20 U.S.C. § 1441 — State interagency coordinating council

(a) Establishment. (1) A State seeking financial assistance under this subchapter must establish a State interagency coordinating council. (2) The Governor appoints it and must make its membership reasonably represent the State's population. (3) The Governor designates the chair or requires the council to do so. A representative of the lead agency under section 1435(a)(10) may not chair. (b) Composition. At least 20% must be parents of infants or toddlers with disabilities or children with disabilities age 12 or younger who know about or have experience with relevant programs, including at least one parent of a child age 6 or younger. At least 20% must be public or private early-intervention providers. At least one member must come from the State legislature; at least one must be involved in personnel preparation; at least one must come from each State agency providing or paying for early intervention and have authority to plan and implement policy; at least one must come from the State educational agency responsible for preschool disability services with similar authority; and at least one must come from each agency responsible for Medicaid, Head Start, child care, health-insurance regulation, foster care, and children's mental health. At least one must represent the Office of the Coordinator for Education of Homeless Children and Youths. The Governor may add members, including a BIA representative, or, where no BIA school exists, an Indian Health Service or tribal representative. (c) Meetings. The council must meet at least quarterly where it considers necessary. Meetings must be publicly announced and, when appropriate, open and accessible to the public. (d) Management authority. With the Governor's approval, it may prepare and approve a budget using subchapter funds for hearings and forums, members' reasonable necessary expenses including child care for parent representatives, compensation when a member is unemployed or loses wages while doing official business, staff, and needed professional, technical, and clerical services. (e) Functions. (1) It must advise and assist the lead agency with its section 1435(a)(10) duties, especially finding fiscal and other support, assigning financial responsibility, and promoting interagency agreements; help the lead agency prepare applications and amendments; help the State educational agency transition disabled toddlers to preschool and other appropriate services; and submit an annual report to the Governor and Secretary on State early-intervention programs. (2) It may advise and assist the lead and educational agencies about services from birth through age 5 and advise State agencies about integrating services for disabled and at-risk infants and toddlers and their families, whether or not at-risk children qualify for State early intervention. (f) A council member may not vote on a matter likely to give that member a direct financial benefit or otherwise appear to create a conflict under State law.