(A) There is hereby created in the department of job and family services a child care advisory council to advise and assist the department in the administration of this chapter and in the development of child care. The council shall consist of twenty-two voting members appointed by the director of job and family services with the approval of the governor. The director of job and family services, the director of developmental disabilities, the director of mental health and addiction services, the superintendent of public instruction, the director of health, the director of commerce, and the state fire marshal shall serve as nonvoting members of the council.

Six members shall be representatives of child care centers subject to licensing, the members to represent a variety of centers, including nonprofit and proprietary, from different geographical areas of the state. At least three members shall be parents, guardians, or custodians of children receiving child care or publicly funded child care in the child's own home, a center, a type A home, a head start program, a licensed type B home, or a type B home at the time of appointment. Three members shall be representatives of in-home aides, type A homes, licensed type B homes, or type B homes or head start programs. At least six members shall represent county departments of job and family services. The remaining members shall be representatives of the teaching, child development, and health professions, and other individuals interested in the welfare of children. At least six members of the council shall not be employees or licensees of a child day-care center, head start program, or type A home, or providers operating a licensed type B home or type B home, or in-home aides.

Appointments shall be for three-year terms. Vacancies shall be filled for the unexpired terms. A member of the council is subject to removal by the director of job and family services for a willful and flagrant exercise of authority or power that is not authorized by law, for a refusal or willful neglect to perform any official duty as a member of the council imposed by law, or for being guilty of misfeasance, malfeasance, nonfeasance, or gross neglect of duty as a member of the council.

There shall be two co-chairpersons of the council. One co-chairperson shall be the director of job and family services or the director's designee, and one co-chairperson shall be elected by the members of the council. The council shall meet as often as is necessary to perform its duties, provided that it shall meet at least once in each quarter of each calendar year and at the call of the co-chairpersons. The co-chairpersons or their designee shall send to each member a written notice of the date, time, and place of each meeting.

Members of the council shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for necessary expenses.

(B) The child care advisory council shall advise the director on matters affecting the licensing of centers, type A homes, and type B homes and the certification of in-home aides. The council shall make an annual report to the director of job and family services that addresses the availability, affordability, accessibility, and quality of child care and that summarizes the recommendations and plans of action that the council has proposed to the director during the preceding fiscal year. The director of job and family services shall provide copies of the report to the governor, speaker and minority leader of the house of representatives, and the president and minority leader of the senate and, on request, shall make copies available to the public.

(C) The director of job and family services shall adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code to implement this section.

Amended by 130th General Assembly File No. 25, HB 59, §110.20, eff. 1/1/2014.

Amended by 130th General Assembly File No. 25, HB 59, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2013.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.128, SB 316, §120.01, eff. 1/1/2014.

Amended by 128th General Assemblych.128, SB 79, §1, eff. 10/6/2009.

Effective Date: 07-01-2000; 05-18-2005

Related Legislative Provision: See 129th General AssemblyFile No.39, SB 171, §4 .