STATE OF MINNESOTA THIRTY-SEVENTH 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 Tuesday, March 16, 2010, 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
Hamilton
Jackson
Mack
Mariani
Nornes
Peterson
Ward
House Members Excused:
Laine
A quorum was present.
Representative Mack moved that the minutes from Thursday, March 11, 2010 be adopted. THE MOTION PREVAILED.
Representative Greiling assumed the gavel at 4:36 pm.
Representative Slawik moved that HF3225 (Slawik), Child care assistance provider rates modified, be heard and laid over for possible inclusion in the Omnibus Early Childhood Finance & Policy Division bill.
Testifying in favor of HF3225:
Susie Brown, Executive Director, Child Care WORKS
Mike Huber, Teacher/Administrator, Seward Child Care Center, Minneapolis
Lisa Thompson, family child care provider, AFSCME Child Care Providers Together
Mary Jane Albert, family child care provider, AFSCME Child Care Providers Together
Representative Slawik answered the question: Given that funding is capped and has proposed cuts will paying more for some providers increase the waiting list?
Representative Slawik laid over HF3225 for possible inclusion in the Omnibus Early Childhood Finance & Policy Division bill.
Chair Slawik resumed the gavel at 4:56 pm.
Representative Nornes moved that HF3670 (Nornes), A bill for an act relating to early childhood; providing funding for early childhood education, be heard and laid over for possible inclusion in the Omnibus Early Childhood Finance & Policy Division bill.
Testifying in favor of HF3670:
Commissioner Alice Seagren, Minnesota Department of Education
Commissioner Seagren answered the questions: Does this bill put into statute a payment shift? Is the shift just for K-12 or does it also include early education? Would a repayment of the proposed shift occur along the tiers already in statute? Does the bill reflect the Governor’s unallotments? Why would a cut to MDE’s budget come out of early childhood programs? This bill does not reflect a 3% cut across the agency, right? A reduction in kindergarten assessment initiative funds will not affect the quality of the assessment, correct? So the Department is committed to doing the assessment?
Emily Adriaens, House Fiscal Analyst, answered the questions: Line ten of the spreadsheet shows $1,000 each year from the Governor’s recommendations but the bill shows $2,000. Why the discrepancy? Is the unallotment reflected in the tails?
Representative Nornes laid over HF3670 for possible inclusion in the Omnibus Early Childhood Finance & Policy Division bill.
Presentation on potential federal funding for home visiting programs:
Jill Briggs and Jane Kretzmann, Co-Chairs, Targeted Home Visiting Coalition
Maggie Diebel, Director, Community and Family Health Division, Minnesota Department of Health
Ms. Diebel, Ms. Briggs, and Ms. Kretzmann answered the questions: Can the Legislature access the evaluation? Why was the evaluation done, for effectiveness? What would your assessment be of home visiting being moved out of the Department of Health into something like an Office of Early Learning? Was there any collaboration between the home visiting programs and the MELF pilot program? Are all states going to get funding or will the money be granted competitively? Is the Department open to allowing groups that cannot currently receive home visiting funds to receive home visiting funds?
The meeting was adjourned at 5:40 pm.
Representative Nora Slawik, CHAIR
Matthew M. Collie
Committee Legislative Assistant