S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
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                                  9372

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                            February 29, 2016
                               ___________

Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  RICHARDSON  -- read once and referred to the
  Committee on Children and Families

AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to establishing  a  divi-
  sion  of  early  childhood  within  the  office of children and family
  services

  THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. Section 500 of the executive law is amended by adding a new
subdivision 4 to read as follows:
  4.  (A)  THERE IS HEREBY ESTABLISHED WITHIN THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND
FAMILY SERVICES A DIVISION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD.  THE  DIVISION  SHALL  BE
UNDER  THE  DIRECTION  OF THE COMMISSIONER OF THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND
FAMILY SERVICES. THE DIVISION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD SHALL BE HEADED BY  THE
DIRECTOR  OF  EARLY  CHILDHOOD  WHO  SHALL  BE  APPOINTED BY A COMMITTEE
COMPOSED OF THE GOVERNOR OR HIS OR HER  DESIGNEE,  THE  SPEAKER  OF  THE
ASSEMBLY,  THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE, THE MINORITY LEADER OF
THE ASSEMBLY AND THE MINORITY LEADER OF THE SENATE.
  (B) THE PRIMARY DUTIES OF THE DIVISION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD ARE TO COOR-
DINATE, CONSOLIDATE AND INTEGRATE EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS, IN ORDER  TO
ADMINISTER  PROGRAMS  AND  FUNDING AS EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE. THE DIVI-
SION'S DUTIES SHALL INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, THE FOLLOWING:
  (I) TO DEVELOP, COORDINATE AND SUPPORT PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS
TO AID EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS ACROSS THE STATE;
  (II) TO WORK COOPERATIVELY AND IN COORDINATION WITH THE  EARLY  CHILD-
HOOD ADVISORY COUNCIL;
  (III)  TO  COLLABORATE  WITH THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT TO ENSURE PROPER
AND APPROPRIATE CONNECTIONS AND SMOOTH TRANSITIONS BETWEEN EARLY  CHILD-
HOOD PROGRAMS AND KINDERGARTEN THROUGH GRADE TWELVE PROGRAMS;
  (IV)  TO  COORDINATE  THE  DELIVERY OF SERVICES FOR YOUNG CHILDREN AND
THEIR FAMILIES TO ENSURE THE STATE IS UTILIZING  ALL  AVAILABLE  FUNDING
STREAMS IN A UNIFIED FASHION; AND
  (V)  TO  PERFORM ANY OTHER ACTIVITIES THAT WILL ASSIST IN THE DIVISION
OF EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS AND SERVICES.

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD13794-03-6
              

A. 9372                             2

  (C) THE DIRECTOR OF EARLY CHILDHOOD SHALL BE  RESPONSIBLE  FOR  IMPLE-
MENTING  THE POLICIES AND DIRECTIVES OF THE DIVISION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD.
THE DIRECTOR MAY SEEK AND SHALL BE ENTITLED TO RECEIVE FROM OTHER  STATE
AGENCIES  SUCH  ASSISTANCE AS MAY BE REQUIRED TO PERFORM SUCH DIRECTOR'S
DUTIES PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDIVISION. THE DIRECTOR MAY APPOINT SUCH OFFI-
CERS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS AND CONSULTANTS AS HE OR SHE MAY DEEM NECESSARY.
TO  THE  EXTENT  PRACTICABLE,  THE  DIRECTOR SHALL APPOINT THE OFFICERS,
EMPLOYEES, AGENTS AND CONSULTANTS FOR THE DIVISION OF  EARLY  CHILDHOOD,
FROM AMONG THE EXISTING OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES OF THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN
AND FAMILY SERVICES.
  (D)  ON  OR BEFORE JANUARY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND SEVENTEEN, THE DIVISION
OF EARLY CHILDHOOD SHALL BEGIN A STATEWIDE ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION  OF
THE  CURRENT  FUNDING  STREAMS  FOR THE STATE. THE DIVISION SHALL, ON OR
BEFORE OCTOBER FIRST, TWO THOUSAND SEVENTEEN, PROVIDE  TO  THE  GOVERNOR
AND  THE LEGISLATURE PROGRAMMATIC AND LEGISLATIVE RECOMMENDATIONS, BASED
ON ITS STATEWIDE ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION.
  (E) THE DIVISION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD SHALL SUBMIT TO THE  GOVERNOR  AND
LEGISLATURE,  WITHIN ONE YEAR OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SUBDIVISION,
A REPORT AS THE VARIOUS EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS THAT ARE  AVAILABLE  IN
THE  STATE.  THE REPORT SHALL INCLUDE RECOMMENDATIONS AND AN ACTION PLAN
TO FURTHER CONSOLIDATE AND COORDINATE EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS AND FUND-
ING SOURCES THAT SUPPORT THESE PROGRAMS.
  S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.