CA AB 563

Title: Childcare: strategic planning councils.
Author: Corey A. Jackson

Summary
AB 563, as introduced, Jackson. Childcare: strategic planning councils. Existing law requires the county board of supervisors and the county superintendent of schools to select members for the local childcare and development planning council, known as a local planning council, for that county. Existing law provides requirements for the makeup of a local planning council. Existing law requires a local planning council, by May 30 of each year, and upon approval by the county board of supervisors and the county superintendent of schools, to submit to the State Department of Education the local priorities it has identified that reflect all childcare needs in the county, and requires the local planning council, in order to identify those local priorities, to do certain things, including, among others, encourage public input in the development of the priorities, collaborate with specified entities to foster partnerships designed to meet local childcare needs, and conduct an assessment of childcare needs in the county at least once every 5 years. Existing law defines “childcare” for purposes of these provisions to mean all licensed childcare and development services and license-exempt childcare for all children up to and including 12 years of age, as provided.This bill would rename “local planning council” to “strategic planning council” and would revise the definition of “childcare” to include early childhood education services. The bill would revise the makeup requirements for strategic planning councils, as provided. The bill would authorize a county board of supervisors and a county superintendent of schools to merge the strategic planning council with the Quality Rating and Improvement System local consortia or with another strategic planning council in a contiguous county under certain conditions, as provided. The bill would repeal all of the requirements imposed on strategic planning councils in order for the strategic planning council to identify local priorities, except those listed above, as provided. The bill would require the needs assessment to be due by May 30 of each year in which it is due, and would require a strategic planning council, beginning in 2027, to use the needs assessment template developed by the department in collaboration with the strategic planning councils. The bill would require specified state and local entities to provide to the department the information necessary for a strategic planning council to complete the needs assessment, and would require the department to share data and information necessary to complete the needs assessment with strategic planning councils and counties implementing individualized county childcare subsidy plans.The bill would require a strategic planning council, on or before March 30, 2027, and every 3 years thereafter, to develop and submit to the county board of supervisors and the county board of education a strategic plan and investment priorities, and would require the strategic plan to address facility needs, workforce needs, family access, and quality and transition planning, as provided. The bill would require the county board of supervisors and the county board of education to hold public hearings on the proposed strategic plan and investment priorities at a regularly scheduled meeting. The bill would require a strategic planning council, at least twice each year, to convene a forum for stakeholders to provide input to and receive updates from the Quality Rating and Improvement System local consortium. The bill would require a strategic planning council to work with the county office of education, special education local plan areas, and the school districts and regional centers in the county to facilitate the transition of children with exceptional needs into the K–12 system. By imposing new duties on strategic planning councils and specified local entities, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would provide that the operation of these

Status
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on ED. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (April 8).

Bill Documents
CA AB 563 - 02/12/25 - Introduced
02/12/25 - CA AB 563 (02/12/25 - Introduced)