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 SENATE  JULY 12, 2011
	AMENDED IN SENATE  JUNE 27, 2011
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MAY 27, 2011
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 28, 2011
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 12, 2011

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Dickinson

                        FEBRUARY 17, 2011

   An act to add and repeal Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 96050)
of 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, to the extent that sufficient federal or private
funds are deposited with the state and appropriated by the
Legislature, establish the Children's Cabinet of California to serve,
until January 1, 2019, as an advisory body responsible for improving
the collaboration  and processes of the multiple 
 among  agencies that provide services to the children and
youth of the state. This bill would provide that the cabinet shall be
comprised of, among others, the Superintendent of Public
Instruction, the Secretary of California Health and Human Services,
the Chief Justice of California, or his or designee, and the heads of
various specified state agencies. The bill would require the cabinet
to provide recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature
 on a regular basis, including a biennial report addressing
specified priorities   every odd-numbered year  .
   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.  The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following: 
   (a) All state agencies and programs that touch the lives of
children and youth and their families 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
and their families.  
   (2) Develop a cohesive vision and plan that ensures a long-term
commitment to issues regarding children and youth and their families.
 
   (3) Align public resources serving children and youth and their
families 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.  
   (a) The foundation of human development is formed during a child's
earlier years, and early childhood development requires a
comprehensive, coordinated approach to a child's care and learning.
 
   (b) The education and development of children occur not only in
schools but also in families, neighborhoods, communities, and our
broader society.  
   (c) The needs of children are increasingly complex and the
networks of services available to them are managed by multiple
agencies and departments, often with differing goals and objectives.
 
   (d) Government programs must collaboratively develop and implement
effective, efficient, and coordinated service delivery to ensure
that all of California's children have an equal opportunity to reach
their full potential.  
   (e) The State of California must comprehensively address the needs
of each of its children and youth and provide the understanding,
encouragement, support, services, and knowledge necessary for each of
them to master the skills and competencies that work, life, and
active citizenship require.  
   (f) It is critical to California's children that issues affecting
their well-being be considered at the highest level of state
government. 
  SEC. 2.  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.  (a) The Children's Cabinet of California is hereby
established within state government, which shall serve as an advisory
body responsible for improving the collaboration  and
processes of the multiple   among agencies that
provide services to the children and youth of the state.
   (b) The cabinet shall  advise and  make recommendations
to the Governor and the Legislature on ways to improve the delivery
of services to children and youth and their families  by
making those services more responsive, efficient, and effective, and
to support efforts to carry out those activities.   .

   (c) The cabinet shall be comprised of the following members:
   (1) The Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Secretary of
California Health and Human Services, who shall serve as cochairs.
   (2) The Chief Justice of California, or his or her designee.
   (3) The Secretary of the Department of Corrections and
Rehabilitation, or his or her designee.
   (4) The Director of Social Services.
   (5) The Director of Health Care Services.
   (6) The State Public Health Officer.
   (7) The Director of Mental Health.
   (8) The Director of Alcohol and Drug Programs.
   (9) The Director of Developmental Services.
   (10) The Director of Child Support Services.
   (11) Two Members of the Assembly, as appointed by the Speaker of
the Assembly.
   (12) Two members of the Senate, as appointed by the Senate
Committee on Rules.
   (13) Additional members that may be appointed at the will of
 the Governor, including the First Spouse, the Director of
Finance, or any other ex officio member the Governor deems necessary.
  the Governor. 
   (d) Staffing of the cabinet shall be a shared responsibility among
the cochairs of the cabinetto the extent federal or private funds
are made available for this purpose. 
   (e) The cabinet cochairs shall be responsible for all of the
following:  
   (1) Commencing operation and meeting for the cabinet's
organizational session. Thereafter, the cabinet shall meet no less
frequently than each quarter of the fiscal year and on the call of
the cochairs. 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.
 
   (2) Appointing committees, as needed, to further the work of the
cabinet to address specific issues. Committees 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. Members of the committees shall receive no compensation
from the state for their services, except that they may be reimbursed
for actual travel and related expenses in accordance with state
policy. The committees may assemble information and make
recommendations to the cabinet, but shall not exercise any powers
vested in the cabinet.  
   (3) Identifying at least one upper level management staff person
within each department or agency serving on the cabinet who shall
function as a liaison between the cabinet and the department or
agency, and be a point of contact to address cross-jurisdictional
issues in an efficient, effective, and expeditious manner. 

   (4) Providing recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature
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 priorities of the
cabinet for 2012 include the following:  
   (1) Developing a plan to maximize California's share of federal
funds for programs that support California's children and youth,
including, but not limited to, recommendations on the most efficient
and effective use of those funds.  
   (2) Assessing the quality, appropriateness, efficiency, and
effectiveness of existing programs and services for children and
youth, and, to the greatest extent possible, improving the alignment
of federal, state, and local resources, including, but not limited
to, the elimination or consolidation of duplicative services for
children and youth and their families who would benefit from
integrated 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 and youth.  
   (5) Coordinating with other state and local coordinating bodies to
support a seamless system of services for children and youth.
 
   (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.  
   (e) (1) Upon call of the cochairs, the cabinet shall hold public
meetings at least quarterly. 
   (2) The cabinet may establish committees to further its work.
Committees shall consist of at least one cabinet member and others as
the cabinet requires.  
   (3) Members of the committees shall receive no compensation from
the state for their services, except that they may be reimbursed for
actual travel and related expenses in accordance with state policy.
 
   (4) The cabinet shall submit a report to the Governor and the
Legislature on or before October 31, of each odd-numbered year,
notwithstanding Section 10231.5. The report shall include, but shall
not be limited to, recommendations on ways to improve coordination of
services to children, youth, and their families, including, but not
limited to, all of the following:  
   (A) Developing and implementing a shared vision and a strategic
plan on how best to establish cross-agency coordination.  
   (B) Establishing baseline goals and benchmarks for assessing the
extent to which state agencies successfully strengthen their
cooperation and collaboration in providing services to children,
youth, and their families.  
   (C) Identifying and implementing evidence-based practices for the
effective and efficient delivery of services.  
   (i) 
    (f)  The Bureau of State Audits may conduct a
performance audit of the cabinet established pursuant to this chapter
and report its finding to the board and the Legislature on or before
January 1, 2018.
   96051.  (a) The Children's Cabinet of California shall be
established pursuant to this chapter only after a determination has
been made by the Department of Finance that federal or private funds
in an amount sufficient to fully support the activities of the
cabinet, including staffing of the cabinet and development and
distribution of the biennial report, have been deposited with the
state.
   (b) Upon a determination by the Department of Finance that there
are sufficient federal or private funds to fully support the
activities of the cabinet as described in subdivision (a), the funds
shall be made available to the cabinet for the purposes described in
this chapter upon appropriation by the Legislature. 
   (c) Upon making a determination that sufficient funds have been
deposited pursuant to this section, the Department of Finance shall
file a written notice to that effect with the Chief Clerk of the
Assembly and the Secretary of the Senate. 
   96052.  This chapter shall remain in effect only until January 1,
2019, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted
statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2019, deletes or extends
that date.