HF 3220

as introduced - 86th Legislature (2009 - 2010) Posted on 03/01/2010 09:01am

A bill for an act
relating to early childhood education; modifying the child care assistance
programs; amending Minnesota Statutes 2008, sections 119B.025, subdivision 1;
119B.09, subdivision 4.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 119B.025, subdivision 1, is amended to
read:

Subdivision 1.

Factors which must be verified.

(a) The county shall verify the
following at all initial child care applications using the universal application:

(1) identity of adults;

(2) presence of the minor child in the home, if questionable;

(3) relationship of minor child to the parent, stepparent, legal guardian, eligible
relative caretaker, or the spouses of any of the foregoing;

(4) age;

(5) immigration status, if related to eligibility;

(6) Social Security number, if given;

(7) income;

(8) spousal support and child support payments made to persons outside the
household;

(9) residence; and

(10) inconsistent information, if related to eligibility.

(b) If a family did not use the universal application or child care addendum to apply
for child care assistance, the family must complete the universal application or child care
addendum at its next eligibility redetermination and the county must verify the factors
listed in paragraph (a) as part of that redetermination. Once a family has completed a
universal application or child care addendum, the county shall use the redetermination
form described in paragraph (c) for that family's subsequent redeterminations. Eligibility
must be redetermined at least every six months. new text begin For a family where at least one parent is
under the age of 21, does not have a high school or general equivalency diploma, and is a
student in a school district or another similar program that provides or arranges for child
care, as well as parenting, social services, career and employment supports, and academic
support to achieve high school graduation, the redetermination of eligibility shall be
deferred beyond six months, but not to exceed 12 months, to the end of the student's
school year. new text end If a family reports a change in an eligibility factor before the family's next
regularly scheduled redetermination, the county must recalculate eligibility without
requiring verification of any eligibility factor that did not change.

(c) The commissioner shall develop a redetermination form to redetermine eligibility
and a change report form to report changes that minimize paperwork for the county and
the participant.

new text begin (d) Families have the primary responsibility to verify information. A county must
consider the family's circumstances and ability to produce verification when initiating a
request for verification. If a family is unable to verify an eligibility factor, the county
must request written consent from the family to obtain verification from other sources. A
county may not request a specific form of verification if another is more readily available.
When verification of an eligibility factor other than income is not available despite the
efforts of the county and the family, the county must accept a signed statement from the
family attesting to the correctness of the information if one is provided. The county must
deny or end assistance to families who refuse or deliberately fail to verify information.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 119B.09, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

Subd. 4.

Eligibility; annual income; calculation.

Annual income of the applicant
family is the current monthly income of the family multiplied by 12 or the income for
the 12-month period immediately preceding the date of application, or income calculated
by the method which provides the most accurate assessment of income available to the
family. Self-employment income must be calculated based on gross receipts less operating
expenses. Income must be recalculated when the family's income changes, but no less
often than every six months. new text begin For a family where at least one parent is under the age
of 21, does not have a high school or general equivalency diploma, and is a student in
a school district or another similar program that provides or arranges for child care,
as well as parenting, social services, career and employment supports, and academic
support to achieve high school graduation, income must be recalculated when the family's
income changes, but otherwise shall be deferred beyond six months, but not to exceed 12
months, to the end of the student's school year. new text end Income must be verified with documentary
evidence. If the applicant does not have sufficient evidence of income, verification must
be obtained from the source of the income.