HB 6559 — AN ACT IMPLEMENTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE OFFICE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD.

6559 regional school readiness council, may enter into a contract with a municipality, local or regional board of education, regional educational service center, family resource center, provider of a child care center, group child care home or family child care home, as described in section 19a-77, Head Start program, preschool program or other program that meets such standards established by the commissioner, to provide, within available appropriations, state financial assistance.

In awarding grants pursuant to this subsection, the commissioner shall give preference to applications submitted by regional school readiness councils and may, within available appropriations, provide a grant to such town or regional school readiness council that increases the number of spaces for eligible children who reside in an area or town described in subparagraphs (A) sHB6559to /(D), Fileinclusive, No.of this subdivision, in an accredited school readiness program or a school readiness program seeking accreditation.

784[A sHB6559town Fileor No.regional school readiness council awarded a grant pursuant to this subsection shall use the funds to purchase spaces for such children from providers of accredited school readiness programs or school readiness programs seeking accreditation.] (2) (A) Except as provided in subparagraph (C) of this subdivision, commencing withthefiscalyear ending June 30,2005,ifatownreceived a grant pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection and is no longer eligible to receive such a grant, the town may receive a phase-out grant for each of the three fiscal years following the fiscal year such town received its final grant pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection.

784 to (D), inclusive, of this subdivision, in an accredited school readiness program or a school readiness program seeking accreditation.

[A town or regional school readiness council awarded a grant pursuant to this subsection shall use the funds to purchase spaces for such children from providers of accredited school readiness programs or school readiness programs seeking accreditation.] (2) (A) Except as provided in subparagraph (C) of this subdivision, commencing withthefiscalyear ending June 30,2005,ifatown received a grant pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection and is no longer eligible to receive such a grant, the town may receive a phase-out grant for each of the three fiscal years following the fiscal year such town received its final grant pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection.

(i) For the first fiscal year following the fiscal year such town received its final grant pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection, in anPublic amountAct thatNo. does not exceed seventy-five per cent of the grant amount such town received for the town or school's final year of eligibility pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection;

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6559 an amount that does not exceed seventy-five per cent of the grant amount such town received for the town or school's final year of eligibility pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection;

sHB6559[(e) /(1) FileFor No.the fiscal year ending June 30, 2009, and each fiscal year thereafter, priority school districts and former priority school districts shall receive grants based on the sum of the products obtained by (A) multiplying the district's number of contracted slots on March thirtieth of the fiscal year prior to the fiscal year in which the grant is to be paid, by the per child cost pursuant to subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of section 10-16q, except that such per child cost shall be reduced for slots that are less than year-round, and (B) multiplying the number of additional or decreased slots the districts have requested for the fiscal year in which the grant is to be paid by the per child cost pursuant to subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of section 10-16q, except such per child cost shall be reduced for slots that are less than year-round.

784If sHB6559said Filesum exceeds the available appropriation, such number of requested Public Act No.

78421-172 [(e)12 (1) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2009, and each fiscal year thereafter, priority school districts and former priority school districts shall receive grants based on the sum of the37 productsSubstitute obtainedHouse byBill (A)No. multiplying the district's number of contracted slots on March thirtieth of the fiscal year prior to the fiscal year in which the grant is to be paid, by the per child cost pursuant to subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of section 10-16q, except that such per child cost shall be reduced for slots that are less than year-round, and (B) multiplying the number of additional or decreased slots the districts have requested for the fiscal year in which the grant is to be paid by the per child cost pursuant to subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of section 10-16q, except such per child cost shall be reduced for slots that are less than year-round.

If6559 said sum exceeds the available appropriation, such number of requested additional slots shall be reduced, as determined by the commissioner, to stay within the available appropriation.] [(2) (A)] (e) (1) If funds appropriated for the purposes of subsection (c) of this section are not expended, the commissioner may deposit such unexpended funds in the account established under section 10-16aa and use suchunexpended fundsinaccordance withtheprovisionsofsection 10-16aa.

The commissioner shall use any such funds to provide assistance to individual staff sHB6559members, /giving Filepriority to those staff members [(i)] (A) attending an institution of higher education accredited by the Board of Regents for Higher Education or the Office of Higher Education, and approved by the Office of Early Childhood, and regionally accredited, at a maximum of ten thousand dollars per staff member per year for the cost of higher education courses leading to a bachelor's degree or, not later than December 31, 2015, an associate degree, as such degrees are described in said subparagraphs (B) and (C), or [(ii)] (B) receiving noncredit competency-basedtrainingapprovedbytheoffice,atamaximumofone thousand dollars per staff member per year, provided such staff Public Act No.

78421-172 sHB655913 Fileof 37 Substitute House Bill No.

7846559 members, giving priority to those staff members [(i)] (A) attending an institution of higher education accredited by the Board of Regents for Higher Education or the Office of Higher Education, and approved by the Office of Early Childhood, and regionally accredited, at a maximum of ten thousand dollars per staff member per year for the cost of higher education courses leading to a bachelor's degree or, not later than December 31, 2015, an associate degree, as such degrees are described in said subparagraphs (B) and (C), or [(ii)] (B) receiving noncredit competency-basedtrainingapprovedbytheoffice,atamaximumofone thousand dollars per staff member per year, provided such staff members have applied for all available federal and state scholarships and grants, and such assistance does not exceed such staff members' financial need.

The commissioner may use such funds for purposes including, but not limited to, [(i)] (A) assisting local school readiness programs in meeting and maintaining accreditationrequirements,[(ii)](B)providingtraininginimplementing the preschool assessment and curriculum frameworks, including training to enhance literacy teaching skills, [(iii)] (C) developing a state- wide preschool curriculum, [(iv)] (D) developing student assessments for students in grades kindergarten to two, inclusive, [(v)] (E) developing and implementing best practices for parents in supporting preschool and kindergarten student learning, [(vi)] (F) developing and implementing strategies for children to successfully transition to preschool and from preschool to kindergarten, including through parental engagement and whole-family supports that may be utilized sHB6559through /the Filetwo-generational initiative, established pursuant to section 17b-112l, or through other available resources, [(vii)] (G) providing for professional development, including assisting in career ladder advancement, for school readiness staff, [(viii)] (H) providing supplemental grants to other towns that are eligible for grants pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, and [(ix)] (I) developing a plan to provide spaces in an accredited school readiness program or a school readiness program seeking accreditation to all eligible children who Public Act No.

78421-172 sHB655914 Fileof 37 Substitute House Bill No.

7846559 through the two-generational initiative, established pursuant to section 17b-112l, or through other available resources, [(vii)] (G) providing for professional development, including assisting in career ladder advancement, for school readiness staff, [(viii)] (H) providing supplemental grants to other towns that are eligible for grants pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, and [(ix)] (I) developing a plan to provide spaces in an accredited school readiness program or a school readiness program seeking accreditation to all eligible children who reside in an area or town described in subparagraphs (A) to (D), inclusive, of subdivision (1) of subsection (d) of this section.

Such amount shall be at least five per cent of the total grant allocation, but not more than seventy-five thousand dollars and shall be determined by the commissioner based on the school readiness grant award allocated to the town pursuant to subsection (c) or (d) of this section or section 10-16u and the number of operating sites for coordination, program evaluation and sHB6559administration. / File No.

784 sHB6559 File No.

784 administration.

Each town that receives a grant pursuant to subsection (c) or (d) of this section or section 10-16u shall designate a person to be responsible for such coordination, program evaluation and administrationPublic andAct toNo. act as a liaison between the town and the commissioner.

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6559 administration and to act as a liaison between the town and the commissioner.

(2) Up to two per cent of the amount of the appropriation for this sHB6559section /may Filebe No.used by the commissioner in a manner consistent with the provisions of section 10-509, as amended by this act.

784(l) sHB6559For Filethe fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, and each fiscal year Public Act No.

78421-172 section16 may be used by the commissioner in a manner consistent with the provisions of section37 10-509,Substitute asHouse amendedBill byNo. this act.

(l)6559 For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, and each fiscal year thereafter, any school readiness program that (1) is licensed by the Office of Early Childhood pursuant to chapter 368a, (2) provides full- day and year-round child care and education programs for children, and (3) receives funds pursuant to this section or section 10-16u, shall use any amount of the per child cost as described in subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of section 10-16q that is over the amount of eight thousand nine hundred twenty-seven dollars, exclusively to increase the salaries of those individuals with direct responsibility for teaching or caring for children in a classroom at such school readiness program.

(6) the local homeless education liaison designated by the local or regional board of education for the school district, pursuant to sHB6559Subtitle /B Fileof Title VII of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, Public Act No.

78421-172 sHB655917 Fileof 37 Substitute House Bill No.

7846559 Subtitle B of Title VII of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, 42 USC 11431 et seq., as amended from time to time;

[and] (8) encouragePublic publicAct participation;No.

and21-172 (9)18 collaborate with the Office of sHB655937 /Substitute FileHouse Bill No.

7846559 sHB6559encourage Filepublic No.participation;

784and (9) collaborate with the Office of Early Childhood related to planning improvements to the state early care and education governance structure.

(b) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2019, and each fiscal year thereafter, the Commissioner of Early Childhood may expend in any year an amount not to exceed two per cent of the total amount appropriated to the office for early care and education and child development programs for the purpose of carrying out its responsibilities pursuant to section 10-500, as amended by this act, including,Public butAct not limited to, piloting innovative and results-driven service delivery, program evaluation and improvement, funding and procurement models that are performance-driven and results- sHB6559 / File No.

78421-172 sHB655919 Fileof 37 Substitute House Bill No.

7846559 including, but not limited to, piloting innovative and results-driven service delivery, program evaluation and improvement, funding and procurement models that are performance-driven and results- accountable, interagency coordination and collaboration and evaluative tools and infrastructure, provided if the total amount of such two per cent exceeds one million dollars, all funds in excess of one million dollars shall be used for service delivery.

Such facilities may include, but need not be limited to, child care centers, elderly centers, multipurpose human resourcePublic centers,Act emergencyNo. shelters for the homeless and shelters for victims of domestic violence.

The21-172 financial20 assistance shall be in the form of state37 grants-in-aidSubstitute equalHouse toBill (1) all or any portion of the cost of such capital development project if the grantee is a qualified private nonprofit corporation, or (2) up to two-thirds of the cost of such capital sHB6559 / File No.

7846559 sHB6559resource Filecenters, No.emergency shelters for the homeless and shelters for victims of domestic violence.

784The financial assistance shall be in the form of state grants-in-aid equal to (1) all or any portion of the cost of such capital development project if the grantee is a qualified private nonprofit corporation, or (2) up to two-thirds of the cost of such capital development project if the grantee is a municipality, as determined by the Commissioner of Social Services or the Commissioner of Early Childhood, as appropriate.

Such contract shall provide for state financial assistance, within available appropriations, in the form of a state grant- in-aid (1) for a portion of the cost of such program, as determined by the Commissioner of Early Childhood, if not federally assisted, (2) equal to one-half of the amount by which the net cost of such program, as approved by the Commissioner of Early Childhood, exceeds the federal grant-in-aid thereof, or (3) in an amount not less than the per child cost asPublic describedAct inNo. subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of section 10-16q, for each child in such program that is three or four years of age and each child that is five years of age who is not eligible to enroll in school, pursuant to section 10-15c, while maintaining services to children under three years of age under this section.

For21-172 the21 fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, and each fiscal year thereafter, the amount per child pursuant to subdivision (3) of this37 subsectionSubstitute thatHouse isBill over the amount of the per child sHB6559 / File No.

7846559 sHB6559as Filedescribed No.in subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of section 10-16q, for each child in such program that is three or four years of age and each child that is five years of age who is not eligible to enroll in school, pursuant to section 10-15c, while maintaining services to children under three years of age under this section.

784For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, and each fiscal year thereafter, the amount per child pursuant to subdivision (3) of this subsection that is over the amount of the per child cost that was prescribed pursuant to the contract for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2019, shall be used exclusively to increase the salaries of early childhood educators employed at the child care center.

The Office of Early Childhood shall use the plan to monitor the progress of such child care center, group child carePublic homeAct orNo. family child care home.

(d)21-172 The22 state, acting by and in the discretion of the37 CommissionerSubstitute ofHouse EarlyBill Childhood, may enter into a contract with a municipality, a group child care home or family child care home, a human resource development agency or a nonprofit corporation for state financial assistance for a project of renovation of any child care center, group child care home or family child care home receiving assistance under this section, to make such center accessible to persons with physical disabilities, in the form of a state grant-in-aid equal to (1) the total net sHB6559 / File No.

7846559 sHB6559care Filehome No.or family child care home.

784(d) The state, acting by and in the discretion of the Commissioner of Early Childhood, may enter into a contract with a municipality, a group child care home or family child care home, a human resource development agency or a nonprofit corporation for state financial assistance for a project of renovation of any child care center, group child care home or family child care home receiving assistance under this section, to make such center accessible to persons with physical disabilities, in the form of a state grant-in-aid equal to (1) the total net cost of the project, as approved by the Commissioner of Early Childhood, or (2) the total amount by which the net cost of the project, as approved by the Commissioner of Early Childhood, exceeds the federal grant-in-aid thereof.

Not later than forty-five days after the Commissioner of EarlyPublic ChildhoodAct receivesNo. the application, the Commissioner of Early Childhood shall advise the municipality, human resource development agency or nonprofit corporation of the Commissioner of Early Childhood's approval, denial or approval with modifications of the application.

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6559 Early Childhood receives the application, the Commissioner of Early Childhood shall advise the municipality, human resource development agency or nonprofit corporation of the Commissioner of Early Childhood's approval, denial or approval with modifications of the application.

(f) The Commissioner of Early Childhood may (1) with the approval of the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, authorize the expenditure ofsuch fundsfor thepurposesof thissectionasshallenable the Commissioner of Early Childhood to apply for, qualify for and provide the state's share of federally assisted child care services, and (2) sHB6559expend /an Fileamount No.not to exceed two per cent of the amount appropriated for purposes of this section in a manner consistent with the provisions of section 10-509, as amended by this act.

784 sHB6559 File No.

784 expend an amount not to exceed two per cent of the amount appropriated for purposes of this section in a manner consistent with the provisions of section 10-509, as amended by this act.

(4) Implementing a communications strategy for outreach to families, servicePublic providersAct andNo. policymakers;

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6559 service providers and policymakers;

(8) Creating a unified set of reporting requirements for the purpose ofcollecting thedata elementsnecessary to performquality assessments sHB6559and /longitudinal Fileanalysis; No.

784 sHB6559 File No.

784 and longitudinal analysis;

(12) Providing information and technical assistance to persons seekingPublic earlyAct careNo. and education and child development programs and services;

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6559 seeking early care and education and child development programs and services;

sHB6559(17) /Consulting Filewith No.the Early Childhood Cabinet, established pursuant to section 10-16z, and the Head Start advisory committee, established pursuant to section 10-16n;

784 sHB6559 File No.

784 (17) Consulting with the Early Childhood Cabinet, established pursuant to section 10-16z, and the Head Start advisory committee, established pursuant to section 10-16n;

(22)Public EnsuringAct nonduplicationNo. of monitoring and evaluation;

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6559 (22) Ensuring nonduplication of monitoring and evaluation;

sHB6559(c) /The Filecommissioner No.[, within available appropriations,] shall require each prospective employee of a child care center or group child care home [in] for a position [requiring] that requires the provision of care to a child or involves unsupervised access to any child in such child care center or group child care home, to submit to comprehensive background checks, including state and national criminal history records checks.

784 sHB6559 File No.

784 (c) The commissioner [, within available appropriations,] shall require each prospective employee of a child care center or group child care home [in] for a position [requiring] that requires the provision of care to a child or involves unsupervised access to any child in such child care center or group child care home, to submit to comprehensive background checks, including state and national criminal history records checks.

No such prospective employee shall [have unsupervised access to children in the child care center or group child carePublic homeAct untilNo. such comprehensive background check is completed and the Commissioner of Early Childhood permits such prospective employee to work in such child care center or group child care home] begin working in such child care center or group child care home until theprovisionsof45CFR98.43(d)(4),asamendedfromtimetotime,have been satisfied.

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6559 care home until such comprehensive background check is completed and the Commissioner of Early Childhood permits such prospective employee to work in such child care center or group child care home] begin working in such child care center or group child care home until theprovisionsof45CFR98.43(d)(4),asamendedfromtimetotime,have been satisfied.

The sHB6559commissioner /shall Filenotify No.each licensee of the provisions of this subsection.For purposesofthis subsection,"household member" means any person, other than the person who is licensed to conduct, operate or maintain a family child care home, who resides in the family child care home, such as the licensee's spouse or children, tenants and any other occupant.

784 sHB6559 File No.

784 commissioner shall notify each licensee of the provisions of this subsection.For purposesofthis subsection,"household member" means any person, other than the person who is licensed to conduct, operate or maintain a family child care home, who resides in the family child care home, such as the licensee's spouse or children, tenants and any other occupant.

(a) The Commissioner of Early Childhood shall, within available appropriations, require any person, other than a relative, who provides child care services to a child and who receives a child care subsidy from thePublic OfficeAct ofNo. Early Childhood, to submit to comprehensive background checks, including stateandnationalcriminalhistoryrecordschecks.The criminal history records checks required pursuant to this subsection shall be conducted in accordance with section 29-17a.

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6559 the Office of Early Childhood, to submit to comprehensive background checks, including stateandnationalcriminalhistoryrecordschecks.The criminal history records checks required pursuant to this subsection shall be conducted in accordance with section 29-17a.

If such check reveals that the name of any such relative appearsinsuchdatabases, onsaid registry or insaidsystem,theinsaidsystem, the commissioner may require such relative to submit to state and national criminal history records checks conducted in accordance with section 29-17a.

sHB6559(c) /The Filecommissioner shall have the discretion to refuse payments for child care under any financial assistance program administered by him or her if the person or relative providing such child care has been convicted in this state or any other state of a felony, as defined in section 53a-25, involving the use, attempted use or threatened use of physical force against another person, of cruelty to persons under section 53-20, injury or risk of injury to or impairing morals of children under section 53-21, abandonment of children under the age of six years under section 53-23 or any felony where the victim of the felony is a child under eighteen years of age, or of a violation of section 53a-70b of the general Public Act No.

78421-172 sHB655929 Fileof 37 Substitute House Bill No.

7846559 (c) The commissioner shall have the discretion to refuse payments for child care under any financial assistance program administered by him or her if the person or relative providing such child care has been convicted in this state or any other state of a felony, as defined in section 53a-25, involving the use, attempted use or threatened use of physical force against another person, of cruelty to persons under section 53-20, injury or risk of injury to or impairing morals of children under section 53-21, abandonment of children under the age of six years under section 53-23 or any felony where the victim of the felony is a child under eighteen years of age, or of a violation of section 53a-70b of the general statutes, revision of 1958, revised to January 1, 2019, or section 53a-70, 53a-70a, 53a-71, 53a-72a, 53a-72b or 53a-73a, or has a criminal record or was the subject of a substantiated report of child abuse in this state or any other state that the commissioner reasonably believes renders the person or relative unsuitable to provide child care.

and sHB6559(3) /"Family Filechild No.care provider" means any person who provides child care services under the child care subsidy program established pursuant to section 17b-749 (A) in a family child care home, as defined in section 19a-77, or (B) in a home not requiring a license pursuant to subdivision (4) of subsection (b) of section 19a-77.

784(b) sHB6559The Filecomprehensive background checks required pursuant to subsection (c) of section 19a-80, as amended by this act, subsection (c) of Public Act No.

78421-172 (3)30 "Family child care provider" means any person who provides child care services under the child care subsidy program established pursuant to section 17b-749 (A) in a family child care home, as defined in section 19a-77, or (B) in a home not requiring a license pursuant to subdivision (4) of subsection37 (b)Substitute ofHouse sectionBill 19a-77.No.

(b)6559 The comprehensive background checks required pursuant to subsection (c) of section 19a-80, as amended by this act, subsection (c) of section 19a-87b, as amended by this act, and subsection (a) of section 17b-749k, as amended by this act, shall be conducted at least once every five years for each child care services provider or staff member in accordance with the provisions of 45 CFR 98.43, as amended from time to time.

Upon the granting of sHB6559awaivertoapersonunderthissubsection,theOfficeofEarlyChildhood /shall Fileconduct No.a state criminal history records check of such person by using the name and date of birth that was provided in the request for a waiver by such person.

784 sHB6559 File No.

784 awaivertoapersonunderthissubsection,theOfficeofEarlyChildhood shall conduct a state criminal history records check of such person by using the name and date of birth that was provided in the request for a waiver by such person.

Section 17b-751b of the general statutes is repealed and the followingPublic isAct substitutedNo. in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2021):

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6559 following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2021):

sHB6559(d) /The Filecommissioner shall report to the General Assembly, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a, on the establishment, implementation and progress of the [Nurturing Families Network] Public Act No.

78421-172 sHB655932 Fileof 37 Substitute House Bill No.

7846559 (d) The commissioner shall report to the General Assembly, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a, on the establishment, implementation and progress of the [Nurturing Families Network] Connecticut Home Visiting System, on July first of each year.

and (G) supporting homeless diversion for families with sHB6559young /children. File No.

784Public sHB6559Act File No.

78421-172 young33 children.of 37 Substitute House Bill No.

6559 Sec.

Except as provided in section 17b-277 and section 17b-292, the medical assistance program shallPublic provideAct coverage to persons under the age of nineteen with sHB6559 / File No.

78421-172 sHB655934 Fileof 37 Substitute House Bill No.

7846559 shall provide coverage to persons under the age of nineteen with household income up to one hundred ninety-six per cent of the federal poverty level without an asset limit and to persons under the age of nineteen, who qualify for coverage under Section 1931 of the Social Security Act, with household income not exceeding one hundred ninety-six per cent of the federal poverty level without an asset limit, and their parents and needy caretaker relatives, who qualify for coverage under Section 1931 of the Social Security Act, with household income not exceeding one hundred fifty-five per cent of the federal poverty level without an asset limit.

Sec.Public Act No.

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6559 Sec.

sHB6559The /Commissioners Fileof No.Public Health, Social Services and Mental Health and Addiction Services shall jointly establish a program to inform applicants to the Healthy Start program about the availability of, and eligibility for, services provided by the [Nurturing Families Network] Connecticut Home Visiting System, established pursuant to section 17b-751b, as amended by this act.

784 sHB6559 File No.

784 The Commissioners of Public Health, Social Services and Mental Health and Addiction Services shall jointly establish a program to inform applicants to the Healthy Start program about the availability of, and eligibility for, services provided by the [Nurturing Families Network] Connecticut Home Visiting System, established pursuant to section 17b-751b, as amended by this act.

The commissioner may apply to the superior court for thePublic judicialAct districtNo. of Hartford, or for the judicial district where the defendant named in such application resides, for an injunction to restrain the operation or maintenance of a youth camp by any person other than a licensed operator.

The21-172 application36 for such injunction or the issuance of the37 sameSubstitute shallHouse beBill in addition to and shall not relieve any sHB6559 / File No.

7846559 sHB6559the Filejudicial No.district of Hartford, or for the judicial district where the defendant named in such application resides, for an injunction to restrain the operation or maintenance of a youth camp by any person other than a licensed operator.

784The application for such injunction or the issuance of the same shall be in addition to and shall not relieve any such person from the imposition of a civil penalty under this section.

ThisApproved actJuly shall12, take2021 effectPublic asAct followsNo. and shall amend the following sections:

Section21-172 137 Julyof 1,37 2021 10-16o Sec.

2 July 1, 2021 10-16p Sec.

3 July 1, 2021 10-16r Sec.

4 July 1, 2021 10-509 Sec.

5 July 1, 2021 8-210 Sec.

6 July 1, 2021 10-500(b) sHB6559 / File No.

784 sHB6559 File No.

784 Sec.

7 October 1, 2021 19a-80(c) Sec.

8 October 1, 2021 19a-87b(c) Sec.

9 October 1, 2021 17b-749k Sec.

10 October 1, 2021 10-530 Sec.

11 July 1, 2021 17b-751b Sec.

12 July 1, 2021 17b-751d Sec.

13 July 1, 2021 17b-261(a) Sec.

14 July 1, 2021 17b-277a Sec.

15 July 1, 2021 New section Sec.

16 from passage 19a-425 sHB6559 / File No.

784 36 sHB6559 File No.

784 The following Fiscal Impact Statement and Bill Analysis are prepared for the benefit of the members of the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and explanation and do not represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber thereof for any purpose.

In general, fiscal impacts are based upon a variety of informational sources, including the analyst’s professional knowledge.

Whenever applicable, agency data is consulted as part of the analysis, however final products do not necessarily reflect an assessment from any specific department.

OFA Fiscal Note State Impact:

Agency Affected Fund-Effect FY 22 $ FY 23 $ Department of Emergency GF - Potential See Below See Below Services and Public Protection Revenue Loss Resources of the General Fund GF - Potential See Below See Below Revenue Loss Note:

GF=General Fund Municipal Impact:

Municipalities Effect FY 22 $ FY 23 $ Various Municipalities STATE See Below See Below MANDATE 1 - Potential Cost Explanation The bill makes various changes resulting in the fiscal impacts described below.

Section 2 allows the Office of Early Childhood (OEC) to administer funding for school readiness programs through contracts, rather than the current grant-based system.

This has no fiscal impact to the state as it is not anticipated to materially alter the distribution of school readiness funds.

To the extent this change does impact the amounts received by town-based providers, they could experience an associated 1State mandate is defined in Sec.

2-32b(2) of the Connecticut General Statutes, "state mandate" means any state initiated constitutional, statutory or executive action that requires a local government to establish, expand or modify its activities in such a way as to necessitate additional expenditures from local revenues.

sHB6559 / File No.

784 sHB6559 File No.

784 revenue gain or revenue loss.

Sections 2 and 5 allow group child care homes and family child care homes to receive funding available to school readiness programs and child care centers.

While this does not change the total amount of funds expended, it may alter the distribution among providers, which could result in a revenue loss to town-based providers.

Section 3 makes changes to school readiness council membership and allows certain members to be compensated for time, travel, and other related activities, which could result in associated costs to towns who choose to do so.

Section 8 increases the age requirement, from 16 to 18 years, for background checks for certain individuals in family child care homes, resulting in a potential revenue loss to the General Fund and the Applicant Finger Card Submission Account to the extent fewer background checks occur.

The Department of Emergency Services and PublicProtection(DESPP) conducts state backgroundchecks for $75per person.

DESPP conducts federal background checks for a fee of $13.25 but remits the fee to the federal government resulting in no fiscal impact to the state.

Both state and federal background checks require fingerprinting, which DESPP conducts for $15 per person resulting in a potential revenue gain to the Applicant Fingerprint Card Submission Account.

The bill makes other changes related to background checks that have no state or municipal impact.

The bill also expands the accreditations accepted for school readiness programs and allows additional qualifications to be considered for purposes of teaching within the Birth to Three program.

These changes have no fiscal impact as they do not require additional program funding.

The bill makes other changes that are technical and conforming in Funds in the Applicant Fingerprint Card Submission Account are used for IT support and maintenance for the fingerprinting systems.

sHB6559 / File No.

784 38 sHB6559 File No.

784 nature and have no fiscal impact.

House "A" specifies the source of information that must be used for certain background checks required for relatives who provide care to children who receive a child care subsidy from OEC and has no fiscal impact The Out Years The annualized ongoing fiscal impact identified above would continue into the future subject to inflation.

sHB6559 / File No.

784 39 sHB6559 File No.

784 OLR Bill Analysis sHB 6559 (as amended by House "A")* AN ACT IMPLEMENTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE OFFICE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD.

SUMMARY This bill makes numerous changes to the laws related to the Office of Early Childhood (OEC).

It:

1.

adds facilitating racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic diversity of children, families, and staff to the list of goals for the network of school readiness programs (§ 1);

2.

expands the type of entities that may receive school readiness financial assistance (i.e., grants) beyond towns with a priority school district (PSD) and eliminates the current way these grant amounts are determined (§ 2);

3.

requires that parents of program-eligible children comprise at least 25% of local school readiness council members and changes how the council chairperson is selected (§ 3);

4.

changes the name of the Nurturing Families Network to the Connecticut Home Visiting System and modifies the program’s scope and criteria (§§ 4 & 11-14);

5.

adds group and family child care homes to the definition of “early care and education and childhood development programs” in the law requiring OEC to conduct program evaluations and pilot innovative service delivery (§ 4);

6.

expands eligibility for state contracts for grants-in-aid to develop child care facilities to include group and family child care homes sHB6559 / File No.

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784 (§ 5);

7.

removes the condition that OEC keep its quality improvement services and licensing services separate and distinct when monitoring and evaluating child care centers, group child care homes, and family child care homes (§ 6);

8.

expands the types of child care employees who must undergo pre-employment background checks and conforms current restrictions to federal regulations on when these new employees can begin working (§ 7);

9.

increases the minimum age threshold, from 16 to 18, for mandatory background checks for household members of family child care homes (§ 8);

10.

specifies that as part of the existing background checks required of a relative who provides OEC-subsidized childcare services (a) the national sex offender registry check must use the U.S.

Department of Justice’s National Sex Offender Public Website and (b) the state offender database check must use the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection’s registry (§ 9);

11.

authorizes OEC to grant waivers for prospective child care employees who, due to a medical condition, are unable to satisfy the background check fingerprint requirement (§ 10);

12.

adds to OEC’s list of required programs and services (a) working with incarcerated parents, (b) promoting doula work to help women with high-risk pregnancies, and (c) supporting homeless diversion for families with young children (§ 12);

13.

authorizes the education commissioner to allow someone to teach within the Birth-to-Three program if they hold a teaching endorsement in (a) special education, (b) integrated early childhood and special education, (c) partially sighted, (d) blind, sHB6559 / File No.

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784 and (e) hard of hearing (§ 15);

and 14.

creates a notification and hearing process for youth camp operators who OEC cites for operating without a license (§ 16).

It also makes numerous minor, conforming, and technical changes.

*House Amendment “A” (1) strikes a provision in the underlying bill on background checks for youth camp prospective employees and replaces it with one specifying the national and state sexual offender database websites that must be used for certain background checks (§ 9) and (2) clarifies that the provision raising the minimum age threshold forbackgroundchecksfrom16to18appliesonlytohouseholdmembers in a family child care home (§ 8).

EFFECTIVE DATE:

July 1, 2021, unless otherwise noted.

§ 2 — ENTITIES ELIGIBLE FOR SCHOOL READINESS FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE Under current law governing school readiness grants, grants can be awarded to either (1) the town where a current or former PSD is located or (2) for competitive grants, a town with a priority school or a school readiness council serving one of the state’s 50 lowest ranking towns by wealth.

The bill expands the type of entities that can receive school readiness financial assistance (i.e., PSD grants or competitive grants) to include a town, local or regional board of education, regional educational service center (RESC), family resource center, child care center,group child care home, family child care home, Head Start program, preschool program, or other program that meets the commissioner’s standards.

It does this by:

1.

allowing an eligible entity to enter into a contract with OEC to provide for state financial assistance within available appropriations and 2.

eliminating the requirements that program grants must be sHB6559 / File No.

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784 provided:

a.

to the town in which current or former PSDs are located, b.

annually contingent upon available funding and a satisfactory annual evaluation, and c.

for use by a town or regional school readiness council to purchase spaces for certain children from providers of accredited school readiness programs or programs seeking that accreditation.

ThebillalsorequirestheOECcommissionertoconsultwiththetown or regional school readiness council when entering into these contracts.

By law and unchanged by the bill, the municipality’s chief elected official and the school superintendent for a current or former PSD must submit a plan for spending the grant funds that includes responses from a request for proposals (RFP) from accredited school readiness programs.

The commissioner must review and approve the plans.

(Presumably, the chief elected official and the superintendent would obtain this information from the new entities through the RFP process.) The bill also eliminates the current method of determining the amount of school readiness grants for current and former PSDs.

It does not indicate the new method of determining the grant amounts (presumably this will be addressed in the contract terms).

The bill expands the accreditations accepted for school readiness programs to include the National Association of Family Child Care.

Existing law already accepts accreditation by the National Association for Education and Young Children or a Head Start program review instrument.

§ 3 — SCHOOL READINESS COUNCIL MEMBERSHIP & DUTIES By law, a town seeking school readiness grants must form a local or regional school readiness council.

The bill requires each council to sHB6559 / File No.

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784 document efforts to ensure that its racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic composition reflects its town or region, as applicable.

It also requires that parents or guardians of program-eligible children comprise at least 25% of council membership.

Under the bill, these parents and guardians may be compensated, within available appropriations, for time and travel related to council meetings and any activities related to training, leadership, and community engagement.

It directs council meetings to be held at convenient times and locations for the members, including the parent and guardian members.

Beginning July 1, 2021, the bill makes the chairperson of each council elected by its membership, rather than appointed by the municipal chief elected official.

By law, unchanged by the bill, the chief elected official and the superintendent jointly appoint the council members.

The bill requires that the councils be expanded to include representativesof(1)state-financedchildcare providers,(2)aworkforce or job-training community organization, and (3) a local business in the community.

Existing law spells out several duties of school readiness councils.

The bill adds to this the requirement that they collaborate with OEC on planning improvements to the state’s early care and education governance structure.

§ 5 — CONTRACTS FOR ASSISTANCE TO DEVELOP OR RENOVATE GROUP OR FAMILY CHILD CARE HOMES Under current law, the OEC commissioner may enter into a contract with a municipality, human resources development agency, or nonprofit corporation for state grants-in-aid to develop, operate, or renovate a child care center.

The bill expands eligibility for these contracts to include group child care homes and family child care homes.

The bill makes other conforming changes to current requirements for OEC and these entities when contracting with the office.

sHB6559 / File No.

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784 §§ 7 & 8 — CHILD CARE EMPLOYEE BACKGROUND CHECKS The bill expands the types of employees who must undergo pre- employment comprehensive backgroundchecksto include any position involving unsupervised access to a child in the care center or group care home.

It conforms current law’s restrictions on when new employees can begin working to federal regulation requirements (i.e., either upon completion of the background check, or, pending its completion, subject to supervision at all times by someone who has successfully completed the background check within the last five years (45 C.F.R.

§ 98.43(d)(4)).

Current law bars a prospective employee from having unsupervised access to children in the center or group care home until a comprehensive background check is completed and the OEC commissioner permits the employee to work there.

The bill raises the minimum age threshold, from 16 to 18 years, for required background checks of each household member in a family child care home.

It also eliminates (1) the condition that the commissioner require these background checks within available appropriations and (2) an authorization for the Department of Social Services to transfer funds appropriated for background checks to OEC.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

October 1, 2021 § 10 — FINGERPRINT WAIVER FOR BACKGROUND CHECKS The bill authorizes the OEC commissioner to waive the requirement to submit fingerprints as part of a child care employment background check for those who cannot satisfy it due to a medical condition.

If the OEC commissioner grants a waiver, OEC will conduct a state criminal history records check using the individual’s name and date of birth as provided with the waiver request.

The request must be in writing to the commissioner and include name, date of birth, and evidence the person is unable to satisfy the fingerprint requirement due to a medical condition, including birth sHB6559 / File No.

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784 defect, physical deformity, skin condition, or a psychiatric condition.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

October 1, 2021 § 11 — CONNECTICUT HOME VISITING SYSTEM The bill adds (in addition to infants under current law) young children to the scope of the Connecticut Home Visiting System and requires assessments to be community-based rather than hospital- based.

It also requires the commissioner to (1) ensure that all home visiting programs are one of the evidence-based home visitation models that meet effectiveness criteria developed by the federal Department of Health and Human Services and (2) provide oversight to ensure model fidelity for the home visiting programs.

The bill removes the commissioner’s duty under current law to develop a comprehensive risk assessment for the former Nurturing Families Network.

§ 15 — BIRTH-TO-THREE TEACHING PERMITS The bill authorizes the education commissioner, upon the request of a Birth-to-Three Early Intervention program’s director, to allow someone to teach within the program if he or she holds the following teaching endorsements:

(1) special education, (2) integrated early childhood and special education, (3) partially sighted, (4) blind, and (5) hard of hearing.

The permission is valid for the duration of the person’s teaching credential and may be extended by the education commissioner upon the request of the Birth-to-Three provider, when renewing these teaching credentials.

§ 16 — YOUTH CAMP LICENSE VIOLATIONS The bill creates a notification and hearing process for youth camp operators that OEC cites for operating without a license.

Current law allows for a civil penalty (up to $1,000 for a first offense) and authorizes the commissioner to seek an injunction to halt unlicensed operation, but is silent about the process, including a hearing.

The bill permits the OEC commissioner to send a notice detailing the sHB6559 / File No.

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784 alleged violation by certified mail, return receipt requested, or by personally serving the person or officer of the camp.

The notice must include (1) the specific statutes or regulations involved, (2) a short and plain statement of the matters asserted or charged, (3) the maximum civil penalty that may be imposed for the violation, and (4) a statement of the party’s right to request a hearing.

Under the bill, a hearing request must be submitted in writing to the commissioner within 30 days after the notice was mailed or served.

If a hearing is requested, the commissioner must hold one in accordance with the Uniform Administrative Procedure Act.

If none is requested, or the person requesting one fails to appear, or if, after the hearing, the commissioner finds that the person committed the violation, then the commissioner may impose a civil penalty at her discretion that is not greater than the penalty stated in the notice.

The commissioner must send a copy of any order issued by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the named person or officer.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

Upon passage COMMITTEE ACTION Education Committee Joint Favorable Substitute Yea 37 Nay 1 (03/15/2021) Appropriations Committee Joint Favorable Yea 36 Nay 12 (05/03/2021) sHB6559 / File No.

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