1.1                          A bill for an act
  1.2             relating to human services; creating a child care 
  1.3             assistance provider reimbursement rate grant program; 
  1.4             appropriating money. 
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  [CHILD CARE ASSISTANCE PROVIDER REIMBURSEMENT 
  1.7   RATE GRANT PROGRAM.] 
  1.8      Subdivision 1.  [PURPOSE AND ESTABLISHMENT.] The 
  1.9   commissioner of human services shall establish a child care 
  1.10  assistance provider reimbursement rate grant program for the 
  1.11  purpose of allowing certain providers to be reimbursed at rates 
  1.12  above the 75th percentile of the market rate, as established in 
  1.13  the Department of Human Services Bulletin #03-68-07.  These 
  1.14  providers must be reimbursed at a rate more closely aligned with 
  1.15  the actual cost of care in order to maintain child care capacity 
  1.16  in nonmetropolitan areas of Minnesota. 
  1.17     Subd. 2.  [PROVIDER ELIGIBILITY.] (a) A child care center 
  1.18  or facility providing legal child care services as defined under 
  1.19  Minnesota Statutes, section 245A.03, is eligible for the grant 
  1.20  program established under this section if the center or facility 
  1.21  is limited to reimbursement at or less than $160 per week, as 
  1.22  established in the Department of Human Services Bulletin 
  1.23  #03-68-07, for services provided to families receiving child 
  1.24  care assistance under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 119B. 
  1.25     (b) An individual providing legal child care services as 
  2.1   defined under Minnesota Statutes, section 245A.03, is eligible 
  2.2   for the grant program established under this section if the 
  2.3   individual is limited to reimbursement at or less than $115 per 
  2.4   week, as established in the Department of Human Services 
  2.5   Bulletin #03-68-07, for services provided to families receiving 
  2.6   child care assistance under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 119B. 
  2.7      Subd. 3.  [APPLICATION PROCEDURE.] Child care providers may 
  2.8   apply to the commissioner of human services for the child care 
  2.9   assistance provider reimbursement rate grant program on the 
  2.10  forms and according to the timelines established by the 
  2.11  commissioner.  The commissioner has 30 calendar days from the 
  2.12  date of receipt of an application to notify the applicant of the 
  2.13  eligibility determination. 
  2.14     Subd. 4.  [PROVIDER REIMBURSEMENT RATES.] Notwithstanding 
  2.15  Minnesota Statutes, section 119B.13, subdivision 1, and Laws 
  2.16  2003, First Special Session chapter 14, article 9, section 34, 
  2.17  the commissioner of human services or the counties shall 
  2.18  reimburse child care providers, who the commissioner has 
  2.19  determined eligible under subdivision 2, for care provided to 
  2.20  families receiving child care assistance under Minnesota 
  2.21  Statutes, chapter 119B, at a rate that is the lesser of (1) the 
  2.22  rate charged to private pay families or (2) the 100th percentile 
  2.23  of the most current market rate survey. 
  2.24     Subd. 5.  [APPROPRIATIONS.] For the child care assistance 
  2.25  provider reimbursement rate grant program: 
  2.26       $.......       .....     2004 
  2.27       $.......       .....     2005 
  2.28     Subd. 6.  [SUNSET DATE.] The grant program under this 
  2.29  section sunsets on June 30, 2005. 
  2.30     <b>[EFFECTIVE DATE.]</b> This section is effective the day 
  2.31  following final enactment.