HF 2425

as introduced - 90th Legislature (2017 - 2018) Posted on 03/01/2018 05:06pm

A bill for an act
relating to economic development; appropriating money for sustainable child care
in rural Minnesota.

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

Section 1. new text begin APPROPRIATION; MINNESOTA INITIATIVE FOUNDATIONS.
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new text begin (a) $1,500,000 in fiscal year 2018 is appropriated from the general fund to the
commissioner of employment and economic development for grants to Minnesota initiative
foundations. This is a onetime appropriation and is available until June 30, 2021. Grant
funds must be awarded in equal amounts to each initiative foundation.
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new text begin (b) Minnesota initiative foundations must use grant funds under this section to:
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new text begin (1) facilitate planning processes for rural communities resulting in a community solution
action plan that guides decision making to sustain and increase the supply of quality child
care in the region to support economic development;
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new text begin (2) engage the private sector to invest local resources to support the community solution
action plan and ensure child care is a vital component of additional regional economic
development planning processes;
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new text begin (3) provide small business development resources, training, and technical assistance to
rural child care business owners through a learning cohort. Financial and business
development assistance must endeavor to prepare child care businesses for quality
engagement and improvement by stabilizing operations, leveraging funding from other
sources, and fostering business acumen that allows child care businesses to plan for and
afford the cost of quality child care; and
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new text begin (4) recruit child care programs to participate in Parent Aware, Minnesota's quality and
improvement rating system, by providing targeted resources designed to encourage high
levels of participation. Minnesota initiative foundations must work with local partners to
provide low-cost training, professional development opportunities, and curriculum. Minnesota
initiative foundations must fund, through local partners, an enhanced level of coaching to
rural child care providers to obtain a quality rating through Parent Aware.
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