Trinity County Municipal Code Ch. 2.34 Children and Families First Commission

The board of supervisors of the county of Trinity do find that:

A. The voters of the state of California passed the California Children and Families First Act of 1998. The act recognizes that there is a compelling need in California to create and implement a comprehensive, collaborative, and integrated system of information and services to promote, support and optimize early childhood development from the prenatal stage to five years of age.

B. The act further recognizes that there is a compelling need in California to ensure that early childhood development programs and services are universally and continuously available for children until the beginning of kindergarten. Proper parenting, nurturing, and health care during these early years will provide the means for California's children to enter school in good health, ready and able to earn and emotionally well developed.

C. It is the intent of the ordinance codified in this chapter to facilitate the creation and implementation of an integrated, comprehensive and collaborative system of information and services to enhance optimal early childhood development. This system should function as a network that promotes accessibility to all information and services from any entry point into the system. It is further the intent of this ordinance to emphasize local decision making, to provide for greater local flexibility in designing delivery systems, and to eliminate duplicate administrative systems.

D. The California Children and Families First Act of 1998 provides for funding through an excise tax on tobacco products in order to implement the goals and objectives which are outlined in the act itself. It is the further intent of this chapter to create Trinity County's children and families first commission and Trinity County's children and families first trust fund in order to receive funding through the Act and to implement the goals, and objectives outlined in the California Children and Families First Act of 1998.

(Ord. 1223 §1(part), 1998)

As used in this chapter, the following terms are defined:

"Act" means the California Children and Families First Act of 1998.

"California children and families commission" means the state commission established in accordance with Health and Safety Code Section 130110.

"Commission" means the children and families first commission established pursuant to Health and Safety Code Section 130140.

"County strategic plan" means the plan adopted by the commission and submitted to the California children and families first commission pursuant to Health and Safety Code Section 130140.

"Trust fund" means the children and families first trust fund established pursuant to Health and Safety Code Section 130105.

(Ord. 1223 §1(part), 1998)

There is established a commission to be known as the children and families first commission.

(Ord. 1223 §1(part), 1998)

There is established a trust fund to be known as the children and families first trust fund.

(Ord. 1223 §1(part), 1998)

In accordance with Health and Safety Code 130140:

A. The county commission shall be appointed by the board of supervisors and shall consist of at least five but not more than nine members.

1. Two members of the county commission shall be from among the county health officer and persons responsible for management of the following county functions: Children's services, public health services, behavioral health services, social services, and tobacco and other substance abuse prevention and treatment services.

2. One member of the county commission shall be a member of the board of supervisors.

3. The remaining members of the county commission shall be from among the persons described in subsection 1 and persons from the following categories: Recipients of project services included in the county strategic plan; educators specializing in early childhood development; representatives of a local child care resource or referral agency, or a local child care coordinating group; representatives of a local organization for prevention or early intervention for families at risk; representatives of community-based organizations that have the goal of promoting nurturing and early childhood development; representatives of local school districts; and representatives of local medical, pediatric, or obstetric associations or societies.

(Ord. 1250 §1, 2001: Ord. 1223 §1(part), 1998)

(Ord. No. 1340, § 1, 6-21-16; Ord. No. 1366, § 1, 7-18-2023)

Commission members shall be appointed by the board of supervisors. Commission members shall serve at the pleasure of the board of supervisors. The term of office of each member shall be for three years and until the appointment of his/her successor.

(Ord. 1223 §1(part), 1998)

The members of the commission shall annually elect a chairperson who shall serve for a term of one year. The commission shall make such rules and regulations as are necessary to conduct its business.

(Ord. 1223 §1(part), 1998)

The commission's meetings are subject to the open meeting laws contained in the Ralph M. Brown Act.

(Ord. 1223 §1(part), 1998)

The members of the commission shall serve without compensation, but may receive actual and necessary expenses as are incurred in carrying out their duties.

(Ord. 1223 §1(part), 1998)

The children and families first commission is charged with the following duties:

A. To implement the goals and objectives of the Act;

B. To administer the moneys and the Trinity County children and families first trust fund;

C. The adoption of an adequate and complete county strategic plan for the support and improvement of early childhood development within the county as outlined the Act;

D. To conduct at least one public hearing on its proposed county strategies plan before the plan is adopted;

E. To conduct at least one public hearing on its periodic review of the county strategic plan before any revisions to the plan are adopted;

F. To submit its adopted county strategic plan, and any subsequent revisions thereto, to the state commission and the board of supervisors;

G. To prepare and adopt an audit and report pursuant to Health and Safety Code Section 130150. The commission shall conduct at least one public hearing prior to adopting any annual audit and report;

H. To conduct at least one public hearing on each annual report by the state commission prepared pursuant to Health and Safety Code Section 130150, subdivision (b);

I. Make copies of its annual audits and reports available to members of the general public on request and at no cost;

J. To exercise all powers, duties, and functions as are prescribed by statute, the board of supervisors, and the commission.

(Ord. 1223 §1(part), 1998)