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HF 1880

as introduced - 88th Legislature (2013 - 2014) Posted on 03/17/2014 03:27pm

KEY: stricken = removed, old language.
underscored = added, new language.
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A bill for an act
relating to early learning; expanding the availability of early learning
scholarships; appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2013
Supplement, section 124D.165, subdivision 3, by adding a subdivision; Laws
2013, chapter 116, article 8, section 5, subdivision 8.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2013 Supplement, section 124D.165, subdivision 3,
is amended to read:


Subd. 3.

Administration.

(a) The commissioner shall establish application
timelines and determine the schedule for awarding scholarships that meets operational
needs of eligible families and programs. The commissioner may prioritize applications on
factors including family income, geographic location, and whether the child's family is on a
waiting list for a publicly funded program providing early education or child care services.

(b) Scholarships may be awarded deleted text begin updeleted text end to deleted text begin $5,000 fordeleted text end each eligible childnew text begin . The
commissioner shall establish a target for the average scholarship amount per child
based on the results of the rate survey conducted under section 119B.13, subdivision 1,
paragraph (b),
new text end per year.

(c) A four-star rated program that has children eligible for a scholarship enrolled
in or on a waiting list for a program beginning in July, August, or September may notify
the commissioner, in the form and manner prescribed by the commissioner, each year
of the program's desire to enhance program services or to serve more children than
current funding provides. The commissioner may designate a predetermined number of
scholarship slots for that program and notify the program of that number.

(d) A scholarship is awarded for a 12-month period. If the scholarship recipient has
not been accepted and subsequently enrolled in a rated program within ten months of the
awarding of the scholarship, the scholarship cancels and the recipient must reapply in
order to be eligible for another scholarship. A child may not be awarded more than one
scholarship in a 12-month period.

(e) A child who receives a scholarship who has not completed development
screening under sections 121A.16 to 121A.19 must complete that screening within 90
days of first attending an eligible program.

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2013 Supplement, section 124D.165, is amended by adding
a subdivision to read:


new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Program funding. new text end

new text begin (a) Beginning in fiscal year 2016, the annual baseline
appropriation for this program equals the lesser of:
new text end

new text begin (1) twice the appropriation for the previous year; or
new text end

new text begin (2) the actual amount necessary to fund all eligible scholarship requests.
new text end

new text begin (b) There is annually appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of
education the amount necessary for early education scholarships according to paragraph
(a). This amount must be reduced by the amount of any money specifically appropriated
for the same purpose in any year from any state fund.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end

Sec. 3.

Laws 2013, chapter 116, article 8, section 5, subdivision 8, is amended to read:


Subd. 8.

Early childhood education scholarships.

For transfer to the Office of
Early Learning for early learning scholarships under Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.165:

$
23,000,000
.....
2014
$
deleted text begin 23,000,000
deleted text end new text begin 43,000,000
new text end
.....
2015

Up to $950,000 each year is for administration of this program.

Any balance in the first year does not cancel but is available in the second year.

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2014.
new text end