HF 1036

as introduced - 92nd Legislature (2021 - 2022) Posted on 02/18/2021 04:54pm

A bill for an act
relating to human services; establishing the child care center regulation
modernization project; appropriating money; requiring a report.

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

Section 1. new text begin CHILD CARE CENTER REGULATION MODERNIZATION.
new text end

new text begin (a) The commissioner of human services shall contract with an experienced and
independent organization or individual consultant to conduct the work outlined in this
section. If practicable, the commissioner must contract with the National Association for
Regulatory Administration.
new text end

new text begin (b) The consultant must develop a proposal for revised licensing standards that includes
a risk-based model for monitoring compliance with child care center licensing standards,
grounded in national regulatory best practices. Violations in the new model must be weighted
to reflect the potential risk that the violations pose to children's health and safety, and
licensing sanctions must be tied to the potential risk. The proposed new model must protect
the health and safety of children in child care centers and be child-centered, family-friendly,
and fair to providers.
new text end

new text begin (c) The consultant shall develop and implement a stakeholder engagement process that
solicits input from parents, licensed child care centers, staff of the Department of Human
Services, and experts in child development about appropriate licensing standards, appropriate
tiers for violations of the standards based on the potential risk of harm that each violation
poses, and appropriate licensing sanctions for each tier.
new text end

new text begin (d) The consultant shall solicit input from parents, licensed child care centers, and staff
of the Department of Human Services about which child care centers should be eligible for
abbreviated inspections that predict compliance with other licensing standards for licensed
child care centers using key indicators previously identified by an empirically based statistical
methodology developed by the National Association for Regulatory Administration and the
Research Institute for Key Indicators.
new text end

new text begin (e) No later than February 1, 2024, the commissioner shall submit a report and proposed
legislation required to implement the new licensing model to the chairs and ranking minority
members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over child care regulation.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin APPROPRIATION; CHILD CARE CENTER REGULATION
MODERNIZATION.
new text end

new text begin $....... in fiscal year 2022 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of
human services for the child care center regulation modernization project under section 1.
This is a onetime appropriation and remains available until June 30, 2024.
new text end