Department duties; annual report

(1) The department shall do, at a minimum, all of the following: (a) Upon appropriation, establish a family child care network in every region of this state. (b) Require all networks to participate in the following: (i) A statewide community of practice. (ii) Professional development for network staff. (iii) Data collection and evaluation to measure success and improve the networks' responsiveness to providers. (c) Require networks to be connected to the state's existing child care infrastructure, including, at least, the state's quality and licensing system. (2) The department shall submit an annual report on the activities and outcomes of each family child care network by region and the changes in the number of home-based providers in the state to the house and senate appropriation committees on the department budget and the state budget office.