1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to early learning; expanding the availability of early learning 
1.3 	scholarships; appropriating money;amending Minnesota Statutes 2013 
1.4 	Supplement, section 124D.165, subdivision 3, by adding a subdivision; Laws 
1.5 	2013, chapter 116, article 8, section 5, subdivision 8.
1.6 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.7 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2013 Supplement, section 124D.165, subdivision 3, 
1.8 	is amended to read:
1.9 		Subd. 3.Administration. (a) The commissioner shall establish application 
1.10 	timelines and determine the schedule for awarding scholarships that meets operational 
1.11 	needs of eligible families and programs. The commissioner may prioritize applications on 
1.12 	factors including family income, geographic location, and whether the child's family is on a 
1.13 	waiting list for a publicly funded program providing early education or child care services.
1.14 	(b) Scholarships may be awarded up to $5,000 for each eligible child. The 
1.15 	commissioner shall establish a target for the average scholarship amount per child 
1.16 	based on the results of the rate survey conducted under section 119B.13, subdivision 1, 
1.17 	paragraph (b), per year.
1.18 	(c) A four-star rated program that has children eligible for a scholarship enrolled 
1.19 	in or on a waiting list for a program beginning in July, August, or September may notify 
1.20 	the commissioner, in the form and manner prescribed by the commissioner, each year 
1.21 	of the program's desire to enhance program services or to serve more children than 
1.22 	current funding provides. The commissioner may designate a predetermined number of 
1.23 	scholarship slots for that program and notify the program of that number.
1.24 	(d) A scholarship is awarded for a 12-month period. If the scholarship recipient has 
1.25 	not been accepted and subsequently enrolled in a rated program within ten months of the 
2.1 	awarding of the scholarship, the scholarship cancels and the recipient must reapply in 
2.2 	order to be eligible for another scholarship. A child may not be awarded more than one 
2.3 	scholarship in a 12-month period.
2.4 	(e) A child who receives a scholarship who has not completed development 
2.5 	screening under sections 121A.16 to 121A.19 must complete that screening within 90 
2.6 	days of first attending an eligible program.

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

2.8 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2013 Supplement, section 124D.165, is amended by adding 
2.9 	a subdivision to read:
2.10 		Subd. 6.Program funding. (a) Beginning in fiscal year 2016, the annual baseline 
2.11 	appropriation for this program equals the lesser of:
2.12 	(1) twice the appropriation for the previous year; or
2.13 	(2) the actual amount necessary to fund all eligible scholarship requests.
2.14 	(b) There is annually appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of 
2.15 	education the amount necessary for early education scholarships according to paragraph 
2.16 	(a). This amount must be reduced by the amount of any money specifically appropriated 
2.17 	for the same purpose in any year from any state fund.

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

2.19 	Sec. 3. Laws 2013, chapter 116, article 8, section 5, subdivision 8, is amended to read:
2.20 		Subd. 8.Early childhood education scholarships. For transfer to the Office of 
2.21 	Early Learning for early learning scholarships under Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.165:

2.22		$
	23,000,000
	.....
	2014
	
2.23
2.24		$
	23,000,000
43,000,000
	.....
	2015
	
2.25 	Up to $950,000 each year is for administration of this program.
2.26 	Any balance in the first year does not cancel but is available in the second year.

2.27 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective July 1, 2014.