Bill > SB301

This bill amends the Early Childhood Care and Education Act to establish an "early childhood endowment fund" as a separate, non-reverting fund in the state treasury, which will receive a portion of investment income from its corpus and a portion of unspent agency general fund appropriations, up to $10 million annually, with any excess income from the endowment fund being transferred to the existing "early childhood care and education fund." The bill also clarifies that the early childhood care and education fund, administered by the Children, Youth and Families Department, will receive appropriations, gifts, grants, donations, bequests, and money credited to it, and that money in this fund will be used for nonsectarian early childhood education services and home visitation services for children from prenatal through five years of age, and for other provisions of the Act. Additionally, the bill makes minor changes to definitions and duties of the early learning advisory council and the department, including requiring the council to report annually to legislative committees on its work and recommendations.