Amendment 5233 to House Bill 2175 P.N. 3305, Regular Session 2023-2024

H2175B3305A05233 AJB:MAC 06/26/24 #90 A05233

AMENDMENTS TO HOUSE BILL NO. 2175

Sponsor: REPRESENTATIVE KRUPA

Printer's No. 3305

Amend Bill, page 1, lines 1 through 4, by striking out all of

said lines and inserting

Amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), entitled "An

act to consolidate, editorially revise, and codify the public

welfare laws of the Commonwealth," establishing the Children

and Youth Cabinet and providing for duties of Children and

Youth Cabinet.

Amend Bill, page 1, lines 7 through 17; pages 2 through 12,

lines 1 through 30; page 13, lines 1 through 8; by striking out

all of said lines on said pages and inserting

Section 1. The act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), known

as the Human Services Code, is amended by adding an article to

read:

ARTICLE VII-A

CHILDREN AND YOUTH CABINET

Section 701-A. Definitions.

The following words and phrases when used in this article

shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the

context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Cabinet." The Children and Youth Cabinet established under

section 702-A(a).

Section 702-A. Children and Youth Cabinet.

(a) Establishment.--The Children and Youth Cabinet is

established as an independent board within the department to

promote interdepartmental collaboration among all State agencies

tasked with protecting children. The cabinet shall promote the

coordination of programs implemented by State agencies tasked

with protecting children to ensure that the services are

planned, managed and delivered in a holistic and integrated

manner to improve the self-sufficiency, safety, economic

stability, health and quality of life of children.

(b) Meetings.--The cabinet shall meet at least six times

each year, but no more than 12 times each year, in different

regions of this Commonwealth to solicit input from the public

and any other individual offering testimony relevant to the

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issues considered. The cabinet shall include a public comment

session in each meeting.

members:

(1) The secretary or the secretary's designee.

(2) The Secretary of Education or a designee.

(3) A representative of the Office of Children, Youth

and Families, who shall be a nonvoting member.

(4) A representative of the Juvenile Courts Judges'

Commission

(5) A representative of the Pennsylvania Children and

Youth Administrators.

(6) A representative of the Office of Victim Advocate.

(7) A representative of the Office of Children and

Families in the Courts.

(8) A representative of the Pennsylvania Council of

Chief Juvenile Probation Officers.

(9) A representative of the Office of Childhood

Development and Early Learning, who shall be a nonvoting

member.

(10) A guardian ad litem or court-appointed special

advocate, who shall be jointly appointed by the chairperson

and minority chairperson of the Aging and Youth Committee of

the Senate.

(11) A court-appointed attorney who represents parents

in dependency matters, who shall be jointly appointed by the

chairperson and minority chairperson of the Judiciary

Committee of the Senate.

(12) An elected district attorney, who shall be jointly

appointed by the chairperson and minority chairperson of the

Judiciary Committee of the House of Representatives.

(13) A juvenile court or family court judge appointed by

the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

(14) An individual with lived experience as a youth

within the foster care system of this Commonwealth, who shall

be jointly appointed by the chairperson and minority

chairperson of the Children and Youth Committee of the House

of Representatives.

(15) Four members who represent children and youth

advocacy organizations, one of whom shall be selected by each

o f the following:

(i) The chairperson of the Aging and Youth Committee

of the Senate.

(ii) The minority chairperson of the Aging and Youth

Committee of the Senate.

(iii) The chairperson of the Children and Youth

Committee of the House of Representatives.

(iv) The minority chairperson of the Children and

Youth Committee of the House of Representatives.

(16) A member appointed by each of the following:

(i) The Majority Leader of the Senate.

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(ii) The Minority Leader of the Senate.

(iii) The Majority Leader of the House of

Representatives.

(iv) The Minority Leader of the House of

Representatives.

(d) Chair.--The members of the cabinet shall select a member

to serve as chair.

(e) Public officials.--Each member of the cabinet shall be

deemed a public official as defined in 65 Pa.C.S. § 1102

(relating to definitions) and shall be subject to the provisions

of 65 Pa.C.S. Ch. 11 (relating to ethics standards and financial

disclosure).

(f) Compensation.-- Members of the cabinet shall serve

without compensation, but shall receive reimbursement for

expenses incurred on behalf of the cabinet, which shall be paid

by the department.

Section 703-A. Duties of cabinet.

The cabinet shall have the following duties:

(1) Develop and implement a shared and cohesive vision

using integrated services to improve child, youth and family

outcomes in this Commonwealth.

(2) Develop a strategic plan to achieve the goals of the

shared and cohesive vision under paragraph (1). The cabinet

shall focus the plan on a long-term commitment to children

and youth issues and align all public resources to serve

children and youth and their families in a manner that

supports the healthy growth and development of children. The

cabinet shall include a continuum of services in the plan

that will benefit children from prenatal care through

services for youth in transition to adulthood.

(3) Develop and implement measurable outcomes for each

State agency and program that are consistent with the

strategic plan under paragraph (2). The cabinet shall

establish a baseline measurement for each outcome and

regularly report on the progress made toward achieving the

desired outcome.

(4) Design and implement actions that will promote

collaboration, creativity, increased efficiency, information

sharing and improved service delivery between and within

State agencies that provide services for children and youth

and their families.

(5) Foster public awareness of children and youth issues

and develop new partners in the effort to serve children and

youth.

(6) Create a children and youth impact statement for

evaluating proposed legislation, requested appropriations and

programs. The cabinet shall share the impact statement with

the General Assembly as the cabinet deems necessary.

(7) Identify existing and potential funding streams and

resources for children's services, including public funding,

foundation and organization grants and other forms of private

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funding opportunities, including public-private partnerships.

(8) Engage in other activities that will implement

improved collaboration of State agencies to create, manage

and promote coordinated policies, programs and service

delivery systems that support children and youth.

Section 704-A. Annual report.

By December 31 of each year, the cabinet shall provide an

annual report to the Governor, the General Assembly and the

public concerning the cabinet's activities and accomplishments.

The cabinet may include recommendations in the annual report for

interdepartmental collaboration and program implementation to

ensure that services designed for children and youth are

planned, managed and delivered in a holistic and integrated

manner to improve the self-sufficiency, safety, economic

stability, health and quality of life of children.

Section 705-A. Dissolution of cabinet and applicability.

The cabinet shall dissolve June 30, 2027. This article shall

not apply on or after June 30, 2027.

Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

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