1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to human services; establishing the retaining early educators through 
1.3 	attaining incentives now grant program; requiring reports; appropriating money; 
1.4 	proposing coding for new 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 (REETAIN) 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 allocate grant money to child care 
1.13 	resource and referral agencies to administer the REETAIN grant program. Up to ten percent 
1.14 	of grant money may be used for administration of the grant program.
1.15 		Subd. 3.Application. Applicants must apply for the grant program using the forms and 
1.16 	according to timelines established by the commissioner.
1.17 		Subd. 4.Eligibility. (a) To be eligible for a grant, an applicant must:
1.18 	(1) be licensed to provide child care or work for a licensed child care program;
1.19 	(2) work directly with children at least 30 hours per week;
1.20 	(3) have worked in the applicant's current position for at least 12 months;
2.1 	(4) agree to work 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 five or higher;
2.4 	(6) have a current membership with the Minnesota quality improvement and registry 
2.5 	tool;
2.6 	(7) not be a current teacher education and compensation helps scholarship recipient; and
2.7 	(8) meet any other requirements determined by the commissioner.
2.8 	(b) Grant recipients must sign a contract agreeing to remain in their current position for 
2.9 	12 months.
2.10 		Subd. 5.Grant awards. Grant awards must be made annually and may be made up to 
2.11 	$3,500 per recipient. Grant recipients may use grant money for program supplies, training, 
2.12 	or personal expenses.
2.13 		Subd. 6.Report. The commissioner must report annually to the legislative committees 
2.14 	with jurisdiction over child care on January 1, 2022, about the number of grants awarded 
2.15 	to recipients and outcomes of the grant program.

2.16 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION; RETAINING EARLY EDUCATORS THROUGH 
2.17 	ATTAINING INCENTIVES NOW (REETAIN) GRANT PROGRAM.
 2.18 	$250,000 in fiscal year 2022 and $250,000 in fiscal year 2023 are appropriated from the 
2.19 	general fund to the commissioner of human services for purposes of REETAIN grants under 
2.20 	Minnesota Statutes, section 119B.195. This appropriation is in addition to federal funding 
2.21 	and is added to the base.