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<article heading="Article 3. Commission on Child Care.">
  <section heading="Sec. 10A-4. Commission on child care.">
    <paragraph indent="1">(a)   Definitions. In this Section, unless the context indicates otherwise:</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="2">(1)   Commission means the Commission on Child Care.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="2">(2)   Child care means caring for a child on a regular basis for pay.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">(b)   Findings and purpose.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="2">(1)   The increasing number of single-parent families and families in which both parents work outside the home has increased dramatically the need for infant, preschool and before- and after-school child care services.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="2">(2)   Parents of all income levels need high-quality, affordable and accessible child care in order to help strengthen families, increase the productivity of the County’s work force, and further many of the County’s economic development and social objectives.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="2">(3)   Montgomery County government has a responsibility to develop a comprehensive package of initiatives and policies designed to help families meet the wide variety of child care needs.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="2">(4)   The purpose of the Commission is to advise the County Executive and the County Council on the development of government policies, programs and services that enhance community support for high-quality, affordable and accessible child care.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">(c)   Membership of Commission.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="2">(1)   The members of the Commission are appointed by the County Executive, subject to confirmation by the County Council.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="2">(2)   The Commission has 17 voting members and 6 to 8 nonvoting members. The County Executive should appoint the voting members so that:</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="3">(A)   Seven members are providers of child care services. The Executive should appoint providers of different types of child care services and providers to different age groups. These include family day care providers, group day care providers, private educational institutions, and providers serving infants, toddlers, pre-school and school-age children, and children with special needs.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="3">(B)   Five members are parents of children receiving child care services.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="3">(C)   Five members are selected from the business community and the general public.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="2">(3)   The Superintendent of Schools, the Chairman of the Montgomery County Planning Board, the President of Montgomery College, or their designees, are nonvoting members of the Commission. Two designees of the Director of the Department of Health and Human Services and one designee of the Director of the Community Use of Public Facilities are also nonvoting members of the Commission. In addition, upon</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="2">(4)   Each member must reside or work in Montgomery County.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">(d)   Officers. For the Commission’s first year, the County Executive must appoint a chairperson and a vice-chairperson from among the members, subject to confirmation by the County Council. Thereafter, the Commission must annually elect one member as chairperson and another member as vice-chairperson. The terms of the chairperson and vice-chairperson are each one year.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">(e)   Term.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="2">(1)   Commission members serve for 3 years.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="2">(2)   A member must not serve more than 2 consecutive 3-year terms.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">(f)   Duties.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="2">(1)   The Commission must issue an annual report by October 1 of each year that addresses the County’s child care needs and that recommends short- and long-term priorities the County government should follow to improve services in support of child care. The Division on Child Care must assist the Commission in preparing the report.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="2">(2)   In order to develop the report, the Commission may:</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="3">a.   Create special task forces, hold public hearings, and collect information to identify and assess needs, review services, programs and policies, and plan new strategies for supporting child care;</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="3">b.   Analyze data on child care needs and services delivered by public and private agencies in Montgomery County;</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="3">c.   Evaluate County government policies, funding, and programs affecting child care;</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="3">d.   Promote the coordination of child care programs and policies among County government agencies;</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="3">e.   Promote cooperation among the County government, the community, and business in addressing child care needs;</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="3">f.   Make recommendations regarding the need for and use of public funds to be spent on behalf of child care services;</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="3">g.   Recommend to the County Executive and County Council new sources of funds for child care;</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="3">h.   Review standards for licensing and operation of child care services and programs;</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="3">i.   Provide public information on child care programs and services in the County;</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="3">j.   Participate in the activities of the State Office of Children and Youth;</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="3">k.   Review federal and state policies affecting provision of child care;</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="3">l.   Recommend policies, actions, programs, or legislation the Commission deems necessary to increase the quality, availability, and affordability of child care services;</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="3">m.   Coordinate work with the Commission on Children and Youth and should not duplicate the work of the Commission on Children and Youth; and</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="3">n.   Take any action the Commission finds would further the purposes of this Section.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">(g)   Compensation. A member must not receive compensation for serving on the Commission.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">(h)   Meetings.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="2">(1)   The Commission must meet at least 6 times a year on a day and at a time set by the Commission. The Commission may meet at other times at the call of the Chair or at the request of 9 members of the Commission.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="2">(2)   A majority of the members of the Commission constitutes a quorum for transacting of business.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="2">(3)   Action by the Commission requires a majority vote of those present.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">(i)   Advocacy. The Commission must not engage in any advocacy activity at the State or federal levels unless that activity is approved by the Office of Intergovernmental Relations.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">(j)   Procedures. The Commission may establish its own rules of procedure.</paragraph>
    <paragraph indent="1">(k)   Staff support. The Director of the Department of Health and Human Services must provide staff services and administrative support to the Commission.</paragraph>
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