April 28, 2006
Oil and Gas Commission (2211 King Blvd)
Casper, Wyoming
Senator Charles Scott, Co-Chairman
Representative Elaine Harvey, Co-Chairman
Senator Mike Massie
Senator Kathryn Sessions
Representative Rosie Berger
Representative Edward Buchanan
Senator Tony Ross
Representative Debbie Hammons
Joseph A. Rodriguez, Staff Attorney
Please refer to
Appendix 1 to review the Committee Sign-in Sheet
for a list of other individuals who attended the meeting.
Co-Chairman
Harvey called the meeting to order at 9:14 a.m.. The following sections summarize the Committee proceedings by
topic. Please refer to Appendix 2 to
review the Committee Meeting Agenda.
Representative
Harvey, Co-chair, indicated that the committee has a monumental task ahead of
it
Senator
Scott, Co-chair, indicated that the beginning of the meeting would be a
discussion of what happened in the legislature and why. He also introduced his guest, Tara Gadgil, a
Harvard student doing her thesis on legislative process.
Director
Emmons was asked to introduce the members of the task force that were in
attendance. Those members in attendance
were Deanna Frey of the Wyoming Children's Action Alliance, Becky Vandeberghe
of WyWatch, Sue Bacon, Department of Family Services, Bev Campbell of the
Department of Family Services, Glenna Campagnaro of the Department of Workforce
Services. Director Emmons also listed
those members of the task force that were appointed but were not in attendance.
The
initial genesis of the bill came from Department of Family Services. A legislative subcommittee was formed to
refine the legislation. The
subcommittee worked on the bill from the fall of 2005 through December of
2005. There were a number of
amendments made to the bill while it was being debated in the House and the
Senate. The bill was referred to
conference committee. The conference
committee passed HEA 53, see Appendix 3.
The
Children and Families Initiative identified Quality child care was the number
one (1) issue around the State of Wyoming .
Several issues were identified during the debate on the bill:
The cost of the
legislation was an issue.
The legislature was
concerned about the constitutionality of the bill.
This legislation
potentially could subsidize the child care industry for the
rich.
Concern was expressed
with the list of "at risk" factors contained within the
legislation invading people's privacy and lives.
The committee and the
task force will have to define "at risk" and not to create
incentives to allow child care facilities to discriminate against "at
risk" kids.
The task
force is to consider:
various formulas for
funding
Complete a statewide
assessment of available child care.
The committee would
like specific details regarding the quality rating system.
The professional
development piece needs to be defined
The choices of parents
need to be respected and must be a way of assisting parents for those who
want to take advantage of the system.
This as a large top
down government subsidy program for child care.
There were concerns
regarding availability of care. This is part of the prevention strategy
that the legislature has to keep children out of trouble before they are
involved with other state agencies, i.e.…courts and corrections. Money
spent on this end will save money in the future
Improve reimbursement
strategies so that you get more workers in the field and therefore
more availability. The program
must be open to all child care providers including one person operations
caring for just a couple of children.
Need to work on
licensure of more facilities.
Grievance committee as
part of bill.
The committee wants the
task force to provide them with the approximate numbers of possible day
care providers that would go into training and child care centers that
will actually try to raise their ratings.
Representative
Brechtal commented that the only hope for moving forward is thoughtful
consideration how we might in any possible way limit government involvement in
families. He has a number of concerns
one red flag is cost. The committee
needs to take the money and target individuals rather than growing state
government.
The
availability of child care is a critical issue in workforce development. The Task force has had one meeting. See Appendix four (4) for a list of task
force members. The task force will send
a letter out to all child care providers to join the work/advisory group which
will work primarily on the quality rating system. Recommendation will be made back to the task force then to the
committee. The task force is in the
process of contracting with two coordinators the cost of which will be paid for
by workforce services. T hey will be
specifically for coordinating meetings and doing research. The task force
provided the committee with Appendix five (5) regarding the needs
assessment. In regard to the needs
assessment the task force views it as two different components – quality and
quantity of child care. They must do a
quality assessment and a quantity or availability assessment
The Task
Force was asked to assess the affordability of various costs regarding child
care. The task force will be doing outreach and education in the
communities. Getting enough workers in
child care industry may cause some difficulty in many communities. Local businesses in the counties will be
part of the needs assessment. The task force will talk about adding a parent
piece to the assessment. On the DWS
website a specific area will be set aside to get the message out and receive
comments regarding the process. In
regard to the quality assessment piece the task force is looking for a
standardized measuring device to assess quality of child care out there
today. The task force will establish a
baseline and look at the aggregate and not individuals.
The
assessment is not designed to correlate with the rating system that is part of
the legislation. The assessment is to
provide a benchmark. Question as to
whether the committee is set on the five levels contained within the
legislation. Committee indicated the current legislation provides great license
to explore alternative means. There
has also been a suggestion of adding consumer rating in addition to the
government rating The task force was referred to LSO and NCSL for information
on what other states are doing in regard to a quality rating system. Rating system must come from, or be based on
a credible source.
Sheryl
Schmidt representing the Homeschoolers of Wyoming is against vouchers in the
educational setting but unsure in the realm of daycare. Scholarships may be more appropriate. Some people prefer small daycares but a lot
of insurers won't insure homeowners who provide child care services in the
home.
Scott
Brown, Big Horn County. He wants to
reintroduce prayer into school, teach Ten Commandments in schools, and teach morality to be passed
generation to generation. Parent's
responsibility not the responsibility of the state to take care of
children. Unwed mothers should not be
rewarded.
Becky
Vandeberghe, task force member, cited a
couple of studies showing the children in day care are "at risk" for
more aggressive behavior which leads to more children in prison when they are adults. Concerned that we are headed towards
textbook socialism.
Tara Gadgil, her comments were directed to workforce services. She worked in child care facilities in Texas. Liked developmental preschool language in the bill. Need to develop age appropriate curriculum.
The
committee responsibility is to oversee task force. Need to research and review other means of implementing quality
child care system. The committee will
need to oversee constitutionality of program; receive recommendations of task
force and develop specific legislation
Timeline: The committee must report to the Joint
Labor, Health & Social Services Committee, JAC and JEC by November 1st. The draft plan for the system should be done
by September 30. Will need to meet in
July, October and early November.
Co-chair
Scott moved to not have the committee consider voucher system as a general
means of compensation for quality child care.
Senators Massie and Sessions seconded.
This is general and would not preclude a voucher for "at risk"
population. A vote having been taken
the motion passed.
Co-Chair
Scott moved to ask the task force to look at sliding fee scale where parents
will bear some or all of the cost of the program. Representative Berger seconded the motion. A vote having been taken the motion passed.
Co-Chair
Scott moved to ask the committee to look at insurance provisions of child care
particularly in the home setting with small numbers in regard to babysitting
scenario and small in home daycare.
Motion second by Senator Sessions, a vote having been taken the motion
passed.
There being no further business, Co-Chairman Harvey adjourned the meeting at 1:22 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Representative Harvey, Co-Chairman