Senate adopts amendment to SB19 to phase transitions of early childhood governance
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Summary
Senate Bill 19, which aligns early childhood councils and local coordinating organizations, received an amendment (L7) to provide transition periods for counties where structures differ; amendment L7 passed and the bill was advanced to the calendar for third reading.
Senate Bill 19, brought forward as changes to local early childhood infrastructure and the responsibilities of early childhood councils, was considered in the Committee of the Whole on Feb. 11. Sponsors described the measure as an effort to consolidate overlapping entities and create administrative efficiencies where local coordinating organizations and early childhood councils are effectively the same in most counties.
Senator Ball and Senator Baulk described the bill and explained that stakeholders and the department have advocated for combining the two entities where that alignment already exists. An amendment labeled 'L7' was introduced to create a transition period for the three counties where the two entities are not currently the same, giving those areas time to move to a consolidated structure rather than implementing immediate change.
The amendment L7 was moved, the body voted and the amendment was adopted. After further procedural action the Committee of the Whole rose and reported the bill as amended; the committee report was adopted (33-0, 2 excused), and SB19 as amended was ordered engrossed and placed on the calendar for third reading and final passage.
Senator Bassley stated opposition to government involvement in early childhood programs and referenced past ballot action (Measure EE) as part of his rationale for opposing the measure; his remarks were recorded in the debate but did not prevent the amendment or the bill from advancing.