(1) The general assembly hereby finds that:
Public investments for pregnant women and young children from birth to eight yearsof age and their families fall behind investments for older Colorado children and lag behind national trends;
For the state's early childhood system to operate effectively, the efforts of the publicand private agencies that compose the system must be efficiently coordinated, aligned to state and federal standards, and made accountable across state systems; and
While there are several planning efforts related to early childhood services and collaborative bodies within state and local governments, there is no single venue to allow highlevel decision-making among policy makers, to collectively study recommendations, to facilitate cross-agency collaboration among state agencies, and to make joint policy and funding recommendations.
(2) The general assembly further finds that:
A commission to assist in coordinating services and supports for pregnant womenand young children from birth to eight years of age and their families will improve the delivery of those services and improve the educational, health, emotional and mental health, child welfare, and employment outcomes for these children and their families; and
A commission to assist in coordinating the delivery of services and supports for pregnant women and young children and their families will also significantly improve Colorado's workforce and economic development by:
Helping to ensure a healthy, well-educated workforce far into the future;
Supporting those persons who currently provide early childhood services and supports and creating additional employment opportunities;
Supporting parents of young children who need dependable, high-quality child careand supportive services in order to be fully engaged and productive in their jobs; and
Supporting the market in early childhood services and products as a vibrant elementof the state's economy.
(3) The general assembly finds, therefore, that it is essential to create a high-level, interagency, public-private leadership commission to identify opportunities for, and address barriers to, the coordination of federal and state early childhood policies and procedures in order to promote access to programs and services that affect the health and well-being of Colorado's children.
Source: L. 2013: Entire article added with relocations, (HB 13-1117), ch. 169, p. 559, §
3, effective July 1. L. 2017: (1)(a), (1)(c), (2)(a), IP(2)(b), and (3) amended, (HB 17-1106), ch. 345, p. 1817, § 1, effective August 9.
Editor's note: This section is similar to former § 24-44.7-101 as it existed prior to 2013.