CHILD WELFARE MANUAL

210.170 Children’s Trust Fund

Children’s trust fund board created — members, appointment — qualifications — terms — vacancies — removal procedure — staff — expenses — office of administration, duties. — 1.  There is hereby created within the office of administration of the state of Missouri the “Children’s Trust Fund Board”, which shall be composed of twenty-one members as follows:

  (1)  Twelve public members to be appointed by the governor by and with the advice and consent of the senate.  As a group, the public members appointed pursuant to this subdivision shall demonstrate knowledge in the area of prevention programs, shall be representative of the demographic composition of this state, and, to the extent practicable, shall be representative of all of the following categories:

  (a)  Organized labor;

  (b)  The business community;

  (c)  The educational community;

  (d)  The religious community;

  (e)  The legal community;

  (f)  Professional providers of prevention services to families and children;

  (g)  Volunteers in prevention services;

  (h)  Social services; (i)  Health care services; and (j)  Mental health services;

  (2)  A physician licensed pursuant to chapter 334;

  (3)  Two members of the Missouri house of representatives, who shall be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives and shall be members of two different political parties;

  (4)  Two members of the Missouri senate, who shall be appointed by the president pro tem of the senate and who shall be members of two different political parties; and

  (5)  Four members chosen and appointed by the governor.

  2.  All members of the board appointed by the speaker of the house or the president pro tem of the senate shall serve until their term in the house or senate during which they were appointed to the board expires.  All public members of the board shall serve for terms of three years; except, that of the public members first appointed, four shall serve for terms of three years, four shall serve for terms of two years, and three shall serve for terms of one year.  No public members may serve more than two consecutive terms, regardless of whether such terms were full or partial terms.  Each member shall serve until his successor is appointed.  All vacancies on the board shall be filled for the balance of the unexpired term in the same manner in which the board membership which is vacant was originally filled.

  3.  Any public member of the board may be removed by the governor for misconduct, incompetency, or neglect of duty after first being given the opportunity to be heard in his or her own behalf.

  4.  The board may employ an executive director who shall be charged with carrying out the duties and responsibilities assigned to him or her by the board.  The executive director may obtain all necessary office space, facilities, and equipment, and may hire and set the compensation of such staff as is approved by the board and within the limitations of appropriations for the purpose.  All staff members, except the executive director, shall be employed pursuant to chapter 36.

  5.  Each member of the board may be reimbursed for all actual and necessary expenses incurred by the member in the performance of his or her official duties.  All reimbursements made pursuant to this subsection shall be made from funds in the children’s trust fund appropriated for that purpose.

  6.  All business transactions of the board shall be conducted in public meetings in accordance with sections 610.010 to 610.030.

  7.  The board may accept federal funds for the purposes of sections 210.170 to 210.173 and section 143.1000 as well as gifts and donations from individuals, private organizations, and foundations.  The acceptance and use of federal funds shall not commit any state funds nor place any obligation upon the general assembly to continue the programs or activities for which the federal funds are made available.  All funds received in the manner described in this subsection shall be transmitted to the state treasurer for deposit in the state treasury to the credit of the children’s trust fund.

  8.  The board shall elect a chairperson from among the public members, who shall serve for a term of two years.  The board may elect such other officers and establish such committees as it deems appropriate.

  9.  The board shall exercise its powers and duties independently of the office of administration except that budgetary, procurement, accounting, and other related management functions shall be performed by the office of administration.

(L. 1983 H.B. 550 § 2, A.L. 1999 S.B. 387, et al., A.L. 2002 S.B. 695)