(1) (a) There is created a legislative commission for policy improvement related to early childhood and school readiness, including the areas of health, mental health, parental involvement, family support, child care, and early learning, referred to in this article as the "commission".

(b) The commission consists of six members, appointed for terms of three years; except that, of the members first appointed, two members shall be appointed for one-year terms, two members shall be appointed for two-year terms, and two members shall be appointed for three-year terms. The appointing authorities shall jointly determine which commission members serve reduced terms. Each commission member serves at the pleasure of the applicable appointing authority. Vacancies shall be filled by appointment of the original appointing authority for the remainder of the unexpired term. Initial appointments to the commission shall be made on or before July 1, 2013, as follows:

(I) The president of the senate shall appoint two senators to serve on the commission, one of whom serves on the senate education committee, or any successor committee, and one of whom serves on the senate health and human services committee, or any successor committee;

(II) The minority leader of the senate shall appoint one senator to serve on the commission who also serves on the senate education committee, or any successor committee;

(III) The speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint two representatives to serve on the commission, one of whom serves on the education committee of the house of representatives, or any successor committee, and one of whom serves on the public health care and human services committee of the house of representatives, or any successor committee; and

(IV) The minority leader of the house of representatives shall appoint one representative to serve on the commission who also serves on the education committee of the house of representatives, or any successor committee.

(c) The president of the senate shall select the first chair of the commission, and the speaker of the house of representatives shall select the first vice-chair. The chair and vice-chair shall alternate annually thereafter between the two houses. The chair and vice-chair of the commission may establish such organizational and procedural rules as are necessary for the operation of the commission.

(d) The members of the commission shall receive compensation and reimbursement for expenses incurred in fulfilling the duties of the commission as provided in section 2-2-326, C.R.S.

(2) (a) The commission may meet at least four times annually. The director of research of the legislative council and the director of the office of legislative legal services shall provide staff assistance to the interim committee. The commission shall study issues concerning early childhood and school readiness, including but not limited to health care, mental health, parental involvement, family support, child care, and early learning. The commission shall solicit input from members of the public, especially those individuals with expertise related to early childhood and school readiness issues, to aid the commission in its work. The commission shall consult with the early childhood leadership commission, created in section 26-6.2-103, with regard to policies concerning early childhood and school readiness.

(b) The commission may accept in-kind donations in the form of administrative support from one or more nonprofit organizations.

(c) The commission shall report to the legislative council by the date specified in Joint Rule 24 (b)(1)(D). The report may include recommendations for legislation, including but not limited to legislation continuing the commission and an explanation of the additional time and procedures that the commission may require to achieve the commission's study goals. Legislation that the commission recommends shall be treated as legislation recommended by an interim committee for the purposes of the introduction deadlines and bill limitations imposed by the joint rules of the senate and house of representatives.