1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to child care; establishing the retaining early educators through attaining 
1.3 	incentives now grant program; appropriating money;proposing coding for new 
1.4 	law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 119B.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. [119B.195] RETAINING EARLY EDUCATORS THROUGH ATTAINING 
1.7 	INCENTIVES NOW GRANT PROGRAM.
1.8 		Subdivision 1.Establishment; purpose. The retaining early educators through attaining 
1.9 	incentives now (REETAIN) grant program is established to provide competitive grants to 
1.10 	incentivize well-trained child care professionals to remain in the workforce. The overall 
1.11 	goal of the REETAIN grant program is to create more consistent care for children over time.
1.12 		Subd. 2.Administration. The commissioner shall administer the REETAIN grant 
1.13 	program through a grant to a nonprofit organization with the demonstrated ability to manage 
1.14 	benefit programs for child care professionals. The commissioner may use up to ten percent 
1.15 	of grant funds to administer the grant program.
1.16 		Subd. 3.Application. An applicant must apply for the grant program using forms 
1.17 	developed by the commissioner and according to timelines established by the commissioner.
1.18 		Subd. 4.Eligibility. (a) To be eligible for a grant, an applicant must:
1.19 	(1) be licensed to provide child care or work for a licensed child care program;
1.20 	(2) work directly with children at least 30 hours per week;
1.21 	(3) have worked in the applicant's current position for at least 12 months;
2.1 	(4) agree to remain in the applicant's current position for at least 12 months upon receiving 
2.2 	a grant under this section;
2.3 	(5) have a career lattice step of six or higher;
2.4 	(6) have a current membership with the Minnesota quality improvement and registry 
2.5 	tool; and
2.6 	(7) meet any other requirements determined by the commissioner.
2.7 	(b) Grant recipients must sign a contract agreeing to remain in the recipient's current 
2.8 	position for at least 12 months after receiving a grant.
2.9 		Subd. 5.Grant awards. To the extent funding is available, a child care professional's 
2.10 	annual amount for the REETAIN grant shall not exceed an amount determined by the 
2.11 	commissioner. A child care professional shall apply each year to compete for an award and 
2.12 	may receive up to one award per year. Recipients may use grant funds for program supplies, 
2.13 	training, and personal expenses.
2.14 		Subd. 6.Report. Beginning January 1, 2022, and each year thereafter, the commissioner 
2.15 	shall report annually to the legislative committees with jurisdiction over child care about 
2.16 	the number of awarded grants and grant program outcomes.

2.17 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION; RETAINING EARLY EDUCATORS THROUGH 
2.18 	ATTAINING INCENTIVES NOW GRANT PROGRAM.
 2.19 	$2,500,000 in fiscal year 2021 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner 
2.20 	of human services for purposes of REETAIN grants under Minnesota Statutes, section 
2.21 	119B.195. This is a onetime appropriation.

2.22 	Sec. 3. APPROPRIATION; TEACH GRANT PROGRAM.
 2.23 	$500,000 in fiscal year 2021 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner 
2.24 	of human services for teacher education and compensation helps (TEACH) program grants 
2.25 	under Minnesota Statutes, section 136A.128. This is a onetime appropriation.