1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to human services; modifying the definition of provider in child care 
1.3 	services provisions; modifying child care services grants provisions;amending 
1.4 	Minnesota Statutes 2018, sections 119B.21; 119B.26.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 119B.21, is amended to read:
1.7 	119B.21 CHILD CARE SERVICES GRANTS.
1.8 		Subdivision 1.Distribution of grant funds. (a) The commissioner shall distribute funds 
1.9 	to the child care resource and referral programs designated under section sections 119B.189 
1.10 	and119B.19, subdivision 1a, for child care services grants to centers under subdivision 5 
1.11 	and family child care programs based upon the following factors improve child care quality, 
1.12 	support start-up of new programs, and expand existing programs.
1.13 	(b) Up to ten percent of funds appropriated for grants under this section may be used by 
1.14 	the commissioner for statewide child care development initiatives, training initiatives, 
1.15 	collaboration programs, and research and data collection. The commissioner shall develop 
1.16 	eligibility guidelines and a process to distribute funds under this paragraph.
1.17 	(c) At least 90 percent of funds appropriated for grants under this section may be 
1.18 	distributed by the commissioner to child care resource and referral programs under section
1.19 	sections 119B.189 and119B.19, subdivision 1a, for child care center grants and family 
1.20 	child care grants based on the following factors:
1.21 	(1) the number of children under 13 years of age needing child care in the region;
1.22 	(2) the region served by the program;
2.1 	(3) the ratio of children under 13 years of age needing child care to the number of licensed 
2.2 	spaces in the region;
2.3 	(4) the number of licensed child care providers and school-age care programs in the 
2.4 	region; and
2.5 	(5) other related factors determined by the commissioner.
2.6 	(d) Child care resource and referral programs must award child care center grants and 
2.7 	family child care services grants based on the recommendation of the child care district 
2.8 	proposal review committees under subdivision 3.
2.9 	(e) The commissioner may distribute funds under this section for a two-year period.
2.10 		Subd. 1a.Eligible programs. A child care resource and referral program designated 
2.11 	under section 119B.19, subdivision 1a, may award child care services grants to:
2.12 	(1) a child care center licensed under Minnesota Rules, chapter 9503, or in the process 
2.13 	of becoming licensed;
2.14 	(2) a family or group family child care home licensed under Minnesota Rules, chapter 
2.15 	9502, or in the process of becoming licensed;
2.16 	(3) corporations or public agencies that develop or provide child care services;
2.17 	(4) a school-age care program;
2.18 	(5) a tribally licensed child care program;
2.19 	(6) legal nonlicensed or family, friend, and neighbor child care providers; or
2.20 	(7) other programs as determined by the commissioner.
2.21 		Subd. 3.Child care district proposal review committees. (a) Child care district proposal 
2.22 	review committees review applications for family child care grants and child care center
2.23 	services grants under this section and make funding recommendations to the child care 
2.24 	resource and referral program designated under section sections 119B.189 and119B.19, 
2.25 	subdivision 1a. Each region within a district must be represented on the review committee. 
2.26 	The child care district proposal review committees must complete their reviews and forward 
2.27 	their recommendations to the child care resource and referral district programs by the date 
2.28 	specified by the commissioner.
2.29 	(b) A child care resource and referral district program shall establish a process to select 
2.30 	members of the child care district proposal review committee. Members must reflect a broad 
2.31 	cross-section of the community, and may include the following constituent groups: family 
3.1 	child care providers, child care center providers, school-age care providers, parents who 
3.2 	use child care services, health services, social services, public schools, Head Start, employers, 
3.3 	representatives of cultural and ethnic communities, and other citizens with demonstrated 
3.4 	interest in child care issues. Members of the proposal review committee with a direct financial 
3.5 	interest in a pending grant proposal may not provide a recommendation or participate in 
3.6 	the ranking of that grant proposal.
3.7 	(c) The child care resource and referral district program may reimburse committee 
3.8 	members for their actual travel, child care, and child care provider substitute expenses for 
3.9 	up to two committee meetings per year. The program may also pay offer a stipend to parent 
3.10 	representatives proposal review committee members for participating in two meetings per 
3.11 	year the grant review process.
3.12 		Subd. 5.Child care services grants. (a) A child care resource and referral program 
3.13 	designated under section sections 119B.189 and119B.19, subdivision 1a, may award child 
3.14 	care services grants for:
3.15 	(1) creating new licensed child care facilities and expanding existing facilities, including, 
3.16 	but not limited to, supplies, equipment, facility renovation, and remodeling;
3.17 	(2) improving licensed child care facility programs facility improvements, including but 
3.18 	not limited to improvements to meet licensing requirements;
3.19 	(3) staff training and development services including, but not limited to, in-service 
3.20 	training, curriculum development, accreditation, certification, consulting, resource centers, 
3.21 	program and resource materials, supporting effective teacher-child interactions, child-focused 
3.22 	teaching, and content-driven classroom instruction;
3.23 	(4) capacity building through the purchase of appropriate technology to create, enhance, 
3.24 	and maintain business management systems;
3.25 	(5) emergency assistance for child care programs;
3.26 	(6) new programs or projects for the creation, expansion, or improvement of programs 
3.27 	that serve ethnic immigrant and refugee communities; and
3.28 	(7) targeted recruitment initiatives to expand and build the capacity of the child care 
3.29 	system and to improve the quality of care provided by legal nonlicensed child care providers.; 
3.30 	and
3.31 	(8) other uses as approved by the commissioner.
4.1 	(b) A child care resource and referral organization designated under section sections 
4.2 	119B.189 and119B.19, subdivision 1a, may award child care services grants of up to $1,000 
4.3 	to family child care providers. These grants may be used for: eligible programs in amounts 
4.4 	up to a maximum determined by the commissioner for each type of eligible program.
4.5 	(1) facility improvements, including, but not limited to, improvements to meet licensing 
4.6 	requirements;
4.7 	(2) improvements to expand a child care facility or program;
4.8 	(3) toys and equipment;
4.9 	(4) technology and software to create, enhance, and maintain business management 
4.10 	systems;
4.11 	(5) start-up costs;
4.12 	(6) staff training and development; and
4.13 	(7) other uses approved by the commissioner.
4.14 	(c) A child care resource and referral program designated under section 119B.19, 
4.15 	subdivision 1a, may award child care services grants to:
4.16 	(1) licensed providers;
4.17 	(2) providers in the process of being licensed;
4.18 	(3) corporations or public agencies that develop or provide child care services;
4.19 	(4) school-age care programs;
4.20 	(5) legal nonlicensed or family, friend, and neighbor care providers; or
4.21 	(6) any combination of clauses (1) to (5).
4.22 	(d) A child care center that is a recipient of a child care services grant for facility 
4.23 	improvements or staff training and development must provide a 25 percent local match. A 
4.24 	local match is not required for grants to family child care providers.
4.25 	(e) Beginning July 1, 2009, grants to child care centers under this subdivision shall be 
4.26 	increasingly awarded for activities that improve provider quality, including activities under 
4.27 	paragraph (a), clauses (1) to (3) and (6). Grants to family child care providers shall be 
4.28 	increasingly awarded for activities that improve provider quality, including activities under 
4.29 	paragraph (b), clauses (1), (3), and (6).

5.1 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 119B.26, is amended to read:
5.2 	119B.26 AUTHORITY TO WAIVE REQUIREMENTS DURING DISASTER 
5.3 	PERIODS.
5.4 	The commissioner may waive requirements under this chapter for up to nine months 
5.5 	after the disaster in areas where a federal disaster has been declared under United States 
5.6 	Code, title 42, section 5121, et seq., or the governor has exercised authority under chapter 
5.7 	12. The commissioner may waive requirements retroactively from the date of the disaster.
5.8 	The commissioner shall notify the chairs of the house of representatives and senate 
5.9 	committees with jurisdiction over this chapter and the house of representatives Ways and 
5.10 	Means Committee ten days before the effective date of any waiver granted within five 
5.11 	business days after the commissioner grants a waiver under this section.

5.12 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective July 1, 2020.