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HF 3328

as introduced - 90th Legislature (2017 - 2018) Posted on 03/15/2018 04:49pm

KEY: stricken = removed, old language.
underscored = added, new language.
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A bill for an act
relating to education; health; modifying child eligibility for the early learning
scholarship program; modifying the administration of the early learning scholarship
program; establishing a targeted home visiting grant program for high-risk
populations; appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2017 Supplement,
section 124D.165, subdivisions 2, 3; Laws 2017, First Special Session chapter 5,
article 8, section 10, subdivision 4; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota
Statutes, chapter 145A.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2017 Supplement, section 124D.165, subdivision 2, is
amended to read:


Subd. 2.

Family eligibility.

(a) For a family to receive an early learning scholarship,
parents or guardians must meet the following eligibility requirements:

(1) have an eligible child; and

(2) have income equal to or less than 185 percent of federal poverty level income in the
current calendar year, or be able to document their child's current participation in the free
and reduced-price lunch program or Child and Adult Care Food Program, National School
Lunch Act, United States Code, title 42, sections 1751 and 1766; the Food Distribution
Program on Indian Reservations, Food and Nutrition Act, United States Code, title 7, sections
2011-2036; Head Start under the federal Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act
of 2007; Minnesota family investment program under chapter 256J; child care assistance
programs under chapter 119B; the supplemental nutrition assistance program; or placement
in foster care under section 260C.212.

(b) An "eligible child" means a child who has not yet enrolled in kindergarten and is:

(1) deleted text begin at least three butdeleted text end not yet five years of age on September 1 of the current school year;new text begin
or
new text end

deleted text begin (2) a sibling from birth to age five of a child who has been awarded a scholarship under
this section provided the sibling attends the same program as long as funds are available;
deleted text end

deleted text begin (3) the child of a parent under age 21 who is pursuing a high school degree or a course
of study for a high school equivalency test; or
deleted text end

deleted text begin (4)deleted text end new text begin (2)new text end homeless, in foster care, or in need of child protective services.

(c) A child who has received a scholarship under this section must continue to receive
a scholarship each year until that child is eligible for kindergarten under section 120A.20
and as long as funds are available.

(d) Early learning scholarships may not be counted as earned income for the purposes
of medical assistance under chapter 256B, MinnesotaCare under chapter 256L, Minnesota
family investment program under chapter 256J, child care assistance programs under chapter
119B, or Head Start under the federal Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of
2007.

(e) A child from an adjoining state whose family resides at a Minnesota address as
assigned by the United States Postal Service, who has received developmental screening
under sections 121A.16 to 121A.19, who intends to enroll in a Minnesota school district,
and whose family meets the criteria of paragraph (a) is eligible for an early learning
scholarship under this section.

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2018.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2017 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 must give highest priority to applications from
children who:

(1) have a parent under age 21 who is pursuing a high school diploma or a course of
study for a high school equivalency test;

(2) are in foster care or otherwise in need of protection or services; or

(3) have experienced homelessness in the last 24 months, as defined under the federal
McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, United States Code, title 42, section 11434a.

The commissioner may prioritize applications on additional 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.new text begin To the extent practicable,
and consistent with subdivision 2, paragraph (c), the commissioner must allocate half of
the available funding for scholarships to eligible children from birth to age two.
new text end

(b) 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.02.

(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. For fiscal year 2018 and later, the
statewide amount of funding directly designated by the commissioner must not exceed the
funding directly designated for fiscal year 2017. Beginning July 1, 2016, a school district
or Head Start program qualifying under this paragraph may use its established registration
process to enroll scholarship recipients and may verify a scholarship recipient's family
income in the same manner as for other program participants.

(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.

(f) For fiscal year 2017 and later, a school district or Head Start program enrolling
scholarship recipients under paragraph (c) may apply to the commissioner, in the form and
manner prescribed by the commissioner, for direct payment of state aid. Upon receipt of
the application, the commissioner must pay each program directly for each approved
scholarship recipient enrolled under paragraph (c) according to the metered payment system
or another schedule established by the commissioner.

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2018.
new text end

Sec. 3.

new text begin [145A.18] TARGETED HOME VISITING GRANT PROGRAM FOR
HIGH-RISK POPULATIONS.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Establishment. new text end

new text begin (a) The commissioner of health shall establish a program
to provide targeted home visiting services to families living in poverty, targeting first-time
mothers and families within high-risk populations with children prenatal through age five.
new text end

new text begin (b) The commissioner shall promote collaborative partnerships within and across
communities to meet the needs of vulnerable families living in poverty. The commissioner
shall designate a portion of the grant funds to build capacity within a community to improve
coordination and collaboration to support newly arriving, isolated, or diverse families, and
to provide ongoing professional development and training of staff to ensure quality
programming.
new text end

new text begin (c) For purposes of this section, "high-risk population" includes but is not limited to
pregnant and parenting teens, families experiencing violence, families experiencing isolation,
families with mental health needs, families with children having special health care needs,
and families experiencing homelessness.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Grants. new text end

new text begin (a) The commissioner shall award grants to nonprofit organizations,
community health boards, tribal governments, or a collaboration of entities that have been
operating a targeted home visiting program for at least two years. Priority shall be given to
home visiting programs that are not receiving state funds under section 145A.17 or receiving
other state funding for home visiting services.
new text end

new text begin (b) Grant funds shall be used to improve the health and well-being needs of children
and families, improve readiness for learning and school, and improve maternal outcomes,
including education, workforce participation, and health.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Outcome and performance measures. new text end

new text begin The commissioner shall establish
measures to determine the impact of targeted home visiting programs receiving funds under
this section.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Supplemental funds. new text end

new text begin Funds available under this section may only be used to
supplement, not replace, current state or federal funding used for family home visiting
programs.
new text end

Sec. 4.

Laws 2017, First Special Session chapter 5, article 8, section 10, subdivision 4, is
amended to read:


Subd. 4.

Early learning scholarships.

(a) For the early learning scholarship program
under Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.165:

$
70,209,000
.....
2018
$
deleted text begin 70,209,000
deleted text end new text begin .......
new text end
.....
2019

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

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

(d) The base for fiscal year 2020 is deleted text begin $70,709,000deleted text end new text begin $.......new text end .

new text begin (e) Of the amount in 2019, ... percent in each year is for transfer to the commissioner of
human services for the quality rating and improvement system under Minnesota Statutes,
section 124D.142. The amount transferred under this paragraph must be reduced by the
amount of any federal funding in that year for the system under Minnesota Statutes, section
124D.142.
new text end

Sec. 5. new text begin APPROPRIATION.
new text end

new text begin $....... in fiscal year 2019 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of
health for the targeted home visiting grant program under Minnesota Statutes, section
145A.18. The base for fiscal year 2020 and later is $........
new text end