1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to human services; requiring commissioner of human services to convene 
1.3 	the child care regulation working group; requiring a report; appropriating money.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. CHILD CARE REGULATION WORKING GROUP.
 1.6 		Subdivision 1.Establishment; members. The commissioner of human services or the 
1.7 	commissioner's designee shall convene a child care regulation working group that consists 
1.8 	of no more than 30 members, including, but not limited to:
1.9 	(1) two licensed family or group family day care providers;
1.10 	(2) two licensed child care center providers;
1.11 	(3) two directors or owners of child care centers;
1.12 	(4) one retired family or group family day care provider, or a provider that voluntarily 
1.13 	closed their program within the last three years;
1.14 	(5) the commissioner of human services or the commissioner's designee;
1.15 	(6) two county employees who perform child care licensing duties in the metropolitan 
1.16 	area as defined in Minnesota Statutes, section 473.121, subdivision 2;
1.17 	(7) two county employees who perform child care licensing duties outside of the  
1.18 	metropolitan area as defined in Minnesota Statutes, section 473.121, subdivision 2;
1.19 	(8) two representatives from the Minnesota Child Care Association;
1.20 	(9) one representative from the Minnesota Association of Child Care Professionals;
2.1 	(10) one representative from the Minnesota Child Care Provider Information Network;
2.2 	(11) one representative from Family Child Care, Inc.;
2.3 	(12) one representative from the National Association for Family Child Care, if possible;
2.4 	(13) one representative from the Center for Rural Policy and Development;
2.5 	(14) one representative from the Northwest Minnesota Foundation;
2.6 	(15) one representative from First Children's Finance;
2.7 	(16) one representative from WomenVenture;
2.8 	(17) one representative from the Children's Defense Fund;
2.9 	(18) one representative from Think Small; and
2.10 	(19) at least two parents of children currently enrolled in a licensed child care program.
2.11 		Subd. 2.Compensation. Public members of the child care regulation working group 
2.12 	shall not receive any compensation or per diem payments for participating in the advisory 
2.13 	group.
2.14 		Subd. 3.Meetings. (a) The child care regulation working group shall hold at least four 
2.15 	public meetings between August 1, 2018, and February 1, 2019. To the extent possible, 
2.16 	technology must be utilized to reach the greatest number of interested persons throughout 
2.17 	Minnesota.
2.18 	(b) The commissioner of human services, or the commissioner's designee, shall convene 
2.19 	the first meeting of the working group. The working group may select a chair or cochairs 
2.20 	from among its members at the first meeting. The commissioner shall provide technical and 
2.21 	administrative assistance to the working group upon request.
2.22 		Subd. 4.Duties; recommendations. The child care regulation working group shall 
2.23 	assess the current child care regulations under Minnesota Rules, parts 9502 and 9503, and 
2.24 	Minnesota Statutes, chapter 245A, including but not limited to training requirements, 
2.25 	licensing procedures, investigations, and sanctions. In developing recommendations, the 
2.26 	working group shall make the terminology and structure clear and understandable for child 
2.27 	care providers and licensing staff, avoid duplication and conflict between rules and statutes, 
2.28 	and focus on best practices for child safety and well-being.
2.29 		Subd. 5.Report. The child care regulation working group shall submit a report with 
2.30 	recommendations on updating and improving child care rules and statutes to the 
2.31 	commissioner of human services and to the chairs and ranking minority members of the 
3.1 	legislative committees with jurisdiction over child care licensing. The commissioner of 
3.2 	human services shall consider the working group's recommendations when adopting changes 
3.3 	to Minnesota Rules, parts 9502 and 9503.
3.4 		Subd. 6.Sunset. The working group sunsets upon delivery of the required report under 
3.5 	subdivision 5.

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

3.7 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION.
 3.8 	$50,000 in fiscal year 2019 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner 
3.9 	of human services for the costs related to the salary of an independent, professional facilitator, 
3.10 	as well as printing and duplicating costs and expenses related to meeting management for 
3.11 	the child care regulation working group.