1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to child care licensing; providing licensure
1.3 	as an employer care cooperative program; amending
1.4 	Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 245A.14, subdivision
1.5 	4.
1.6 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.7 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 245A.14,
1.8 	subdivision 4, is amended to read:
1.9 		Subd. 4.Special family day care homes.  Nonresidential
1.10 	child care programs serving 14 or fewer children that are
1.11 	conducted at a location other than the license holder's own
1.12 	residence shall be licensed under this section and the rules
1.13 	governing family day care or group family day care if:
1.14 	(a) the license holder is the primary provider of care and
1.15 	the nonresidential child care program is conducted in a dwelling
1.16 	that is located on a residential lot;
1.17 	(b) the license holder is an employer who may or may not be
1.18 	the primary provider of care, and the purpose for the child care
1.19 	program is to provide child care services to children of the
1.20 	license holder's employees;
1.21 	(c) the license holder is a church or religious
1.22 	organization; or 
1.23 	(d) the license holder is a community collaborative child
1.24 	care provider.  For purposes of this subdivision, a community
1.25 	collaborative child care provider is a provider participating in
2.1 	a cooperative agreement with a community action agency as
2.2 	defined in section 119A.375.; or 
2.3 	(e) the individual license holder is a member of a
2.4 	not-for-profit employer care cooperative program.  For purposes
2.5 	of this subdivision, an employer care cooperative is defined as
2.6 	two or more employers with a written agreement to cooperate in
2.7 	the development and operation of a child care program to provide
2.8 	community-based child care services.  Programs licensed pursuant
2.9 	to this subdivision may be granted time-limited variances to
2.10 	exceed the maximum licensed capacity of 14 during transition
2.11 	periods, not to exceed a cumulative total of four hours per day,
2.12 	if:
2.13 	(1) the program is in compliance with fire codes for
2.14 	educational occupancy (Group E);
2.15 	(2) the program meets a 1 to 5 staff-to-child ratio during
2.16 	the variance period;
2.17 	(3) the facility has the square footage required per child
2.18 	under Minnesota Rules, part 9502.0425; and 
2.19 	(4) the program is in compliance with local zoning
2.20 	regulations.
2.21 	
EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day
2.22 	following final enactment.