HF 2115

1st Engrossment - 88th Legislature (2013 - 2014) Posted on 03/21/2014 12:20pm

A bill for an act
relating to human services; temporarily suspending a provision governing
eligibility of child care centers for child care assistance; establishing a child care
professional development pilot project; requiring a report; appropriating money;
amending Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 119B.09, subdivision 9a.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 119B.09, subdivision 9a, is amended to
read:

Subd. 9a.

Child care centers; assistance.

(a) For the purposes of this subdivision,
"qualifying child" means a child who satisfies both of the following:

(1) is not a child or dependent of an employee of the child care provider; and

(2) does not reside with an employee of the child care provider.

(b) Funds distributed under this chapter must not be paid for child care services
that are provided for a child by a child care provider who employs either the parent of
the child or a person who resides with the child, unless at all times at least 50 percent of
the children for whom the child care provider is providing care are qualifying children
under paragraph (a).

(c) If a child care provider satisfies the requirements for payment under paragraph
(b), but the percentage of qualifying children under paragraph (a) for whom the provider
is providing care falls below 50 percent, the provider shall have four weeks to raise the
percentage of qualifying children for whom the provider is providing care to at least 50
percent before payments to the provider are discontinued for child care services provided
for a child who is not a qualifying child.

new text begin (d) This subdivision is suspended effective the day following final enactment and is
reinstated effective July 1, 2016.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin CHILD CARE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PILOT PROJECT;
APPROPRIATION.
new text end

new text begin (a) $....... is appropriated in fiscal year 2015 to the commissioner of human services
to enable the commissioner to award a contract to the Child Care Resource and Referral
Network to establish a pilot project to increase the availability of high quality, culturally
competent child care in Minnesota. The project must include at least four child care
centers, two in the seven-county metropolitan area and two in greater Minnesota that serve
new Americans. For purposes of this section, "culturally competent" means knowledge
as to the home language, culture, and care of the child or children. This appropriation is
available until expended.
new text end

new text begin (b) The pilot project shall be designed to provide in-service training, coursework,
and salary increases for child care workers employed in facilities licensed by the
commissioner of human services under Minnesota Rules, chapter 9503. The program shall
be designed to support child care workers through training and coaching approved through
the Minnesota Center for Professional Development. The project shall also include
hands-on experience to meet licensure requirements under Minnesota Rules, chapter
9503, and increase the education and competency levels of the child care workforce.
Activities shall be carried out in coordination with other existing supports for professional
development pathways for child care workers. The project shall be designed to train child
care workers to qualify as teacher aides, assistant teachers, and teachers in a career-lattice
model of sequenced professional development.
new text end

new text begin (c) The commissioner shall evaluate the pilot project and shall present a report
to the legislature by February 15, 2017. The report shall contain recommendations on
the feasibility of establishing a statewide apprenticeship program for training child care
workers.
new text end

Sec. 3. new text begin DIRECTION TO COMMISSIONER.
new text end

new text begin (a) The commissioner of human services shall contract with an agency skilled in
cross-cultural competencies to analyze and evaluate the following:
new text end

new text begin (1) the economic impact of enforcing Minnesota Statutes, section 119B.09,
subdivision 9a;
new text end

new text begin (2) the cultural assets of the existing new Americans child care center models;
new text end

new text begin (3) the educational achievement record of children participating in the existing new
Americans child care center models; and
new text end

new text begin (4) the jobs and job advancement opportunities created for parents active in the
existing new Americans child care center models.
new text end

new text begin (b) The commissioner shall report the findings of the evaluation and report to the
chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction
over early childhood education and health and human services policy and finance by
January 15, 2016.
new text end