1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to state government; establishing the early education access fund on July 
1.3 	1, 2020; requiring the Legislative Coordinating Commission to provide for a study 
1.4 	of Minnesota early childhood care and education programs; requiring a report; 
1.5 	appropriating money;proposing coding for new law as Minnesota Statutes, chapter 
1.6 	119C.
1.7 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.8 	Section 1. [119C.01] EARLY EDUCATION ACCESS FUND.
1.9 	On July 1, 2020, the early education access fund is established to coordinate 
1.10 	appropriations and programs for children attending high-quality early child care and education 
1.11 	programs of their parents' choice.

1.12 	Sec. 2. EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATION PROGRAM STUDY.
 1.13 		Subdivision 1.Study authorized. (a) The Legislative Coordinating Commission must 
1.14 	provide for a study of Minnesota early childhood care and education programs. The 
1.15 	Legislative Coordinating Commission must use a request for proposal process to select a 
1.16 	vendor to conduct the study. The commissioners of education, human services, and health 
1.17 	must make reasonable efforts to provide information consistent with the purpose of the 
1.18 	study and required recommendation elements of the study report under subdivision 2.
1.19 	(b) The selected vendor must consult with individuals or groups representing child care 
1.20 	providers, early childhood special education programs, Head Start programs, voluntary 
1.21 	prekindergarten programs, school readiness programs, early learning scholarship programs, 
1.22 	community education programs, organizations and coalitions advocating to increase child 
1.23 	access to high-quality early childhood care and education, and families of children eligible 
2.1 	for early childhood care and education programs. The individuals and groups consulted 
2.2 	must represent public and private, including faith-based, providers of these services and 
2.3 	programs.
2.4 		Subd. 2.Report requirements. No later than January 15, 2018, the Legislative 
2.5 	Coordinating Commission must deliver a report completed by the vendor under subdivision 
2.6 	1 to the chairs and ranking minority members of the senate and house of representatives 
2.7 	committees having jurisdiction over early childhood education, health, and human services. 
2.8 	At a minimum, the report must make recommendations relating to:
2.9 	(1) integrating state resources for child care assistance provided through the basic sliding 
2.10 	fee program under Minnesota Statutes, section 119B.03, and the Minnesota family investment 
2.11 	program under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 256J;
2.12 	(2) aligning family income eligibility requirements for early childhood care and education 
2.13 	programs under Minnesota Statutes, chapters 119B, 124D, and 256J;
2.14 	(3) coordinating outreach to families eligible to provide uniform notification about 
2.15 	available program options;
2.16 	(4) reducing duplicative paperwork and administrative burden and increasing the stability 
2.17 	of funding for families of children eligible for early childhood care and education programs;
2.18 	(5) maximizing child care assistance program integrity and payment mechanisms to 
2.19 	increase fund accountability and efficiency;
2.20 	(6) transferring powers and duties related to the quality rating and improvement system 
2.21 	under Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.142;
2.22 	(7) providing for local and state information technology investments and data sharing 
2.23 	agreements necessary to support a system of coordinated care and education;
2.24 	(8) coordinating internal and external evaluation of early childhood care and education 
2.25 	programs to measure and report on their effectiveness and efficiency; and
2.26 	(9) transferring or consolidating powers and duties related to other early childhood care 
2.27 	and education programs currently administered by the Department of Education, the 
2.28 	Department of Human Services, or the Department of Health.

2.29 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

3.1 	Sec. 3. APPROPRIATION; EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATION 
3.2 	PROGRAM STUDY.
 3.3 	$....... in fiscal year 2018 is appropriated from the general fund to the Legislative 
3.4 	Coordinating Commission for the early childhood care and education program study.