office of the U.S. Department of Health and  Human  Services'
22    Administration  for Children and Families appoint a member to
23    the Council to  represent  federal  children's  programs  and
24    services.
25        Members appointed by General Assembly members and members
26    appointed  by  the  Governor  who  are  local  government  or
27    nongovernment  stakeholders  shall serve 3-year terms, except
28    that of the initial appointments, half of these  members,  as
29    determined by lot, shall be appointed to 2-year terms so that
30    terms  are  staggered.  Members  shall  serve on a voluntary,
31    unpaid basis.

32        Section 15.  Accountability. The Illinois Early  Learning
33    Council  shall  annually  report  to the Governor and General
 
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 1    Assembly on the Council's  progress  towards  its  goals  and
 2    objectives.

 3        Section  99.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect upon
 4    becoming law.