House File 675 - Introduced HOUSE FILE BY TYMESON, UPMEYER, CHAMBERS, and HEATON Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act relating to early childhood programs available through the 2 community empowerment initiative. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 2948YH 81 5 jp/pj/5 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. Section 28.4, Code 2005, is amended by adding 1 2 the following new subsections: 1 3 NEW SUBSECTION. 13. With the assistance of the state 1 4 departments represented on the Iowa empowerment board and the 1 5 community empowerment office, develop and implement 1 6 requirements for community empowerment areas and the 1 7 administrators of the programs listed in section 28.10 to 1 8 annually report to the public regarding the results produced 1 9 by the community empowerment initiative and by the programs. 1 10 Supporting information shall also be required to be made 1 11 available with the report, including but not limited to the 1 12 methodology applied to identify the results, a copy of any 1 13 form utilized, background data used in developing the report, 1 14 and other information to assist a reader in assessing the 1 15 quality and accuracy of the data provided by the report. 1 16 NEW SUBSECTION. 14. With the assistance of the state 1 17 departments represented on the Iowa empowerment board and the 1 18 community empowerment office, develop and implement an 1 19 internet=based system providing a single point of contact for 1 20 use by a parent in accessing the community empowerment area 1 21 programs and state programs listed in section 28.10 that are 1 22 available in the parent's area. The system shall provide 1 23 capacity for a community empowerment area to implement an 1 24 internet site or internet page for that area in lieu of a 1 25 statewide site or page. 1 26 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 28.10 COLOCATION OF STATE EARLY 1 27 CHILDHOOD STAFF == LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT. 1 28 1. FINDINGS AND INTENT. The state of Iowa provides 1 29 funding, support, and technical assistance for programs 1 30 directed to children from birth to age five utilizing a number 1 31 of separate funding streams and state agencies. For early 1 32 childhood programs, the community empowerment initiative has 1 33 been instrumental in improving coordination and collaboration 1 34 between the funding streams and state agencies by empowering 1 35 Iowans to assume a leadership role at the community level. 2 1 The general assembly finds that colocating the administrative 2 2 staff associated with various state agency early childhood 2 3 programs will further enhance the degree of collaboration and 2 4 efficiency. It is the intent of the general assembly that at 2 5 an appropriate time, the programs and associated agency staff 2 6 listed in this section will be consolidated under the 2 7 authority of the Iowa empowerment board. 2 8 2. COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT OFFICE. The community 2 9 empowerment office of the department of management shall 2 10 establish an office site to colocate the programs and staff 2 11 listed in this section. The colocation effort shall be 2 12 completed by the close of the fiscal year that begins on July 2 13 1, 2005. 2 14 3. PROGRAMS AND AGENCIES IDENTIFIED. The following 2 15 programs and the departmental administrative staff associated 2 16 with the programs shall be relocated to the office site 2 17 established by the community empowerment office: 2 18 a. The following programs and associated staff under the 2 19 authority of the department of education: 2 20 (1) Center=based special education programs. 2 21 (2) The child portion of the child and adult care food 2 22 program. 2 23 (3) The early childhood network operated by the department 2 24 of education and area education agencies. 2 25 (4) The early childhood special education program. 2 26 (5) The early head start and head start programs. 2 27 (6) The even start family literacy program. 2 28 (7) Iowa shared visions preschool programs for children 2 29 ages three to five years, implemented under the auspices of 2 30 the child development coordinating council. 2 31 (8) Iowa shared visions parent support programs 2 32 implemented under the auspices of the child development 2 33 coordinating council. 2 34 (9) The school ready children grant program implemented 2 35 under the community empowerment initiative. 3 1 b. The following programs and associated staff under the 3 2 authority of the department of human services: 3 3 (1) Child abuse prevention grants. 3 4 (2) Early childhood programs grants implemented under the 3 5 community empowerment initiative. 3 6 (3) Child care programs implemented under chapter 237A. 3 7 (4) Community=based family resource programs. 3 8 (5) The promoting safe and stable families grant program. 3 9 c. The following programs and associated staff under the 3 10 authority of the Iowa department of public health: 3 11 (1) Child health programs. 3 12 (2) The childhood immunization program. 3 13 (3) The childhood lead poisoning prevention program 3 14 implemented pursuant to section 135.101. 3 15 (4) The community=based family resource and support grant 3 16 program funded through the federal administration for children 3 17 and families, United States department of health and human 3 18 services. 3 19 (5) The healthy child care Iowa program. 3 20 (6) The healthy opportunities for parents to experience 3 21 success=healthy families Iowa (HOPES=HFI) program implemented 3 22 under section 135.106. 3 23 Sec. 3. FEDERAL COORDINATION INITIATIVE. If the 3 24 opportunity is offered by the federal government, the Iowa 3 25 empowerment board and the state agencies represented on the 3 26 board shall apply for Iowa to participate in a head start 3 27 pilot program designed to promote coordination of state head 3 28 start, preschool, and child care programs into a comprehensive 3 29 early childhood system. 3 30 EXPLANATION 3 31 This bill relates to early childhood programs available 3 32 through the community empowerment initiative. 3 33 Code section 28.4, relating to the duties of the Iowa 3 34 empowerment board, is amended. The board is directed to 3 35 implement requirements for community empowerment areas and the 4 1 programs listed in the bill to annually report to the public 4 2 regarding the results produced by the community empowerment 4 3 initiative and by the programs. In addition, the board is 4 4 required to develop and implement an internet=based system 4 5 providing a single point of contact for use by a parent to 4 6 access the community empowerment area and state programs 4 7 available in the parent's area. 4 8 New Code section 28.10 directs the community empowerment 4 9 office in the department of management to establish office 4 10 space to physically colocate the programs listed in the bill 4 11 and the departmental administrative staff associated with 4 12 those programs. The process of colocation is required to be 4 13 completed by the close of fiscal year 2005=2006. The programs 4 14 are administered by the departments of education, human 4 15 services, and public health. The bill states legislative 4 16 intent to consolidate the programs under the authority of the 4 17 Iowa empowerment board at an appropriate time. 4 18 If the opportunity is offered by the federal government, 4 19 the Iowa empowerment board and the state agencies represented 4 20 on the board (departments of economic development, education, 4 21 human services, and public health) are directed to apply for 4 22 Iowa to participate in a head start pilot program designed to 4 23 promote coordination of state head start, preschool, and child 4 24 care programs into a comprehensive early childhood system. 4 25 LSB 2948YH 81 4 26 jp:nh/pj/5