2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE EIGHT - Public Welfare and Charitable Institutions (§§ 1 — 1422) › Chapter 22 - Act For The Development And Implementation Of The Public Policy On Early Childhood In Puerto Rico (§§ 391 — 398) › § 396 - Multi-Sector Council—Creation

The Governor’s Multi-Sector Council on Early Childhood is hereby created, in order to have a collaborative structure that fosters a unified vision and the coherent, coordinated and efficient rendering of services to children and their families by all agencies of the Executive Branch, together with the municipal governments and that provides support and advice to the Governor when implementing and developing the Public Policy on Early Childhood.
The Multi-Sector Council shall be the main integrative entity in terms of the vision of the Executive and the system of services rendered to children in their early childhood and their families. This Council shall unify the main Commonwealth officials and key interested parties into a common agenda for children in their early childhood.
(a) The general objectives of the Multi-Sector Council shall be the following:
(1) Developing and implementing a unified vision and strategies to foster and facilitate the well-being, the protection and the integrated development of children.
(2) Establishing a comprehensive and lasting commitment with children in their early childhood.
(3) Fostering a sustained economic development by means of a significant investment in the workforce of the future.
(4) Creating a system of comprehensive, coordinated and high-quality services for children in their early childhood and their families.
(5) Creating cost-efficient strategies that improve the rendering of services and enhance their efficiency.
(6) Supporting and facilitating the hiring, development and retention of professionals that work with children in their early childhood.
(b) The Multi-Sector Council shall be attached to the Office of the Governor and shall answer to him/her in the discharge of its functions, pursuant to the strategic plan established by the Council for the implementation of this chapter.
(c) Multi-Sector Council shall be composed of eighteen (18) members maximum and shall be constituted by representatives of the government sector and the civil society. The representatives of the Commonwealth Government sector shall be: the Secretary of the Family, the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of Health, the Secretary of Sports and Recreation, and the Executive Director of the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture. Furthermore, the Police Superintendent and the Director of the Planning Board shall be invited to join the Council. The municipal government sector shall be represented by one (1) representative from the Mayors’ Association and one (1) representative from the Mayors’ Federation.
Each Commonwealth agency represented in the Multi-Sector Council shall appoint an individual who shall serve as key contact. Agencies may assign additional personnel, if necessary, to implement the endeavor entrusted to the Council.
The civil society shall be represented by nine (9) persons from the following sectors: the philanthropic community, commerce or industry and banking sector in Puerto Rico, nonprofit or community-based nongovernmental organizations, professional organizations, academia, and the citizenry. Specifically, the Multi-Sector Council shall be composed by: one (1) representative with experience and knowledge in philanthropic matters; one (1) representative from the commercial or industrial sector in Puerto Rico; one (1) representative from the banking sector; two (2) members representing the postsecondary education sector in Puerto Rico; and four (4) representatives with leadership and experience in early childhood programs.
Council representatives shall be active members of the organization that they represent. Organizations may replace their representative on one or more of the following grounds: resignation, death, permanent disability, conflict of interests, questionable reputation, or other circumstances which the organization members believe will prevent the exercise of this representation from serving their best interests.
(d) The members representing each civil society organization shall be subject to nomination by the Governor and be selected by the affirmative vote of the members of each organization [and] certified through a corporate resolution.
(e) Representatives of interested civil society sectors shall hold office for a term of six (6) consecutive years or until their successors are appointed and take office.
(f) The Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or his/her authorized representative shall call the meetings of the Multi-sector Council and preside over the same.
(g) The Council shall meet at least twice every three (3) months. The Governor may summon to other meetings after giving notice with not less than seven (7) calendar days in advance. Quorum shall be deemed to be established when there is attendance by the majority (defined as half plus [sic]) of Council members. In all decisions made by the Council, there shall be a quorum established, and decisions shall be approved by the affirmative vote of the majority of members present. Due to the importance of the meetings, the Council shall ensure that all necessary efforts have been exhausted to adequately summon all its members, including, if necessary, duly providing transportation to representatives of the organizations that render early childhood services, who have been nominated by the services organizations.
(h) The Council may invite to its meetings and proceedings representatives from agencies and instrumentalities of the Government of Puerto Rico, as well as nonprofit and faith-based private and community institutions, any representative from the private sector, and representatives from universities and institutions devoted to providing early childhood services, with the purpose of enriching the proceedings of the Council.
History —June 18, 2008, No. 93, § 7.