PRINTER'S NO. 706
No. 662 Session of 1989
INTRODUCED BY MELLOW, ROSS, O'PAKE, WILLIAMS, STOUT, REIBMAN, PORTERFIELD, AFFLERBACH, MUSTO, LYNCH, BODACK, STAPLETON, LINCOLN, ANDREZESKI, BELAN, REGOLI, JONES, LEWIS, FUMO, DAWIDA, SCANLON, STEWART, PUNT AND WILT, MARCH 13, 1989
REFERRED TO AGING AND YOUTH, MARCH 13, 1989
AN ACT 1 Amending the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), entitled 2 "An act providing for and reorganizing the conduct of the 3 executive and administrative work of the Commonwealth by the 4 Executive Department thereof and the administrative 5 departments, boards, commissions, and officers thereof, 6 including the boards of trustees of State Normal Schools, or 7 Teachers Colleges; abolishing, creating, reorganizing or 8 authorizing the reorganization of certain administrative 9 departments, boards, and commissions; defining the powers and 10 duties of the Governor and other executive and administrative 11 officers, and of the several administrative departments, 12 boards, commissions, and officers; fixing the salaries of the 13 Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and certain other executive 14 and administrative officers; providing for the appointment of 15 certain administrative officers, and of all deputies and 16 other assistants and employes in certain departments, boards, 17 and commissions; and prescribing the manner in which the 18 number and compensation of the deputies and all other 19 assistants and employes of certain departments, boards and 20 commissions shall be determined," providing for the 21 establishment and operation of the Office of Child Care in 22 the Executive Offices; and making an appropriation. 23 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 24 hereby enacts as follows: 25 Section 1. The act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), known 26 as The Administrative Code of 1929, is amended by adding a 27 section to read:
1 Section 713. Office of Child Care.-- 2 (a) There is hereby established an administrative office 3 under the Governor, to be known as the Office of Child Care, 4 which shall have primary responsibility for the coordination of 5 all activities of the various administrative departments 6 relating to child care. The Office of Child Care shall also act 7 as a facilitator for the establishment and operation of child- 8 care services by private providers. 9 (b) The Office of Child Care shall be under the direction 10 and control of an Executive Director, who shall be appointed by 11 the Governor and shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor. 12 The Executive Director shall have a minimum of five years 13 experience in State government with particular emphasis on 14 understanding the promulgation of regulations, the 15 administration of programs and the interrelationship of the 16 Federal and State governments in the area of child care. The 17 Executive Director shall employ two executive assistants; one 18 with experience in the area of child care and one with a proven 19 ability to work with the public and State government. The 20 Executive Director shall also employ such additional staff as 21 may be necessary to accomplish the purposes of this section. The 22 compensation of the Executive Director and all staff shall be 23 fixed by the Executive Board. 24 (c) The Office of Child Care shall have the following powers 25 and duties: 26 (1) Coordinate the promulgation of regulations on child care 27 to prevent duplication and contradictory decisions. 28 (2) Receive inquiries and applications from proposed child- 29 care providers, direct the applications and inquiries to the 30 appropriate State agency and following the progress of the 19890S0662B0706 - 2 -
1 decisionmaking process. 2 (3) Act as a central clearinghouse for all individual, 3 local, Federal or State contacts on child care. 4 (4) Coordinate State efforts to: 5 (i) arrange for disposition of program offices to conform 6 with the tri-partite definition of child care; or 7 (ii) facilitate establishment of child care programs and 8 facilities in public and private settings. 9 (5) Promote, wherever practicable, day-care facilities in 10 all State agencies. 11 (d) For purposes of this section, the term "child care" 12 shall mean the provision of services necessary and appropriate 13 for the welfare of a child. The term encompasses three levels of 14 care, any one of which may be offered by a proposed child-care 15 provider. The levels of child care are: 16 (1) Infant toddler care - infants to three years of age. 17 (2) Preschool age educational care - three and four years of 18 age. This level of care shall provide programs with attention to 19 development, education or screening for identification and 20 intervention of children at risk or with developmental 21 disabilities. 22 (3) School-age children - pre-kindergarten through sixth 23 grade. 24 Section 2. The sum of $300,000, or as much thereof as may be 25 necessary, is hereby appropriated to the Office of Child Care 26 for the fiscal year July 1, 1989, to June 30, 1990, to carry out 27 the provisions of this act. 28 Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days. B10L71RZ/19890S0662B0706 - 3 -