STATE OF MINNESOTA TWELFTH MEETING
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES EIGHTY-SIXTH SESSION
EARLY CHILDHOOD FINANCE & POLICY DIVISION
MINUTES
Representative Nora Slawik, Chair of the Early Childhood Finance & Policy Division, called the meeting to order at 4:34 pm on Thursday, February 26, 2009, in Room 200 of the State Office Building.
The Committee Legislative Assistant noted the roll.
House Members Present:
Slawik (Chair)
Rosenthal (Vice-Chair)
Bly
Buesgens
Downey
Greiling
Laine
Mack
Peterson
Ward
House Members Excused:
Hamilton
Jackson
Mariani
Nornes
A quorum was not present.
A quorum was present at 4:35 pm.
Representative Rosenthal moved that the minutes from Tuesday, February 24, 2009 be adopted. Representative Downey suggested the correction: "we" changed to "were" in the line: "Ms. Mueller and Ms. Weber we asked…" THE MOTION PREVAILED.
Informational presentation regarding the Governor’s Advisory Council on Early Care and Education:
Sarah Caruso, President, Minnesota Children’s Museum
Vice-Chair Rosenthal assumed the gavel at 3:42 pm.
Representative Slawik moved that HF601 (Slawik), Prekindergarten exploratory projects continued, family, friend, and neighbor grants continued, school readiness service agreements continued, and money appropriated, be heard and laid over for possible inclusion in the Omnibus Early Childhood Finance & Policy Division bill.
Representative Slawik moved the
H0601A1-2 amendment (attached). THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.
Testifying in favor of HF601, as amended:
Sarah Caruso, President, Minnesota Children’s Museum
Rico Alexander, Head Start Director, Parents in Community Action
Mr. Alexander was asked why the allowances’ application was so complicated and how many more children were served by the allowances at his Head Start site.
Deb Swenson-Klatt, Manager, Early Childhood Development, Minnesota Department of Human Services
Ms. Swenson-Klatt was asked why the allowances are handled by the Minnesota Department of Human Services; would applications need to be the same with overlapping funds; how eligibility determinations are currently audited; and would the federal stimulus funds go through the pilot stream process.
Nancy Johnson, Director, Caring for Kids Initiative, Interfaith Outreach & Community Partners
Emily Watts, Senior Librarian Hennepin County Libraries
Representative Slawik was asked to explain why the exploratory projects were established, what the Legislature’s priority should be for budgeting and if the bill was an irresponsible use of funds.
Danyell LeMire, House Research Legislative Analyst, provided further information regarding the administrative costs of the bill.
The meeting was adjourned at 5:40 pm.
Representative Nora Slawik, CHAIR
Matthew M. Collie
Committee Legislative Assistant