210.102. Service commission's powers and duties--coordinating board for early childhood established, members, powers.

MISSOURI STATUTES AND CODES

210.102. Service commission's powers and duties--coordinating board for early childhood established, members, powers.

Service commission's powers and duties--coordinating board forearly childhood established, members, powers.

210.102. 1. It shall be the duty of the Missouri children's servicescommission to:

(1) Make recommendations which will encourage greater interagencycoordination, cooperation, more effective utilization of existing resourcesand less duplication of effort in activities of state agencies which affectthe legal rights and well-being of children in Missouri;

(2) Develop an integrated state plan for the care provided tochildren in this state through state programs;

(3) Develop a plan to improve the quality of children's programsstatewide. Such plan shall include, but not be limited to:

(a) Methods for promoting geographic availability and financialaccessibility for all children and families in need of such services;

(b) Program recommendations for children's services which includechild development, education, supervision, health and social services;

(4) Design and implement evaluation of the activities of thecommission in fulfilling the duties as set out in this section;

(5) Report annually to the governor with five copies each to thehouse of representatives and senate about its activities including, but notlimited to the following:

(a) A general description of the activities pertaining to children ofeach state agency having a member on the commission;

(b) A general description of the plans and goals, as they affectchildren, of each state agency having a member on the commission;

(d) A report from the commission regarding the state of children inMissouri.

2. There is hereby established within the children's servicescommission the "Coordinating Board for Early Childhood", which shallconstitute a body corporate and politic, and shall include but not belimited to the following members:

(1) A representative from the governor's office;

(2) A representative from each of the following departments: healthand senior services, mental health, social services, and elementary andsecondary education;

(3) A representative of the judiciary;

(4) A representative of the family and community trust board (FACT);

(5) A representative from the head start program;

(6) Nine members appointed by the governor with the advice andconsent of the senate who are representatives of the groups, such asbusiness, philanthropy, civic groups, faith-based organizations, parentgroups, advocacy organizations, early childhood service providers, andother stakeholders.

The coordinating board may make all rules it deems necessary to enable itto conduct its meetings, elect its officers, and set the terms and dutiesof its officers. The coordinating board shall elect from amongst itsmembers a chairperson, vice chairperson, a secretary-reporter, and suchother officers as it deems necessary. Members of the board shall servewithout compensation but may be reimbursed for actual expenses necessary tothe performance of their official duties for the board.

3. The coordinating board for early childhood shall have the powerto:

(1) Develop a comprehensive statewide long-range strategic plan for acohesive early childhood system;

(2) Confer with public and private entities for the purpose ofpromoting and improving the development of children from birth through agefive of this state;

(3) Identify legislative recommendations to improve services forchildren from birth through age five;

(4) Promote coordination of existing services and programs acrosspublic and private entities;

(5) Promote research-based approaches to services and ongoing programevaluation;

(6) Identify service gaps and advise public and private entities onmethods to close such gaps;

(7) Apply for and accept gifts, grants, appropriations, loans, orcontributions to the coordinating board for early childhood fund from anysource, public or private, and enter into contracts or other transactionswith any federal or state agency, any private organizations, or any othersource in furtherance of the purpose of subsections 2 and 3 of thissection, and take any and all actions necessary to avail itself of such aidand cooperation;

(8) Direct disbursements from the coordinating board for earlychildhood fund as provided in this section;

(9) Administer the coordinating board for early childhood fund andinvest any portion of the moneys not required for immediate disbursement inobligations of the United States or any agency or instrumentality of theUnited States, in obligations of the state of Missouri and its politicalsubdivisions, in certificates of deposit and time deposits, or otherobligations of banks and savings and loan associations, or in such otherobligations as may be prescribed by the board;

(10) Purchase, receive, take by grant, gift, devise, bequest orotherwise, lease, or otherwise acquire, own, hold, improve, employ, use,and otherwise deal with real or personal property or any interests therein,wherever situated;

(11) Sell, convey, lease, exchange, transfer or otherwise dispose ofall or any of its property or any interest therein, wherever situated;

(12) Employ and fix the compensation of an executive director andsuch other agents or employees as it considers necessary;

(13) Adopt, alter, or repeal by its own bylaws, rules, andregulations governing the manner in which its business may be transacted;

(14) Adopt and use an official seal;

(15) Assess or charge fees as the board determines to be reasonableto carry out its purposes;

(16) Make all expenditures which are incident and necessary to carryout its purposes;

(17) Sue and be sued in its official name;

(18) Take such action, enter into such agreements, and exercise allfunctions necessary or appropriate to carry out the duties and purposes setforth in this section.

4. There is hereby created the "Coordinating Board for EarlyChildhood Fund" which shall consist of the following:

(1) Any moneys appropriated by the general assembly for use by theboard in carrying out the powers set out in subsections 2 and 3 of thissection;

(2) Any moneys received from grants or which are given, donated, orcontributed to the fund from any source;

(3) Any moneys received as fees authorized under subsections 2 and 3of this section;

(4) Any moneys received as interest on deposits or as income onapproved investments of the fund;

(5) Any moneys obtained from any other available source.

Notwithstanding the provisions of section 33.080, RSMo, to the contrary,any moneys remaining in the coordinating board for early childhood fund atthe end of the biennium shall not revert to the credit of the generalrevenue fund.