Wyoming first children's finance authority-2.

WORKING DRAFT
2009
STATE OF
WYOMING
09LSO-0649

HOUSE BILL
NO.
HB0303

Wyoming
first children's finance authority-2.

Sponsored by:

Representative(s) Wallis

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to
the administration of government; establishing a program to promote child care and early childhood education; providing for business and financial services to child care and early childhood education providers; providing for administration of the program; providing rulemaking authority; requiring report
s
;
authorizing the transfer of funds from the business ready community account to the department of workforce services;

and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of
Wyoming
:

Section 1.

W.S. 9
‑
2
‑
2608 and 9
‑
2
‑
2609 are created to read:

9
‑
2
‑
26
0
8
.

Wyoming

first children's finance
program; purpose; definitions.

(a)

The legis
lature finds and declares that:

(i)

There is in
Wyoming
, a critical
need
f
or quality and affordable child care and early childhood education
;

(ii)

It is in the public interest of the citizens of
Wyoming
to
enhance and expand child care and early childhood education in order to promote quality and affordable child care and early childhood development of the children of
Wyoming
;

(iii)

It is the purpose of this article to
enhance and expand child care and early childhood education, to encourage private investment in child care and early childhood education, to increase the availability and affordability of quality child care and early childhood education throughout Wyoming and to provide for cooperation between home
-based, school-
based
and
preschool programs and the department
;

(iv)

This article constitutes a valid public purpose, of primary benefit to all citizens of the state of
Wyoming
.

(b)

As used in this article:

(i)

"Contractor" means the nonprofit organization contracting with the department to provide assistance with child

care and early childhood education development;

(ii)

"Department" means the department of workforce services;

(
i
ii
)

"
Financial assistance" means the
resources to expand or start child care and early education businesses to improve the quality of facilities, facility additions, remodeling and upgrades, the purchase of

supplies and equipment, the fulfillment of licensing requirements and the provision of technical assistance related to helping manage cash flow
to
strengthen and grow
providers
;

(
i
v
)

"
Program" means the
Wyoming
first children's finance program
;

(v)

"Provider" means a child care or early childhood
education facility or business.

9
‑
2
‑
26
0
9
.

Wyoming

first children's finance
program; creation; rulemaking.

(a)

The
department
shall establish and administer a
Wyoming

first children's finance
program as provided by this
section and W.S. 9
‑
2
‑
2608
.
The department may
promulgate rules and
regulations necessary for the implementation of this program.

(b)

The purpose of this program is to:

(i)

Increase availability of quality, affordable child care and early childhood education throughout
Wyoming
;

(i
i
)

Provide business planning assistance to providers;

(
iii
)

Provide
financial
assistance and support
to enhance and expand providers; and

(iv)

Encourage private investment in quality providers.

(
c
)

The department
shall
contract
with any contractor
in accordance with the purposes of this
section
.
The contractor shall have demonstrated the ability to analyze financing projects, have knowledge of other sources of public and private financing for child care and early childhood education providers, have a relationship with regional resource and referral programs and have knowledge about child care and early childhood education, development, improvement and financing. The contractor shall provide nonstate funds to be used as a revolving loan fund accessible to
Wyoming
providers of not less than five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000.00).

(d)

T
he department may enter into an a
greement with the Wyoming e
arly
c
hildhood
p
artnership to provide advice and make recommendations to the contractor to help connect the contractor and providers with available resources and to ensure the alignment and integration of child care and early childhood education programs with othe
r related services in Wyoming.

(
e
)

The contractor shall submit an annual report to the department, on or before
September
1, beginning in 2010. The
d
epartment shall
submit
the report to the joint minerals, business and economic development interim committee, the joint appropriations
interim
committee and the governor’s office
on or before October 1 of each year
. The report shall include:

(
i
)

A summary of financial assistance provided including the number
of child care business
es
assisted
and the increased numbe
r of child care
positions
available;

(ii
)

Any recommendations for programs to provide for future investments for business planning assistance to providers that
are
in a growth mode and
are
commi
t
te
d
to quality improvements;

(
iii)

Any recommendations for statutory changes;

(
iv
)

Any additional information required by the department to ensure compliance with this article.

Section 2.

W.S. 9
‑
2
‑
2601(g)(v) and (vi) and by creating a new paragraph (vii)
is
amended to read:

9
‑
2
‑
2601.

Department of workforce services; duties and responsibilities; agreements with other agencies authorized; definition.

(g)

The department shall take appropriate steps to:

(v)

Conduct and publish results of investigations and research studies;

and

(vi)

Assist the
Wyoming
workforce development council and the state youth council in pursuing their missions and goals
;
.

and

(vii)

Encourage and stimulate private sector involvement, support and funding for the program.

Section 3.

There is
appropriated

five hundred thousand dollars
(
$5
00
,000.00
)
to
the
Wyoming
department of workforce services
from general fund appropriations made to the business ready community program pursuant to 2008 Wyoming Session Laws, Chapter 48, Section 2, Section 085
. This
appropriation
shall be for the period beginning with the effective date of this act and ending June 30, 2010.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, this
transfer
shall not be transferred or expended for any other purpose and any unexpended, unobligated funds remaining from this appropriation shall revert as provided by law on
June 30, 2010.

This
appropriation
shall only be expended for
administration and contract services to
enhanc
e and expand
child care and early childhood education facilities or businesses
in
Wyoming
.

Section 4.

This act is effective immediately upon co
m
pletion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming Constit
u
tion.

(END)

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HB0303