An Act To Ensure the Success of All Maine Families through Early Care and Education
Maine Legislature, Session 123, LD 0755
Committee Amendment CA_A_H216 (House)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A " to H.P. 576, L.D. 755, Bill, "An Act To 
Ensure the Success of All Maine Families through Early Care and Education" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'Resolve, To Create the Commission To Develop a Strategic Priorities Plan 
for Maine's Young Children' 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the title and before the summary and 
inserting the following: 
'Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and 
Whereas, there have been reports and efforts highlighting the importance of early 
child care and education in Maine since the mid-1990s; and 
Whereas, strong scientific evidence supports the conclusion that 90% of brain 
development occurs before 5 years of age; and 
Whereas, the "Start ME Right," "Invest in ME Now!" and other initiatives have 
come before the Legislature in various bills and fonnats; and 
Whereas, State Government faces serious fiscal challenges that require difficult 
choices to establish spending priorities; and 
Whereas, a strategic investment plan is needed and must be initiated before the 90-
day period expires in order that the plan may be completed and a report submitted in time 
for submission to the next legislative session; and 
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within 
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as 
immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, 
therefore, be it 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 576, L.D. 755 
Sec. 1. Commission established. Resolved: That the Commission to Develop a 
Strategic Priorities Plan for Maine's Young Children, referred to in this resolve as "the 
commission," is established; and be it further 
Sec. 2. Commission membership. Resolved: That the commission consists of 
members appointed as follows: 
1. Three members of the Senate including 2 members from the majority party and 
one member from the minority party, appointed by the President of the Senate, one of 
whom serves on the Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human Services, one of 
whom serves on the Joint Standing Committee on Taxation and one of whom serves on 
the Joint Standing Committee on Business, Research and Economic Development; 
2. Five members of the House of Representatives, including 3 members from the 
majority party and 2 members from the minority party, appointed by the Speaker of the 
House, one of whom has significant experience working on public policy issues affecting 
children, one of whom serves on the Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human 
Services, one of whom serves on the Joint Standing Committee on Education and 
Cultural Affairs, one of whom serves on the Joint Standing Committee on Taxation and 
one of whom serves on the Joint Standing Committee on Business, Research and 
Economic Development; 
3. 
One member representing a business that offers a comprehensive child care 
benefit and who has focused on the interaction between early care and education and 
economic development, appointed by the Speaker of the House; 
4. One member representing organized labor with an expertise in early child care and 
education and an understanding of its relationship to opportunities for women and 
families, appointed by the Speaker of the House; 
5. One member representing academia, business or a public policy organization with 
experience as an actuary or economist who has analyzed the interactions between 
economic development, early care and education and early child brain development, 
appointed by the President of the Senate; 
6. One member representing child care providers or early child care and education, 
appointed by the President of the Senate; and 
7. The Attorney General or the Attorney General's designee; and be it further 
Sec. 3. Chairs. Resolved: That the first-named Senate member is the Senate 
chair of the commission, and the first-named House of Representatives member is the 
House chair of the commission; and be it further 
Sec. 4. 
Appointments; convening of commission. 
Resolved: 
That all 
appointments must be made no later than 30 days following the effective date of this 
resolve. The appointing authorities shall notify the Executive Director of the Legislative 
Council once all appointments have been completed. Within 15 days after appointment 
of all members, the chairs shall call and convene the first meeting of the commission, 
which must be no later than September I, 2007; and be it further 
Sec. 5. Duties. Resolved: That the commission shall: 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT #. to H.P. 576, L.D. 755 
1. Work with experts in the field and the Joint Standing Committee on Education and 
Cultural Affairs to evaluate information from existing early childhood task forces, reports 
and scientific data on brain development; 
2. IdentifY the current and future economic needs of employers and parents and the 
links to early child care and education; 
3. Hold necessary meetings involving parents, providers of all levels of child care, 
representatives of business, health experts and economists; 
4. Evaluate and review best practices related to parenting education, parent coaching 
and home visit programs in consultation with the Maine Children's Trust or its designee; 
5. 
Examine the multiple levels of relationship between early childhood brain 
development and the needs of parents and employers; 
6. Take into account the need for the State to receive its best return on the investment 
of tax dollars; 
7. Consult with people involved in the initiatives "Start ME Right" and "Invest in 
ME Now!"; and 
8. Consider the recommendations from the Task Force on Early Childhood and from 
the report entitled "Invest Early in Maine: A Working Plan for Humane Early Childhood 
Systems"; and be it further 
Sec. 6. Investment strategy and plan. Resolved: That the commission shall, 
by taking findings from the activities under section 5 into account, recommend a 
comprehensive 3-year investment strategy and plan that will identifY: 
1. The amount of the investment each year; 
2. The prioritization of programs, both new and existing, to be invested in; 
3. The expected outcomes for children and the economy; 
4. A timeline for those outcomes; and 
5. Funding sources, including, but not limited to, current resources that need to be 
shifted, new funds and alternate funding sources that are needed; and be it further 
Sec. 7. Staff assistance. Resolved: That the Legislative Council shall provide 
necessary staffing services to the commission; and be it further 
Sec. 8. 
Compensation. 
Resolved: 
That the legislative members of the 
commission are entitled to receive the legislative per diem, as defined in the Maine 
Revised Statutes, Title 3, section 2, and reimbursement for travel and other necessary 
expenses related to their attendance at authorized meetings of the commission. Public 
members not otherwise compensated by their employers or other entities that they 
represent are entitled to receive reimbursement of necessary expenses and, upon a 
demonstration of financial hardship, a per diem equal to the legislative per diem for their 
attendance at authorized meetings of the commission; and be it further 
Sec. 9. Strategic investment plan. Resolved: That, no later than December 1, 
2007, the commission shall submit a report that includes its strategic investment plan, 
including suggested legislation, for presentation to the Joint Standing Committee on 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITIEE AMENDMENT ~. 
to H.P. 576, L.D. 755 
Health and Human Services, the Joint Standing Committee on Business, Research and 
Economic Development, the Joint Standing Committee on Taxation, the Joint Standing 
Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs and the Joint Standing Committee on 
Appropriations and Financial Affairs, as well as to the Legislative Council. 
The 
commission is not authorized to introduce legislation. Following receipt and review of 
the report, the Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human Services may submit a 
bill to the Second Regular Session of the 123rd Legislature; and be it further 
Sec. 10. Extension. Resolved: 
That, if the commission requires a limited 
extension of time to complete its study and make its report, it may apply to the_ 
Legislative Council, which may grant an extension; and be it further 
Sec. 11. Commission budget. Resolved: That the chairs of the commission, 
with assistance from staff, shall administer the commission's budget. Within 10 days after 
its first meeting, the commission shall present a work plan and proposed budget to the 
Legislative Council for its approval. The commission may not incur expenses that would 
result in exceeding the approved budget. 
Upon request from the commission, the 
Executive Director of the Legislative Council shall promptly provide the commission 
chairs and staff with a status report on the commission budget, expenditures incurred and 
paid and available funds. 
Emergency clause. 
In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this 
legislation takes effect when approved.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment changes the legislation from an act to a resolve, changes the title and 
makes the resolve emergency legislation. It establishes a I3-member commission that 
includes 8 Legislators and 3 members of the public representing business, organized labor 
and child care providers and a 4th public representative with experience as an actuary or 
economist who has analyzed the relationship between early childhood development and 
economic development. The commission is charged with: working with experts on the 
Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs to evaluate existing 
information from task forces, reports and other scientific data on early childhood and 
brain development; identifYing the current and future economic needs of employers and 
parents and the links to early child care and education; involving parents, providers of all 
levels of child care, representatives of business, health experts and economists; evaluating 
and reviewing, in consultation with the Maine Children's Trust, best practices related to 
parenting education, coaching and home visit programs; examining the mUltiple levels of 
relationship between early childhood brain development and the needs of parents and 
employers; considering the need for the State to receive its best return on the investment 
of tax dollars; consulting with people involved in the initiatives "Start ME Right" and 
"Invest in ME Now!"; and considering the recommendations from the Task Force on 
Early Childhood and from the report entitled "Invest Early in Maine: A Working Plan for 
Humane Early Childhood Systems." The commission is charged with considering all of 
this information and developing a 3-year investment strategy that will identify the amount 
of the investment each year; prioritize programs, both new and existing, to be invested in; 
identify expected outcomes for children and the economy; develop a timeline for those 
outcomes; and identify funding sources, including, but not limited to, current resources 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMIITEE AMENDMENT ~ 
" to H.P. 576, L.D. 755 
that need to be shifted, new funds and alternate funding sources that are needed. The 
commission shall provide a report to the Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human 
Services, the Joint Standing Committee on Business, Research and Economic 
Development, the Joint Standing Committee on Taxation, the Joint Standing Committee 
on Education and Cultural Affairs and the Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations 
and Financial Affairs; as well as to the Legislative Council. The commission is not 
authorized to introduce legislation. Following receipt and review of the report, the Joint 
Standing Committee on Health and Human Services may submit a bill to the Second 
Regular Session of the I23rd Legislature. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 05104/07 ?H'ac:. 
LD755 
LR 1126(02) 
An Act To Ensure the Success of All Maine Families through Early Care and Education 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment .. fo .. 
Legislative Cost/Study 
Committee: Health and Human Services 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Legislative Cost/Study 
Minor cost increase - General Fund 
Minor cost increase - Other Special Revenue Funds 
The general operating expenses of the Early Childhood Priorities Commission are projected to be $5,380 in fiscal yea! 
2007-08. The Legislature's proposed budget includes $30,000 in fiscal year 2007-08 for legislative studies. Whether 
the amount is sufficient to fund all studies will depend on the number of studies authorized by the Legislative Council 
and the Legislature. The additional costs associated with providing staffing assistance to the commission during the 
interim between legislative sessions can be absorbed by the Legislature utilizing existing budgeted resources. 
LRl126(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of I