HF 1110

as introduced - 91st Legislature (2019 - 2020) Posted on 03/07/2019 07:26pm

A bill for an act
relating to early childhood; modifying eligibility requirements for early learning
scholarships; amending Minnesota Statutes 2018, sections 13.461, by adding a
subdivision; 124D.165, subdivisions 2, 4, by adding a subdivision.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 13.461, is amended by adding a subdivision
to read:

new text begin Subd. 33. new text end

new text begin Child care assistance program. new text end

new text begin Data relating to child care assistance program
disqualification is governed by section 124D.165, subdivision 4a.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2019.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 124D.165, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

Family eligibility.

(a) For a family to receive an early learning scholarship,
parents or guardians must meet the following eligibility requirements:

(1) have an eligible child; deleted text begin and
deleted text end

(2) have income equal to or less than 185 percent of federal poverty level income in the
current calendar year, or be able to document their child's current participation in the free
and reduced-price lunch program or Child and Adult Care Food Program, National School
Lunch Act, United States Code, title 42, sections 1751 and 1766; the Food Distribution
Program on Indian Reservations, Food and Nutrition Act, United States Code, title 7, sections
2011-2036; Head Start under the federal Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act
of 2007; Minnesota family investment program under chapter 256J; child care assistance
programs under chapter 119B; the supplemental nutrition assistance program; or placement
in foster care under section 260C.212 deleted text begin . deleted text end new text begin ; and
new text end

new text begin (3) must not currently be disqualified from the child care assistance program under
chapter 119B, as provided under section 256.98, subdivision 8, paragraph (b).
new text end

(b) An "eligible child" means a child who has not yet enrolled in kindergarten and is:

(1) at least three but not yet five years of age on September 1 of the current school year;

(2) a sibling from birth to age five of a child who has been awarded a scholarship under
this section provided the sibling attends the same program as long as funds are available;

(3) the child of a parent under age 21 who is pursuing a high school degree or a course
of study for a high school equivalency test; or

(4) homeless, in foster care, or in need of child protective services.

(c) A child who has received a scholarship under this section must continue to receive
a scholarship each year until that child is eligible for kindergarten under section 120A.20
and as long as funds are available.

(d) Early learning scholarships may not be counted as earned income for the purposes
of medical assistance under chapter 256B, MinnesotaCare under chapter 256L, Minnesota
family investment program under chapter 256J, child care assistance programs under chapter
119B, or Head Start under the federal Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of
2007.

(e) A child from an adjoining state whose family resides at a Minnesota address as
assigned by the United States Postal Service, who has received developmental screening
under sections 121A.16 to 121A.19, who intends to enroll in a Minnesota school district,
and whose family meets the criteria of paragraph (a) is eligible for an early learning
scholarship under this section.

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2019.
new text end

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 124D.165, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

Subd. 4.

Early childhood program eligibility.

(a) In order to be eligible deleted text begin to accept an deleted text end new text begin
for new text end early learning scholarship new text begin funds new text end , a program must:

(1) participate in the quality rating and improvement system under section 124D.142;
and

(2) beginning July 1, 2020, have a three- or four-star rating in the quality rating and
improvement system.

(b) Any program accepting scholarships must use the revenue to supplement and not
supplant federal funding.

(c) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), all Minnesota early learning foundation scholarship
program pilot sites are eligible to accept an early learning scholarship under this section.

new text begin (d) A program is not eligible for early learning scholarship funds if it is disqualified
from receiving payment for child care services from the child care assistance program under
chapter 119B, as provided under section 256.98, subdivision 8, paragraph (c).
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2019.
new text end

Sec. 4.

Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 124D.165, is amended by adding a subdivision
to read:

new text begin Subd. 4a. new text end

new text begin Data sharing. new text end

new text begin The commissioner of human services may disseminate to the
commissioner of education data on child care assistance program disqualification for purposes
of determining family eligibility under subdivision 2, paragraph (a), clause (3), and program
eligibility under subdivision 4, paragraph (d). The commissioner of education may
disseminate the data to an early learning scholarship area administrator.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2019.
new text end