S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K ________________________________________________________________________ 4421 2015-2016 Regular Sessions I N S E N A T E March 19, 2015 ___________ Introduced by Sen. AVELLA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Social Services AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to the creation of the early learning investment commission THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM- BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: 1 Section 1. The social services law is amended by adding a new article 2 10-E to read as follows: 3 ARTICLE 10-E 4 EARLY LEARNING INVESTMENT COMMISSION 5 SECTION 484-A. CREATION AND PURPOSE. 6 484-B. COMPOSITION. 7 484-C. POWERS AND DUTIES. 8 484-D. TERM. 9 484-E. SHARING OF INFORMATION. 10 S 484-A. CREATION AND PURPOSE. THERE IS HEREBY ESTABLISHED AN EARLY 11 LEARNING INVESTMENT COMMISSION. THE PURPOSE OF THE EARLY LEARNING 12 INVESTMENT COMMISSION IS TO SECURE SUPPORT FOR PUBLIC AND PRIVATE 13 INVESTMENT IN EARLY LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UP TO THE AGE OF FIVE BY 14 FOCUSING ON PRACTICES THAT ARE EDUCATIONALLY, ECONOMICALLY, AND SCIEN- 15 TIFICALLY SOUND. 16 S 484-B. COMPOSITION. THE EARLY LEARNING INVESTMENT COMMISSION SHALL 17 CONSIST OF MEMBERS INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE DIRECTOR OF THE 18 BUDGET, THE COMMISSIONER OF THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES, 19 THE COMMISSIONER OF THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, THE COMMISSIONER OF 20 THE OFFICE OF TEMPORARY AND DISABILITY ASSISTANCE, THE PRESIDENT OF THE 21 EMPIRE STATE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, OR THEIR RESPECTIVE DESIGNEES; AT 22 LEAST FIVE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY APPOINTED BY THE 23 GOVERNOR, AND AT LEAST THREE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY 24 APPOINTED BY THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY AND THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD09214-02-5 S. 4421 2 1 THE SENATE, RESPECTIVELY. THE COMMISSION MAY ORGANIZE SUBCOMMITTEES TO 2 REVIEW SPECIFIC FUNDING AND POLICY PRIORITIES. 3 S 484-C. POWERS AND DUTIES. THE EARLY LEARNING INVESTMENT COMMISSION 4 WILL MEET AT LEAST TWICE A YEAR AND WILL HAVE THE FOLLOWING POWERS AND 5 DUTIES: 6 1. DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING STRATEGIES TO ENGAGE BUSINESS AND CIVIC 7 LEADERS AND ORGANIZATIONS IN EARLY LEARNING PLANNING AND ADVOCACY AT THE 8 STATE AND LOCAL LEVEL; 9 2. INCREASING BUSINESS, CIVIC AND PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE IMPORTANCE 10 OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION; INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE DISTRIB- 11 UTION OF LITERATURE THROUGH MAIL OR ONLINE, ORGANIZING OF MEETINGS AND 12 EVENTS AND PROMOTING THE COST BENEFITS OF INVESTMENTS IN LEARNING; 13 3. PLANNING, IMPLEMENTING AND HOSTING AN ANNUAL ECONOMIC SUMMIT ON 14 EARLY CHILDHOOD INVESTMENT. THE ANNUAL ECONOMIC SUMMIT SHALL INCLUDE 15 OUTREACH TO BUSINESS, CIVIC, EDUCATIONAL AND GOVERNMENTAL LEADERS; 16 4. PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTING AN ANNUAL MEETING FOR LEGISLATORS AND 17 LEGISLATIVE STAFF TO UNDERSTAND THE ECONOMIC, EDUCATIONAL AND SOCIAL 18 IMPACT OF INVESTING IN QUALITY EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION; 19 5. DEVELOPING AND RECOMMENDING UPDATES TO A MULTIYEAR PLAN FOR THE 20 EXPANSION OF EFFECTIVE EARLY CHILDHOOD SERVICES; AND 21 6. DEVELOPING AN ANNUAL REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR AND LEGISLATURE 22 CONTAINING INFORMATION ON ALL ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT THE PREVIOUS YEAR AS 23 WELL AS RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVEMENTS IN EARLY LEARNING PROGRAMS AND 24 POLICIES. 25 S 484-D. TERM. APPOINTED MEMBERS OF THE EARLY LEARNING INVESTMENT 26 COMMISSION SHALL SERVE FOR A TERM OF THREE YEARS AND CONTINUE TO SERVE 27 UNTIL THEIR SUCCESSOR IS APPOINTED. MEMBERS SERVING AS A RESULT OF THEIR 28 POSITION WITH STATE GOVERNMENT SHALL SERVE SO LONG AS THEY REMAIN IN 29 SUCH CAPACITY. ANY VACANCIES SHALL BE FILLED PURSUANT TO SECTION FOUR 30 HUNDRED EIGHTY-FOUR-B OF THIS ARTICLE. MEMBERS SHALL SERVE WITHOUT 31 COMPENSATION EXCEPT FOR PAYMENT OF NECESSARY AND ACTUAL EXPENSES 32 INCURRED IN ATTENDING MEETINGS AND IN PERFORMING THEIR DUTIES AND 33 RESPONSIBILITIES AS MEMBERS OF THE INVESTMENT COMMISSION. 34 S 484-E. SHARING OF INFORMATION. THE EARLY LEARNING INVESTMENT COMMIS- 35 SION MAY REQUEST, AND SHALL RECEIVE, INFORMATION FROM ANY STATE OR LOCAL 36 GOVERNMENTAL AGENCY NECESSARY TO COMPLETE ITS DUTIES PURSUANT TO THIS 37 ARTICLE, SO LONG AS SUCH INFORMATION IS NON-IDENTIFYING AND NOT OTHER- 38 WISE PROTECTED BY LAW. 39 S 2. This act shall take effect immediately; provided that the first 40 annual report required pursuant to section 484-c of the social services 41 law, as added by section one of this act, shall be due September 1, 2016 42 and every September 1 thereafter.