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An Act To Amend the Laws Governing the Maine Children's Growth Council
Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
Whereas,  Congress enacted legislation reauthorizing the Head Start program in 2007; and
Whereas,  the membership of the Maine Children's Growth Council must be amended in order to meet federal requirements; and
Whereas,  in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, therefore,
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 5 MRSA §24001, sub-§3, as enacted by PL 2007, c. 683, Pt. A, §2, is amended to read:
 
3. Membership. The council consists of 27the members listed in this subsection who must have a strong interest in early childhood and early care and education and must be influential in their communities:
 
A. Two members of the Senate, one from each of the 2 political parties having the greatest number of members in the Senate, appointed by the President of the Senate;
 
B. Two members of the House of Representatives, one from each of the 2 political parties having the greatest number of members in the House, appointed by the Speaker of the House;
 
C. The Governor or the Governor's designee and the Attorney General or the Attorney General's designee;
 
D. Three parents, at least one of whom has a young child, one each appointed by the Governor, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House;
 
E. Two persons with experience in public funding and philanthropy, appointed by the President of the Senate;
 
F. One person representing child abuse and neglect prevention, appointed by the Speaker of the House;
 
G. One person representing postsecondary education, appointed by the Governor;
 
H. Eight persons representing statewide, membership or constituent organizations that advance the well-being of young children and their families, nominated by their organizations and appointed by the Governor, of whom:
 
(1) Three must represent statewide organizations or associations involved in early care and education programs, child care centers, Head Start programs, family child care providers, resource development centers, programs for school-age children, child development services, physicians and child advocacy;
 
(2) One must represent a law enforcement organization involved with children;
 
(3) One must represent an organization that works on community organization and mobilization;
 
(4) One must represent public health;
 
(5) One must represent the Maine Economic Growth Council; and
 
(6) One must represent a labor organization.;
 
I. One person representing a statewide association of business and industry and one person representing a business roundtable on early childhood investment, appointed by the Governor;
 
J. One memberUp to 8 members of the public, appointed by the Governor; and
 
K. Three ex-officio nonvoting members: the Commissioner of Education or the commissioner's designee, a Department of Health and Human Services employee who works with early childhood programs including Head Start and a person representing the office within the Department of Health and Human Services that is the fiscal agent for the federal grant program for comprehensive early childhood initiatives.; and
 
L.  The director of the Head Start collaboration project within the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Child Care and Head Start.
Sec. 2. 5 MRSA §24004, as enacted by PL 2007, c. 683, Pt. A, §2, is repealed.
Emergency clause.  In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation takes effect when approved.
 
SUMMARY
This bill strikes the provision in the laws that repeals the chapter governing the Maine Children's Growth Council on October 1, 2009. This bill also amends the membership of the council to add as a member the director of the Head Start collaboration project and up to 7 additional public members appointed by the Governor.