BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 823
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GOVERNOR'S VETO
AB 823 (Dickinson)
As Amended June 13, 2012
2/3 vote
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|ASSEMBLY: |52-24|(June 1, 2011) |SENATE: |23-13|(August 23, |
| | | | | |2012) |
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|ASSEMBLY: |53-27|(August 29, | | | |
| | |2012) | | | |
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Original Committee Reference: HUM. S.
SUMMARY : Establishes the Children's Coordinating Council of
California until January 1, 2019. Specifically, this bill :
1)Requires that the State Superintendent of Public Instruction
and the Secretary of Health and Human Services serve as
co-chairs of the council.
2)Specifies the membership of the council, which will include:
a) Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court or his or
her designee;
b) Secretary of the Department of Corrections and
Rehabilitation;
c) Director of Social Services;
d) Director of Health Care Services;
e) State Public Health Officer;
f) Director of Mental Health;
g) Director of Alcohol and Drug Programs;
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h) Director of Developmental Services;
i) Director of Child Support Services;
j) Two members of the Assembly and the Senate respectively;
and,
aa) Additional members as appointed by the Governor.
3)Requires the council to make recommendations to the Governor
and Legislature on ways to improve the delivery of services to
children, youth and their families, including, but not limited
to a report to the Governor and Legislature by October 31 of
each odd numbered year.
4)Requires that staffing of the council be a shared
responsibility between the co-chairs and that the council be
implemented only to the extent that non-state funds are
available.
5)Allows the Bureau of State Audits to conduct a performance
audit of the council and to report its findings to the council
and the Legislature by January 1, 2018.
6)Precludes the establishment of the council until the
Department of Finance (DOF) determines there are sufficient
funds to administer the council, based upon estimates
developed by the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI)
and the Secretary of California Health and Human Services
(HHS) Agency.
7)Sunsets the council on January 1, 2019.
The Senate amendments :
1)Recast the California Children's Cabinet as the California
Children's Coordinating Council.
2)Add the Director of Health Care Services and Attorney General
as members of the council.
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3)Clarify additional Gubernatorial appointments.
4)Require the council to annually report on its work every odd
numbered year rather than every even numbered year.
5)Preclude the council from being established until DOF
determines there are sufficient funds to administer the
council, based upon estimates developed by the SPI and the
California Secretary of HHS.
AS PASSED BY THE ASSEMBLY, this bill:
1)Established the California Children's Cabinet to improve the
delivery of services for children, youth and their families,
as specified, to be funded by private funds as available.
2)Required the Cabinet to provide a report every even numbered
year on its work to the Legislature.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Senate Appropriations
Committee, the cost of administering the work of the council
would present a substantial ongoing cost pressure, including
workload associated with staffing the Children's Cabinet and
producing the required report.
COMMENTS :
Need for this bill : According to the author, California's
budget crisis and proposed realignment creates an imperative for
better coordination and delivery of services, streamlining and
maximization of federal funding to ensure the well-being of
children.
Children's Cabinet Model : The Forum for Youth Investment (FYI)
describes children's cabinets, councils and commissions as
cross-agency coordinating bodies established through legislation
or executive order to change the fragmented and ineffective ways
states often do business for children and youth. According to
FYI, children's cabinets are "typically made up of heads of
government agencies with child and youth-serving programs, who
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meet on a regular basis with the collective goal of coordinating
services, developing a common set of outcomes and
collaboratively deciding upon and implementing plans to foster
the well-being of young people."
Currently, Children's Cabinets are found in approximately 20
states across the country. The National Governors Association
considers the establishment of a Children's Cabinet a best
practice, and sets forth several guiding principles for the
creation of a children's cabinet, based on the experience of
other states.
The Children's Cabinet concept was one of 10 priority
recommendations for lawmakers by the bill's sponsor, Children
Now, in its report California Report Card 2011: Setting the
Agenda for Children. Children Now claims that states with
Children's Cabinets are more likely to win federal "Race to the
Top" education funding, which have helped to identify
underperforming government programs and redirect those funds to
more efficient programs, and have improved school readiness.
GOVERNOR'S VETO MESSAGE :
This bill establishes a "Children's Coordinating
Council," consisting of members of government, to
advise itself on how it can improve collaboration
amongst itself when it comes to delivering services
to the children of this state.
For almost two years now, my administration has
worked to eliminate unnecessary boards, commissions,
advisory bodies, and reports, so that government is
not so overloaded with the work of form over the
work of function.
I commend the author's heartfelt desire to improve
the lot of all children in the state, but the
creation of another Council is not the solution. If
anything, it lulls us into the fallacy that forms
can solve our problems. Instead, let's try to be
honest and thoughtful about the good we can do, and
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then do the good- without the statutory decree, not
because of it.
Analysis Prepared by : Chris Reefe / HUM. S. / (916) 319-2089
FN: 0005919