Bill Text: CA AB823 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: California Children's Coordinating Council.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 6-0)

Status: (Vetoed) 2012-09-17 - Consideration of Governor's veto pending. [AB823 Detail]

Download: California-2011-AB823-Amended.html

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BILL NUMBER: AB 823	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 12, 2011

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Dickinson

                        FEBRUARY 17, 2011

   An act to add Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 96050) to Title
15 of the Government Code, relating to children's services.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 823, as amended, Dickinson. Children's Cabinet of California.
   Existing law, the California Early Intervention Services Act,
requires the Secretary of the Health and Human Services Agency and
the Superintendent of Public Instruction to provide a statewide
system of coordinated, comprehensive, family-centered,
multidisciplinary, interagency programs responsible for providing
appropriate early intervention services and support to all eligible
infants and toddlers and their families.
   This bill would establish the Children's Cabinet of California to
consist  , in part,  of the Superintendent of Public
Instruction, the Secretary of California Health and Human Services,
and the head of each agency and department within the state that
provides services for, or has jurisdiction over the  well
being   well-   being  of, children, and
would set forth its powers and duties, including  promoting
and implementing information sharing, collaboration, increased
efficiency, and improved service delivery among and within the state'
s child-serving agencies, departments, and organizations 
 making recommendations to the Governor on ways to improve the
delivery of services to children and families by making those
services more responsive, efficient, and effective, and to support
efforts to carry out those activities. The bill would require the
cabinet to annually report to the Governor and the Legislature 
.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 96050) is added to
Title 15 of the Government Code, to read:
      CHAPTER 2.  CHILDREN'S CABINET OF CALIFORNIA


   96050.  The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
   (a) All state agencies and programs that touch the lives of
children and youth must work in a coordinated and comprehensive
fashion, with an emphasis on providing a continuum of services that
benefit children, from prenatal care through programs supporting
successful transition to self-sufficient adulthood.
   (b) The Legislature, in collaboration with the Governor, intends
to develop and implement a shared vision among the branches of
government in order to improve child and family outcomes in this
state.
   (c) By working collaboratively with the Governor, the Legislature
intends to do all of the following:
   (1) Invest in the education and skills of our children and youth.
   (2) Develop a cohesive  vison   vision 
and plan that ensures a long-term commitment to issues regarding
children and youth.
   (3) Align public resources serving children and youth to support
their healthy growth and development.
   (4) Promote increased efficiency and improved service delivery by
all government agencies that provide services to children and youth,
and their families.
   96051.  (a) The Children's Cabinet of California is hereby
established within state government.  The cabinet shall
consist of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Secretary of
California Health and Human Services, and the head of each agency
and department within the state that provides services for, or has
jurisdiction over the well being of, children.  
   (b) The cabinet shall promote and implement information sharing,
collaboration, increased efficiency, and improved service delivery
among and within the state's child-serving agencies, departments, and
organizations.   The purpose of the cabinet is to make
recommendations to the Governor on ways to improve the delivery of
services to children and families by making those services more
responsive, efficient, and effective, and to support efforts to carry
out those activities.  
   (b) Members of the cabinet shall be appointed by, and serve at the
pleasure of, the Governor. The cabinet shall consist of all of the
following members:  
   (1) The Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Secretary of
California Health and Human Services, who shall be cochairs of the
cabinet.  
   (2) The head of each agency and department within the state that
provides services for, or has jurisdiction over the well-being of,
children.  
   (3) Additional members that may be appointed at the will of the
Governor, include the Lieutenant Governor, the First Spouse, the
Director of Finance, or any other ex officio member the Governor
deems necessary.  
   (c) Members of the cabinet shall receive no compensation for their
services, except that they may be reimbursed for actual travel and
related expenses in accordance with state policy.  
   (d) The work of the cabinet shall be guided by the Governor and
the cabinet cochairs.  
   (e) The cabinet shall be responsible for all of the following:
 
   (1) Commencing operation and meeting for its organizational
session by March 1, 2012. Thereafter, the cabinet shall meet at least
six times per year.  
   (2) Appointing working groups, as needed, to further the work of
the cabinet to address specific issues. Working groups shall consist
of at least one cabinet member and may include members of upper level
management within the agencies and departments within the state that
provide services for, or have jurisdiction over the well-being of,
children.  
   (3) Identifying at least one upper level management staff person
within each department or agency who shall function as a liaison
between the cabinet and the department or agency, and to be a point
of contact to address cross-jurisdictional issues in an efficient,
effective, and expeditious manner.  
   (4) Providing recommendations to the Governor on a regular basis,
including, but not limited to, a report to the Governor and the
Legislature by October 31 of each even-numbered year, notwithstanding
Section 10231.5. The report shall address priorities described in
subdivisions (f) and (g), and shall be distributed to the Governor,
all state agencies and departments, and the Legislature, including,
but not limited to, the Assembly Committee on Accountability and
Administrative Review and the Senate Committee on Governance and
Finance, notwithstanding Section 9795.  
   (f) It is the intent of the Legislature that the immediate goals
of the cabinet include all of the following:  
   (1) Developing a plan to maximize California's share of federal
funds for programs that support California's children, including, but
not limited to, recommendations on the most efficient and effective
use of those funds.  
   (2) Assessing the efficient and effective delivery of existing
programs and improving the alignment of state and local resources,
including, but not limited to, the elimination or consolidation of
duplicative services, where appropriate.  
   (g) It is the intent of the Legislature that, in addition to
activities set forth in subdivision (f), the ongoing goals of the
cabinet include all of the following:  
   (1) Developing and implementing a shared and cohesive vision using
integrated services to improve child, youth, and family outcomes in
this state.  
   (2) Developing a strategic plan to achieve the goals of the shared
and cohesive vision. The plan shall be centered upon a long-term
commitment to children and youth issues and shall align all public
resources to serve children and youth and their families in a manner
that supports the healthy growth and development of children. The
plan shall prepare the children and youth to be responsible citizens
and productive members of the workforce. The plan shall include a
continuum of services that will benefit children from prenatal care
through services for youth in transition to adulthood.  
   (3) Establishing and monitoring indicators and benchmarks of child
well-being, and utilizing these data for evaluation and planning.
This may include, but need not be limited to, developing and
implementing measurable outcomes for each state department, agency,
and program that are consistent with the strategic plan. This may
include establishment of a baseline measurement for each outcome and
regularly reporting on the progress made toward achieving the desired
outcome.  
   (4) Promoting and implementing data sharing, collaboration,
increased efficiency, and improved service delivery among and within
the state's agencies, departments, and organizations that serve
children.  
   (5) Coordinating with other state and local coordinating bodies to
support a seamless system of services for children.  
   (h) In the conduct of its work pursuant to subdivisions (e), (f),
and (g), the cabinet shall be informed by persons who can provide the
best knowledge, research, and expertise from individuals and
organizations, including, but not limited to, parents, children,
youth, educators, school nurses, public officials, faith-based
organizations, community-based organizations, philanthropic
organizations, local educational agencies, colleges, universities,
health care providers, nonprofit organizations, welfare directors,
mental health directors, probation officers, and other organizations
and individuals as needed to inform the work. The cabinet may further
coordinate with these persons as needed to better coordinate
services for children.