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Minnesota House of Representatives

Early Childhood Finance and Policy

FIFTEENTH MEETING

2021-2022 Regular Session - Tuesday, March 2, 2021

STATE OF MINNESOTA FIFTEENTH MEETING
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES NINETY-SECOND SESSION


EARLY CHILDHOOD FINANCE AND POLICY COMMITTEE
MINUTES

Representative Dave Pinto, Chair of the Committee on Early Childhood Finance and Policy, called the remote meeting to order at 8:30 AM on March 2, 2021 pursuant to House rule 10.01. The meeting was broadcast via Zoom and House Public Information Services.

The Committee Legislative Assistant noted the roll call.

Members present:
PINTO, Dave, Chair
PRYOR, Laurie, Vice Chair
FRANSON, Mary, Minority Lead
BENNETT, Peggy
BOLDON, Liz
DANIELS, Brian
DAVNIE, Jim
DEMUTH, Lisa
JURGENS, Tony
KOTYZA-WITTHUHN, Carlie
MORRISON, Kelly
WAZLAWIK, Ami
WOLGAMOTT, Dan

A quorum was present.

Vice Chair Pryor moved that the minutes from February 25, 2021 meeting be approved. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

Presentation on a project between Kids Can’t Wait Coalition and EdMN.

Testifying:
• Robin Wonsley Worlobah, Community Organizer, Education Minnesota
• Sara Ford, Education Issues Specialist, Education Minnesota
• Mary Solheim, Education Director, Playschool Child Care Inc
• Kiarra Zachery, Parent

Rep. Boldon moved that HF 1278 be brought before the committee.

Rep. Boldon presented HF 1278.

Testifying:
• Kristen Ragatz, Early Educator
• Monique Stumn
• Cyndi Cunningham, MCCPIN

Chair Pinto laid over HF 1278 for possible inclusion in an Early Childhood Omnibus bill.

Rep. Kotyza-Witthuhn moved that HF 1384 be brought before the committee.

Rep. Kotyza-Witthuhn presented HF 1384.

Testifying:
• Kris Hoplin, Executive Director, Reach Out and Read
• Dr. Pamela Chawla, Chief of General Pediatrics, Children’s Minnesota

Rep. Pinto laid over HF 1348 for possible inclusion in an Early Childhood Omnibus bill.

Rep. Morrison moved that HF 570 be brought before the committee.

Rep. Morrison offered the A1 amendment be added to HF 570. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

Rep. Morrison presented HF 570.

Testifying:
• Cyndi Cunningham, MCCPIN

Chair Pinto laid over HF 570, as amended, for possible inclusion in an Early Childhood Omnibus Bill.

Rep. Pryor moved that HF 1467 be brought before the committee.

Rep. Pryor presented HF 1467.

Testifying:
• Elana Gravitz, Hennepin County
• Clare Sanford, Minnesota Child Care Association
• Stacia Rosas, DHS (for questions only)

Chair Pinto laid over HF 1467 for possible inclusion in an Early Childhood Omnibus bill.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:55 AM.


__________________________________________
Representative Dave Pinto, Chair


__________________________________________
Shenika Chambers, Committee Legislative Assistant


More Info On This Meeting..
Bills Added:
  • HF1278 (Boldon) - Early care and education affordability and workforce compensation established, report required, and money appropriated.
  • HF570 (Morrison) - Individual-use screen use limited in preschool and kindergarten, and money appropriated.
  • HF1384 (Kotyza-Witthuhn) - Reach Out and Read Minnesota grant program funding provided, and money appropriated.
  • HF1467 (Pryor) - Child care assistance funding priorities modified for eligible families, and allocation of funds adjusted.
Documents:
Audio:
Listen Now
House TV Video:
View Archive

01:56 - "Minnesota's Birth-4 Care and Education System" Report,
Kids Count On Us and Educator Policy Impact Center (EPIC).
17:35 - HF1278 (Boldon) Early care and education affordability and workforce compensation established, report required, and money appropriated.
45:13 - HF1384 (Kotyza-Witthuhn) Reach Out and Read Minnesota grant program funding provided, and money appropriated.
1:03:37 - HF570 (Morrison) Individual-use screen use limited in preschool and kindergarten, and money appropriated.
1:11:10 - HF1467 (Pryor) Child care assistance funding priorities modified for eligible families, and allocation of funds adjusted.
Runs 1 hour, 31 minutes.

Presentation on "Minnesota's Birth-4 Care and Education System" Report, Kids Count On Us and Educator Policy Impact Center (EPIC)
House File 1278 (Boldon): Early care and education affordability and workforce compensation established, report required, and money appropriated.
House File 1384 (Kotyza-Witthuhn): Reach Out and Read Minnesota grant program funding provided, and money appropriated.
House File 570 (Morrison): Individual-use screen use limited in preschool and kindergarten, and money appropriated.
House File 1467 (Pryor): Child care assistance funding priorities modified for eligible families, and allocation of funds adjusted.


Additional bills may be added.

Public Viewing:

This remote hearing may be viewed via the House webcast schedule page: https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/htv/schedule.asp

Notes:
This remote hearing is taking place pursuant to Rule 10.01, which may be viewed here: https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/cco/rules/permrule/permrule.asp
NOTE: HTV 1 and HTV 2 will provide live closed captioning. Video archives of meetings streamed on HTV 3, 4, and 5 will have closed captions added. Other reasonable accessibility accommodations may be made with advance notice.
If you have questions about the accessibility of remote hearings or require an accommodation to view, participate in, or otherwise access a remote hearing, please contact Jenny Nash by emailing her at jenny.nash@house.mn or by leaving a message at 651-296-4122. Please do not contact Jenny Nash with questions about the agenda.
For questions about the agenda or the committee, please contact the Committee Administrator, Polly Cerkvenik, at polly.cerkvenik@house.mn or 651-296-1921.

Public Testimony:
Members of the public who are interested in testifying must email polly.cerkvenik@house.mn by 3:00 p.m. the day before the meeting to ensure consideration. Testimony may be limited due to time constraints.
If you plan to submit written testimony, please send it to polly.cerkvenik@house.mn by 3:00 p.m. the day before the meeting. Written testimony is encouraged and may be submitted for the record up to 24 hours after the hearing ends.