1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to education; establishing a legislative working group on early childhood 
1.3 	programs.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. LEGISLATIVE WORKING GROUP ON EARLY CHILDHOOD 
1.6 	PROGRAMS.
 1.7 		Subdivision 1.Membership; chair. (a) The legislative working group on early childhood 
1.8 	programs shall consist of eight members as follows:
1.9 	(1) four members of the house of representatives, two members appointed by the speaker 
1.10 	of the house and two members appointed by the house minority leader; and
1.11 	(2) four members of the senate, two members appointed by the senate majority leader 
1.12 	and two members appointed by the senate minority leader.
1.13 	(b) Appointing authorities must make appointments by August 1, 2018.
1.14 	(c) If a vacancy occurs, the appointing authority for the vacated position must fill the 
1.15 	vacancy.
1.16 	(d) The speaker and the majority leader shall each designate one working group member 
1.17 	from their respective body to serve as chair. The chair shall rotate after each meeting. The 
1.18 	person appointed as chair by the senate majority leader shall convene the first meeting of 
1.19 	the working group by September 15, 2018.
2.1 		Subd. 2.Duties. (a) The working group must study each of the key facts and findings 
2.2 	and recommendations made by the legislative auditor in its April 2018 evaluation report on 
2.3 	early childhood programs.
2.4 	(b) The working group must solicit input from the commissioner of human services, the 
2.5 	commissioner of health, the commissioner of education, early childhood program providers, 
2.6 	families accessing services in Minnesota's early childhood programs, county and school 
2.7 	officials, and other interested stakeholders.
2.8 		Subd. 3.Administration. The Legislative Coordinating Commission must provide 
2.9 	technical and administrative assistance to the working group upon request.
2.10 		Subd. 4.Recommendations; report. The working group must issue a report to the 
2.11 	governor and chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with 
2.12 	jurisdiction over early childhood programs by January 15, 2019. The report must include 
2.13 	any draft legislation to make any recommended changes to the law to improve the 
2.14 	effectiveness of Minnesota's system of early childhood programs.
2.15 		Subd. 5.Expiration. The working group expires January 16, 2019.

2.16 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective July 1, 2018.