An Act To Invest in Maine's Young Children
Maine Legislature, Session 123, LD 2311
Senate Amendment SA_A_S695 (Senate)
Amends: 5 MRSA §12004-J, 5 MRSA §24001

SENATE AMENDMENT" A" to H.P. 1671, L.O. 2311, Bill, "An Act To Invest in 
Maine's Young Children" 
Amend the bill in Part A by striking out all of sections I to 3 and inserting the 
II 
following: 
'Sec. A-I. 5 MRSA §12004-J, sub-§16 is enacted to read: 
16. 
Children 
Maine Children's 
Growth Council 
Legislative Per 
Diem and 
Expenses for 
Legislators and 
for Certain 
Members 
Sec. A-2. 5 MRSA Pt. 30 is enacted to read: 
PART 30 
INVESTMENT IN YOUNG CHILDREN 
CHAPTER 621 
MAINE CHILDREN'S GROWTH COUNCIL 
§24001. Maine Children's Growth Council 
MRSA §24001 
1. Definitions. As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the 
following terms have the following meanings. 
A. "Council" means the Maine Children's Growth Council established in subsection 
2. 
SENATE AMENDMENT 
SENATE AMENDMENT "A "to H.P. 1671, L.D. 2311 
B. "Young children" means children from birth through 5 years of age. 
2. Establishment. The Maine Children's Growth Council, as established in section 
12004-J, subsection 16, is created to develop, maintain and evaluate a plan for sustainable 
social and financial investment in healthy development of the State's young children and 
their families. 
3. Membership. The council consists of 27 members 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; 
II 
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 
Q9yernoLthe 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: 
(I) 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; 
SENA TE AMENDMENT 
~ 
. "., 
SENATE AMENDMENT "A " 
to H.P. 1671, L.D. 2311 
J. One member 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. 
4. Terms of appointment. Except for ex-officio members, members of the council 
are appointed for terms of 3 years. Members who are Legislators are appointed for thc 
duration of the legislative terms in which they were appointed. Members who are not 
II 
Legislators may serve beyond their designated terms until their successors are appointed. 
5. Cochairs. The Governor shall appoint cochairs for the council. 
6. Quorum; meetings. Thirteen members of the council constitute a quorum. The 
council may meet as often as necessary but shall meet at least 6 times a year. A meeting 
may be called by a cochair or by any 5 members. 
7. Compensation. Members of the council serve without compensation for their 
services, except that parents appointed under subsection 3, paragraph D who are not 
reimbursed by another organization may receive mileage reimbursement and a per diem 
to cover related costs such as child care, and Legislators are entitled to receive the 
legislative per diem, as defined in Title 3, section 2, and reimbursement for travel and 
other necessary expenses for attendance at authorized meetings of the council. 
8. Staffing; funding. The council may hire staff as necessary for its work and as 
resources permit. The council may accept grant funding and other funding as may be 
available for the work of the council. The Department of Health and Human Services 
shall act as fiscal agent for the council. 
9. Logo. The council may develop, adopt and publicize a logo or slogan to identify 
its work. 
§24002. Duties 
1. Duties. The duties of the council include, but are not limited to: 
A. Reviewing and addressing recommendations of legislative studies and advisory 
I 
committees regarding young children and the Children's Cabinet; 
B. 
Adopting and updating a long-term plan for investment in the healthy 
development of young children that will achieve sustainable social and financial 
investment in the healthy development of young children and their families. 
(I) In adopting and updating the plan the council shall consult and coordinate 
with members of the public, the Children's Cabinet, the Department of Education, 
the Department of Health and Human Services and advocates, community 
agencies and providers of early care and education and services to children and 
their families; monitor and evaluate progress in accomplishing the plan's vision, 
goals and performance indicators and best practice research; and consider the 
changing economic and demographic conditions and the effect of investments on 
economic growth and productivity. 
SENATE AMENDMENT 
SENATE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 1671, L.D. 2311 
(2) The plan must include strategies: 
(a) To create and sustain a unified, statewide early childhood services system 
that provides essential resources for children, shares common standards for 
quality, respects the diversity and uniqueness of young children and their 
families, reflects a commitment to sustainable growth, includes family 
representation, recognizes the importance of child care in sustaining 
employment for parents and recognizes the value of new forms of 
cooperation among government, business and society in achieving the goals 
of the plan; and 
(b) 
For overall investment and prioritization of early childhood and 
education programs, services and initiatives and to address workforce 
education and training issues, utilization of community partners across the 
state and investments in technology and infrastructure; and 
C. Reporting by January 15, 2010 and every 2 years thereafter to the Department of 
Health and Human Services, the Governor, the Children's Cabinet and the Legislature 
on the activities and accomplishments of the council and its long-term plan for 
investment in the healthy development of young children, and issuing such other 
reports as the council determines to be appropriate. 
§24003. Records and meetings 
1. Public records and meetings. The records of the council are public records and 
meetings of the council are public meetings for the purposes of the State's freedom of 
access laws. 
§24004. Repeal 
This chapter is repealed October I, 2009.' 
Amend the bill in Part B by striking out all of section 3. 
Amend the bill in Part B in section 4 in the 4th and 5th lines (page 7, lines 23 and 24 
in L.D.) by striking out the following: "to increase the amount of funding available for 
scholarships as provided in this Act and the amount distributed per course and" 
Amend the bill in Part B by striking out all of sections 6 and 7 and inserting the 
following: 
'Sec. B-6. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and 
allocations are made. 
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF (FORMERLY DHS) 
Maine Children's Growth Council N044 
Initiative: Provides a base allocation in the event that funds are received to fund the work 
of the Maine Children's Growth Council. 
SENATE AMENDMENT 
II 
SENATE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 1671, L.D. 2311 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS 
All Other 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TOTAL 
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, 
DEPARTMENT OF (FORMERLY DHS) 
DEPARTMENT TOTALS 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS 
DEPARTMENT TOTAL - ALL FUNDS 
LEGISLATURE 
Legislature 0081 
2007-08 
$0 
$0 
2007-08 
$0 
$0 
2008-09 
$500 
$500 
2008-09 
$500 
$500 
Initiative: Allocates funds for the per diem and expenses of legislative members of the 
Maine Children's Growth Council. 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS 
2007-08 
2008-09 
Personal Services 
$0 
$1,320 
All Other 
$0 
$1,200 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TOTAL 
$0 
$2,520 
LEGISLATURE 
DEPARTMENT TOTALS 
2007-08 
2008-09 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS 
$0 
$2,520 
DEPARTMENT TOTAL - ALL FUNDS 
$0 
$2,520 
SECTION TOTALS 
2007-08 
2008-09 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS 
$0 
$3,020 
SECTION TOTAL - ALL FUNDS 
$0 
$3,020 
SENATE AMENDMENT 
.. 
1:;, 
~t.~\ 
.. 
~. 
I 
II 
SENATE AMENDMENT "4,, to H.P. 1671, L.D. 2311 
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or 
section number to read consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
This amendment: 
I. Strikes the provisions from the bill that establish the Office of the Child Advocate 
and authorize a research and evaluation contract and a needs assessment contract; 
2. Repeals the chapter that establishes and governs the Maine Children's Growth 
Council effective October I, 2009; 
3. Strikes the provisions from the bill that direct the Finance Authority of Maine to 
undertake a public education campaign regarding the availability of loans for child care 
facilities; 
i~n scholarships. 
/ 
SPO NSO RED BY: 1f--'=--t::fi-b-9,f--~L----~---b-""---<boL-
COUNTY: Androscoggin 
H·"(\L\on REVUlRED 
(See attached) 
SENATE AMENDMENT 
Approvcd: 04/1 S/08 hac:.. 
Net Cost (Savings) 
Fund for a Healthy Maine 
Appropriations/Allocations 
Fund for a Healthy Maine 
Other Special Revenue Funds 
Legislative Cost/Study 
LD 2311 
LR 3623(05) 
An Act To Invest in Maine's Young Children 
Fiscal Note for Senate Amendment "A " 
Sponsor: Sen. Rotundo of Androscoggin 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
2007-08 
$0 
$0 
$0 
2008-09 
($449,500) 
($449,500) 
$0 
Projections 
2009-10 
($414,500) 
($414,500) 
($3,020) 
Projections 
2010-11 
($414,500) 
($414,500) 
($3,020) 
The amendment retains the need for an Other Special Revenue Funds allocation to the Legislature of $2,520 in fiscal 
year 2008-09 for the per diem and expenses of legislators in the event grant funding or other funds are received to 
support the Maine Children's Growth Council. 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
This fiscal note reflects the incremental fiscal impact of this amendment. 
This amendment removes all provisions of the bill that required funding from the Fund for a Healthy Maine and 
removes all Fund for a Healthy Maine allocations included accordingly. The amendment retains the need for a base 
allocation of $500 in 2008-09 in the event that funds are received to fund the work of the newly created Maine 
Children's Growth Council. 
LR3623(OS) - Fiscal Notc - Page I of I