Wednesday, September 8, 2010

The California State Budget - Update No. 3

The State Level

Today is Day 70 of the fiscal year. This year's stalemate has now passed the second-latest budget previously on the books (Sept. 5 for fiscal year 2002-2003). The record for the latest budget signing stands as Sept. 23 -- when Schwarzenegger signed the spending package for the 2008-2009 fiscal year.
Schwarzenegger and legislative leaders have one more day to meet for more budget negotiations before the governor's departure Thursday for a six-day trade mission in Asia.
Democratic leaders held back yesterday from criticizing the governor for going abroad without a budget in place, pointing out that talks can happen over the telephone while Schwarzenegger is away.
Although there is still no signed budget, there has at least been movement with other legislative bills. The following is a list of child care-related bills that await the Governor’s signature. The Governor has until September 30th to sign them.

AB 2084 (Brownley) - Child day care facilities: Nutrition
Requires a licensed child day care facility to follow specified guidelines relating to the provision of beverages (milk, juice & water). Includes the exclusion of a child, with documentation from a physician, from any of the requirements (e.g., 1% milk or nonfat milk, no beverages with added sweetener) if the child’s health would be adversely affected. Includes new findings and declarations and notes that if a child has a medical necessity for “medical food” documented by a physician or if a parent or guardian provides a beverage then the provider is exempted from the requirements of this bill as it relates to the child/ren involved. Includes definition for healthy beverages and other technical changes. Implementation delayed until January 1, 2012 and then only requires DSS-CCL determination of compliance during regularly scheduled visits.

AMENDED to allow the department to adapt the provisions of the most recent nutrition information available.

SB 1116 (Huff) - Heritage Schools
Defines heritage schools as programs that serve school age children that attend a full-day public or private school and educates children to speak a foreign language and learn about a foreign culture and customs. Heritage schools would be required to comply with fingerprinting and criminal record checks applicable to private schools and to file an affidavit with the Superintendent of Public Instruction. Requires the director of a heritage school to complete at least 15 hours of health and safety training and employees and volunteers to be in good health. It requires notification to parents that the school does not have a child care license. Includes a fee of $100 for initial affidavit filing and for each subsequent filing with of fee of $55 to be deposited in the Heritage Enrichment Resource Fund. Limits the fee for affidavit filing to the cost of the department in administering the program. Changes the filing requirements related to filing date, address requirements and enrollment information and from an affidavit or statement of operation to electronic registration form. Notes that Heritage schools do not satisfy state compulsory education requirements. Notes that Heritage schools shall not employ a person who is prohibited from employment by a public school district due to a crime conviction. Officially exempts a Heritage School from licensure as a child day care facility.

AB222 (Adams) – Ancillary Child Care
As of January 1, 2011 exempts employees under 18 years of age who provide care in an ancillary day care center from the requirement to register as a trustline provider. It would specifically provide that nothing in the trustline provider provisions shall be construed to prevent a person under 18 years of age from being employed in an ancillary day care center. A person who is denied trustline registration or has had registration revoked is ineligible for employment. This bill permits an employee or perspective employee to work pending the review of the trustline application.

SB 1381 (Simitian) - Kindergarten Readiness Pilot Program
Changes the kindergarten and first grade entry age progressively beginning in 2011-12 through 2014-15 back by one month each year. Requires that those children ineligible for kindergarten be admitted to a transitional kindergarten program and included in the calculation of average daily attendance. *Transitional Kindergarten defined as the first year of a two-year kindergarten program maintained by the school district.

*AB 434 (Block) - After School Program: Matching Funds
Authorizes the cost of a program site supervisor selected under the ASES Program Act of 2002 to be included as direct services, provided that at least 85% of the site supervisor’s time is spent at the program site. The site supervisor cost may be include in direct services but doesn’t have to be AB 2178 (Torlakson) - After School Education and Safety Program
To the extent consistent with federal and state privacy laws, would allow school districts to provide After School Education and Safety Programs and 21st Century Community Learning Centers with specified data.

SB 798 (DeSaulnier) - 21st Century Learning Centers
Revises the criteria and priorities for allocating funds as of January 1, 2010. Revises the percentage of funds required to be allocated and establishes per-day rates for the operation of year-round programs, school-year programs and summer or intersession programs. Requires the department to periodically review the appropriateness of percentages for allocation of funds and authorize them to adjust the percentages after consulting the Advisory Committee on Before and After School Programs. Technical changes made.

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