Delaware General Assembly

CHAPTER 63

CHILD WELFARE COMMISSION

AN ACT to create a Child Welfare Commission for the State of Delaware.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Delaware in General Assembly met:

Section 1. In order that the State of Delaware may serve the welfare of its children adequately, there is hereby created a "Child Welfare Commission." The Commission shall consist of nine (9) members, who shall serve without pay, except for traveling and administrative expenses. On, or before the tenth day of April, 1921, the Governor shall appoint the members of said Commission to take office on the tenth day of April, 1921, as follows: One from the State of Delaware at large for a term of five years; two from the City of Wilmington for the terms of one and two years respectively; two from New Castle County outside of the City of Wilmington for the terms of two and three years, respectively ; two from Kent County for the terms of three and four years, respectively; and two from Sussex County for the terms of four and five years, respectively. The term of office after the first appointments made hereunder shall be for five years, and annually on, or before the tenth day of April, the Governor shall appoint successors to fill the vacancies caused by the expirations of the terms of office. In case of vacancy caused by death, resignation, refusal to serve or otherwise, the Governor shall make appointments to fill such vacancy or vacancies, for the balance of the unexpired term. The members so appointed shall be, during their terms of office, citizens of the State of Delaware, and shall be residents of the respective districts for which they are appointed.

Section 2. Within ten days after the said tenth day of April, 1921, the members aforesaid shall convene at the State Capitol at Dover at a time to be fixed by the Governor and shall organize by electing officers from their members and by other regular procedure.

Section 3. It shall be the duty of the Commission to take over, and further to develop the child welfare activities conducted by the Reconstruction- Commission of the State of Delaware; to maintain a traveling child health center to serve the sparsely settled sections of the State; to co-operate with State, County and local official bodies in the development of such child welfare work as the Commission may believe will materially advance the interests of- the children of the State; to make every reasonable preparation to transfer various branches of its work as rapidly as possible to appropriate state agencies; to make a study of the needs of children a definite part of its work; and to make recommendations for executive and legislative action in matters relating to children.

Section 4. Every official department and public officer in the state, excepting the members of the General Assembly and the Judiciary, in possession of information relating to the purposes of this Act, shall, upon request of the said Commission, co-operate with it in carrying out the purposes of this Act.

Section 5. If any bill shall be enacted by the United States appropriating moneys to assist the states in protecting the health of mothers and children and if the Commission hereby created is doing such work at the time the said Federal aid becomes available, the Commission shall designate and authorize to be spent such portion of the appropriation carried by this act; as may be necessary to meet the offer of the Federal Government, provided that this Commission shall be recognized by the Federal body administering the said Act as the state body with which it will co-operate, and provided that only such an amount of the appropriation carried by this Act may be designated and spent for the purposes described in this section as will leave at least $15,000.00 annually for the execution of the duties of this Commission, other than those which conform with the provisions of such a Federal Act which may be enacted.

Section 6. The Commission shall employ such agents, assistants, clerical force and specially qualified persons as it may find necessary or expedient.

Section 7. The expenses of the members of the Commission incurred in service for the Commission shall be paid on warrants drawn by the Child Welfare Commission or authorized agent thereof on the State Treasurer and the State Treasurer is hereby authorized and directed to pay said warrants on the approval of the State Auditor from any moneys he may have belonging to the State and not otherwise appropriated.

Section 8. The sum of $25,000.00 shall be deemed and taken to be appropriated for the year 1921, out of any moneys in the State Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the purposes of the said Commission, and thereafter, $25,000.00 shall be deemed and taken to be appropriated annually out of any moneys in the State Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the purposes of the said Commission. The Child Welfare Commission shall assume the indebtedness of the Reconstruction Commission.

Section 9. The said Commission shall have the use of and become the custodian of the property bought by the Reconstruction Commission of the State of Delaware, except that the Child Welfare Commission may upon written request and receipt from any official agency which may take over any of its work, transfer the right to use, and the custody of appropriate property to such agency.

Approved April 7, A. D. 1921.