Committee Meeting Information

April 28, 2006

Oil and Gas Commission (2211 King Blvd)

Casper, Wyoming

 

Committee Members Present

Senator Charles Scott, Co-Chairman

Representative Elaine Harvey, Co-Chairman

Senator Mike Massie

Senator Kathryn Sessions

Representative Rosie Berger

Representative Edward Buchanan

 

 

Committee Members Absent

Senator Tony Ross

Representative Debbie Hammons

 

Legislative Service Office Staff

Joseph A. Rodriguez, Staff Attorney

 

Others Present at Meeting

Please refer to Appendix 1 to review the Committee Sign-in Sheet
for a list of other individuals who attended the meeting.

Call To Order

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.

 

Remarks from the Co-Chairs

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.

 

Review of HEA 53

 

Discussion of Floor Debate

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.   

 

Identifying strengths and weaknesses of the act

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.  

 

Public Comment

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. 

 

Work Session with Governor’s Task Force

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.

 

Additional Public Comment

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. 

 

Discussion of implementation of the legislation with task force

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 1^st.  The draft plan for the system should be done by September 30.  Will need to meet in July, October and early November. 

 

Committee Directives and prioritizing items for the interim

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.

 

Meeting Adjournment

There being no further business, Co-Chairman Harvey adjourned the meeting at 1:22 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

Representative Harvey, Co-Chairman