07 LC 33
2021
Senate
Resolution 426
By:
Senators Weber of the 40th, Carter of the 13th, Douglas of the 17th, Moody of
the 56th and Thomas of the 2nd
ADOPTED
SENATE
A
RESOLUTION
Creating
the Senate Study Committee on Quality of Child Care in Georgia; and for other
purposes.
WHEREAS,
on any given day approximately 360,000 of Georgia´s children are enrolled
in out-of-home child care while their parents are at work or in school;
and
WHEREAS,
second to a child´s parent or primary caregiver, the child care provider is
a child´s most important teacher. Many of Georgia´s children spend up
to 12 hours a day in out-of-home care; and
WHEREAS,
research shows that the most important years for laying a solid foundation for
learning in a child´s life are between birth and age five; and
WHEREAS,
quality early care and learning opportunities for all children between birth and
age five are essential to improve school performance for Georgia students;
and
WHEREAS,
the quality of the early care and education that children receive during these
important years directly affects their ability and desire to learn;
and
WHEREAS,
quality child care and early childhood education are critical if children are
going to develop properly and be ready for school; and
WHEREAS,
it is in the best interests of the state to create a system that will inform
parents about the quality of care their child receives while the parent is at
work or in school and to create a system that will improve the quality of child
care that thousands of Georgia´s children receive daily.
NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that there is created the Senate Study
Committee on Quality of Child Care in Georgia to be composed of five members of
the Senate to be appointed by the Lieutenant Governor. The Lieutenant Governor
shall designate one of the appointees as chairperson of the committee. The
committee shall meet at the call of the chairperson.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the committee shall undertake a study of the
conditions, needs, issues, problems, and opportunities as mentioned above or
related thereto and recommend any action or legislation that the committee deems
necessary or appropriate. The committee may conduct such meetings at such places
and at such times as it may deem necessary or convenient to enable it to
exercise fully and effectively its powers, perform its duties, and accomplish
the objectives and purposes of this resolution. The committee may call upon
persons with expertise in early childhood development, including child care
associations and child care providers, and upon members of the business
community or persons and organizations as deemed necessary by the committee to
fully explore the purposes of this resolution. The members of the committee
shall receive the allowances authorized for legislative members of interim
legislative committees but shall receive the same for not more than five days
unless additional days are authorized. The funds necessary to carry out the
provisions of this resolution shall come from the funds appropriated to the
Senate. In the event that the committee makes a report of its findings and
recommendations with suggestions for proposed legislation, if any, such report
shall be made on or before December 31, 2007. The committee shall stand
abolished on December 31, 2007.