2021 -- S 0983

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2021

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J O I N T   R E S O L U T I O N

AMENDING THE JOINT RESOLUTION CREATING A PERMANENT LEGISLATIVE

COMMISSION ON CHILD CARE IN RHODE ISLAND

     Introduced By: Senators DiMario, and Cano

     Date Introduced: June 25, 2021

     Referred To: Senate Education

     WHEREAS, The Permanent Legislative Commission on Child Care (the “Commission”)

was established by a Joint Resolution in 1989 and has been meeting faithfully since that time to

develop and recommend policies and legislation that will provide for quality, affordable, and

accessible child care and early education services in Rhode Island; and

     WHEREAS, Seventy-four percent of Rhode Island children under age six and seventy-

seven percent of Rhode Island children ages six to seventeen have all parents in the workforce;

and

     WHEREAS, Since the Commission was established, research has shown that

participating in high-quality early childhood programs supports children’s learning and

development, can improve the trajectory of families’ lives, and can close achievement gaps that

appear prior to kindergarten; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That the permanent legislative commission on child care in Rhode Island

created by resolution No. 217 passed by the General Assembly at its January session, A.D. 1989,

and approved July 7, 1989, entitled "Joint Resolution Creating A Permanent Legislative

Commission On Child Care In Rhode Island" and as amended by resolution No. 219 passed by

the General Assembly at its January session, A.D. 1991, and approved June 20, 1991, entitled

"Joint Resolution In Amendment of The Joint Resolution Creating A Permanent Legislative

Commission On Child Care In Rhode Island" and as further amended by resolution No. 325

passed by the General Assembly at its January session, A.D. 1998, and approved by the General

Assembly on June 27, 1998, entitled "Joint Resolution Amending the Joint Resolution Creating a

Permanent Legislative Commission on Child Care in Rhode Island" and as further amended by

resolution No. 346 passed by the General Assembly at its January session, A.D. 2007, and

approved by the General Assembly on June 13, 2007, entitled "Joint Resolution Amending the

Joint Resolution Creating a Permanent Legislative Commission on Child Care In Rhode Island"

and as further amended by resolution No. 372 passed by the General Assembly at its January

session, A.D. 2010, and approved by the General Assembly on June 25, 2010, entitled "Joint

Resolution Amending the Joint Resolution Creating a Permanent Legislative Commission on

Child Care in Rhode Island" be and the same is hereby amended, as follows:

     The purpose of the Commission shall be to review, develop, and recommend policies and

legislation to the General Assembly to ensure that Rhode Island has a network of child care and

early education services that are high-quality, affordable, accessible, and equitable and to plan for

the state’s current and future needs for child care and early education services, including

expansion of pre-kindergarten.

     The Commission shall consist of twenty-nine (29) members: five (5) of whom shall be

members of the Rhode Island House of Representatives, not more than four (4) from the same

political party, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House; three (3) of whom shall be members

of the Rhode Island Senate, not more than two (2) from the same political party, to be appointed

by the President of the Senate; one of whom shall be from the Rhode Island Department of

Human Services State Child Care Licensing Office, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House;

one of whom shall be from the Rhode Island Department of Human Services State Child Care

Subsidy Program, to be appointed by the Senate President; one of whom shall be the Child

Advocate of the State of Rhode Island, or designee; one of whom shall be the Commissioner of

the Rhode Island Department of Education, or designee; one of whom shall be the Executive

Director of Beautiful Beginnings, or designee; one of whom shall be the Executive Director of

Connecting for Children and Families, or designee; one of whom shall be a representative from

Business Owners of Childcare Association (BOCA), to be appointed by the Speaker of the

House; one of whom shall be a representative from the State Alliance of YMCAs, to be appointed

by the Senate President; one of whom shall be a representative from the Rhode Island Childcare

Directors Association (RICCDA), to be appointed by the Speaker of the House; one of whom

shall be a representative from the RI Head Start Association, to be appointed by the Senate

President; one of whom shall be a representative from Family Child Care Homes of Rhode Island,

to be appointed by the Speaker of the House; one of whom shall be a representative from the

SEIU 1199 Family Care Providers Union, to be appointed by the Senate President; one of whom

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shall be a representative from the Rhode Island Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs, to be appointed

by the Speaker of the House; one of whom shall be the Executive Director of Children’s Friend,

or designee; one of whom shall be the Executive Director of the Rhode Island Parent Information

Network, Inc., or designee; one of whom shall be the Executive Director of Rhode Island KIDS

COUNT, or designee; one of whom shall be the Executive Director at The Economic Progress

Institute, or designee; one of whom shall be the Executive Director of the Rhode Island

Association for the Education of Young Children, or designee; one of whom shall be the Director

of the Institute of Early Childhood Teaching and Learning at Rhode Island College, or designee;

one of whom shall be the Executive Director of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC

Rhode Island), or designee; and one of whom shall be the President and Chief Executive Officer

of the United Way of Rhode Island, or designee.

     The Commission may be allotted an annual budget up to five thousand dollars ($5,000)

via grant funding that will be subject to approval by the Speaker of The House and the President

of the Senate to support planning activities and costs associated with a biennial planning retreat

and annual Child Care and Early Education Awareness Day.

     Membership in the Commission shall be reviewed and updated every two (2) years.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

J O I N T   R E S O L U T I O N

AMENDING THE JOINT RESOLUTION CREATING A PERMANENT LEGISLATIVE

COMMISSION ON CHILD CARE IN RHODE ISLAND

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     This resolution would amend the membership and purpose of said commission, allow for

funding with approval, and require review of said membership every two (2) years.

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