S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                        5650--B
                              2011-2012 Regular Sessions
                                   I N  S E N A T E
                                     June 8, 2011
                                      ___________
       Introduced  by  Sens.  FLANAGAN,  ADDABBO,  MONTGOMERY -- read twice and
         ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee  on
         Education  --  recommitted to the Committee on Education in accordance
         with Senate Rule 6, sec. 8  --  committee  discharged,  bill  amended,
         ordered  reprinted  as  amended  and  recommitted to said committee --
         committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as  amended  and
         recommitted to said committee
       AN  ACT to amend the education law, in relation to directing the commis-
         sioner of education to evaluate and report on early  childhood  educa-
         tion in day care centers
         THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
       BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
    1    Section 1. Section 305 of the education law is amended by adding a new
    2  subdivision 43 to read as follows:
    3    43. A. THE COMMISSIONER, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF  THE
    4  OFFICE  OF  CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES AND THE COMMISSIONER OF HEALTH,
    5  SHALL EXAMINE, EVALUATE AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNING EARLY CHILD-
    6  HOOD EDUCATION IN DAY CARE CENTERS, INCLUDING GROUP AND SMALL DAY  CARE.
    7  THE DEPARTMENT SHALL REVIEW AND ANALYZE THE FOLLOWING: EXISTING REQUIRE-
    8  MENTS  FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN ZERO TO FIVE YEARS OLD
    9  IN ALL DAY CARE SETTINGS; EDUCATIONAL/TRAINING REQUIREMENTS OF  ALL  DAY
   10  CARE  EMPLOYEES  SUPERVISING CHILDREN; HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES AVAIL-
   11  ABLE TO CHILDREN IN DAY CARE SETTINGS; AND ALL FEDERAL, STATE AND  LOCAL
   12  DAY CARE FUNDING STREAMS.
   13    B. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL, ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER THIRTY-FIRST, TWO THOU-
   14  SAND  TWELVE,  REPORTS  ITS FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO
   15  THE GOVERNOR, LEGISLATURE AND BOARD OF REGENTS. THE REPORT SHALL INCLUDE
   16  RECOMMENDATIONS FOR STRENGTHENING THE DAY CARE SYSTEM TO PROVIDE  COMMU-
   17  NITY BASED CARE WITH A FOCUS ON EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, INCLUDING THE
   18  CONSOLIDATION  OF  DAY CARE OVERSIGHT AND ENFORCEMENT WITHIN THE DEPART-
   19  MENT.
   20    S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD11510-03-2