1.1    .................... moves to amend H. F. No. 297, the committee engrossment
1.2(CEH0297-1), as follows:
1.3Page 379, after line 15, insert:


1.6    Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 13.46, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
1.7    Subd. 2. General. (a) Unless the data is summary data or a statute specifically
1.8provides a different classification, data on individuals collected, maintained, used, or
1.9disseminated by the welfare system is private data on individuals, and shall not be
1.10disclosed except:
1.11    (1) according to section 13.05;
1.12    (2) according to court order;
1.13    (3) according to a statute specifically authorizing access to the private data;
1.14    (4) to an agent of the welfare system, including a law enforcement person, attorney,
1.15or investigator acting for it in the investigation or prosecution of a criminal or civil
1.16proceeding relating to the administration of a program;
1.17    (5) to personnel of the welfare system who require the data to verify an individual's
1.18identity; determine eligibility, amount of assistance, and the need to provide services to
1.19an individual or family across programs; evaluate the effectiveness of programs; and
1.20investigate suspected fraud;
1.21    (6) to administer federal funds or programs;
1.22    (7) between personnel of the welfare system working in the same program;
1.23    (8) to the Department of Revenue to administer and evaluate tax refund or tax credit
1.24programs and to identify individuals who may benefit from these programs. The following
1.25information may be disclosed under this paragraph: an individual's and their dependent's
1.26names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, income, addresses, and other data as
1.27required, upon request by the Department of Revenue. Disclosures by the commissioner
2.1of revenue to the commissioner of human services for the purposes described in this clause
2.2are governed by section 270B.14, subdivision 1. Tax refund or tax credit programs include,
2.3but are not limited to, the dependent care credit under section 290.067, the Minnesota
2.4working family credit under section 290.0671, the property tax refund and rental credit
2.5under section 290A.04, and the Minnesota education credit under section 290.0674;
2.6    (9) between the Department of Human Services, the Department of Education, and
2.7the Department of Employment and Economic Development for the purpose of monitoring
2.8the eligibility of the data subject for unemployment benefits, for any employment or
2.9training program administered, supervised, or certified by that agency, for the purpose of
2.10administering any rehabilitation program or child care assistance program, whether alone
2.11or in conjunction with the welfare system, or to monitor and evaluate the Minnesota
2.12family investment program or the child care assistance program by exchanging data on
2.13recipients and former recipients of food support, cash assistance under chapter 256, 256D,
2.14256J, or 256K, child care assistance under chapter 119B, or medical programs under
2.15chapter 256B, 256D, or 256L;
2.16    (10) to appropriate parties in connection with an emergency if knowledge of
2.17the information is necessary to protect the health or safety of the individual or other
2.18individuals or persons;
2.19    (11) data maintained by residential programs as defined in section 245A.02 may
2.20be disclosed to the protection and advocacy system established in this state according
2.21to Part C of Public Law 98-527 to protect the legal and human rights of persons with
2.22developmental disabilities or other related conditions who live in residential facilities for
2.23these persons if the protection and advocacy system receives a complaint by or on behalf
2.24of that person and the person does not have a legal guardian or the state or a designee of
2.25the state is the legal guardian of the person;
2.26    (12) to the county medical examiner or the county coroner for identifying or locating
2.27relatives or friends of a deceased person;
2.28    (13) data on a child support obligor who makes payments to the public agency
2.29may be disclosed to the Minnesota Office of Higher Education to the extent necessary to
2.30determine eligibility under section 136A.121, subdivision 2, clause (5);
2.31    (14) participant Social Security numbers and names collected by the telephone
2.32assistance program may be disclosed to the Department of Revenue to conduct an
2.33electronic data match with the property tax refund database to determine eligibility under
2.34section 237.70, subdivision 4a;
3.1    (15) the current address of a Minnesota family investment program participant
3.2may be disclosed to law enforcement officers who provide the name of the participant
3.3and notify the agency that:
3.4    (i) the participant:
3.5    (A) is a fugitive felon fleeing to avoid prosecution, or custody or confinement after
3.6conviction, for a crime or attempt to commit a crime that is a felony under the laws of the
3.7jurisdiction from which the individual is fleeing; or
3.8    (B) is violating a condition of probation or parole imposed under state or federal law;
3.9    (ii) the location or apprehension of the felon is within the law enforcement officer's
3.10official duties; and
3.11    (iii) the request is made in writing and in the proper exercise of those duties;
3.12    (16) the current address of a recipient of general assistance or general assistance
3.13medical care may be disclosed to probation officers and corrections agents who are
3.14supervising the recipient and to law enforcement officers who are investigating the
3.15recipient in connection with a felony level offense;
3.16    (17) information obtained from food support applicant or recipient households may
3.17be disclosed to local, state, or federal law enforcement officials, upon their written request,
3.18for the purpose of investigating an alleged violation of the Food Stamp Act, according
3.19to Code of Federal Regulations, title 7, section 272.1(c);
3.20    (18) the address, Social Security number, and, if available, photograph of any
3.21member of a household receiving food support shall be made available, on request, to a
3.22local, state, or federal law enforcement officer if the officer furnishes the agency with the
3.23name of the member and notifies the agency that:
3.24    (i) the member:
3.25    (A) is fleeing to avoid prosecution, or custody or confinement after conviction, for a
3.26crime or attempt to commit a crime that is a felony in the jurisdiction the member is fleeing;
3.27    (B) is violating a condition of probation or parole imposed under state or federal
3.28law; or
3.29    (C) has information that is necessary for the officer to conduct an official duty related
3.30to conduct described in subitem (A) or (B);
3.31    (ii) locating or apprehending the member is within the officer's official duties; and
3.32    (iii) the request is made in writing and in the proper exercise of the officer's official
3.33duty;
3.34    (19) the current address of a recipient of Minnesota family investment program,
3.35general assistance, general assistance medical care, or food support may be disclosed to
3.36law enforcement officers who, in writing, provide the name of the recipient and notify the
4.1agency that the recipient is a person required to register under section 243.166, but is not
4.2residing at the address at which the recipient is registered under section 243.166;
4.3    (20) certain information regarding child support obligors who are in arrears may be
4.4made public according to section 518A.74;
4.5    (21) data on child support payments made by a child support obligor and data on
4.6the distribution of those payments excluding identifying information on obligees may be
4.7disclosed to all obligees to whom the obligor owes support, and data on the enforcement
4.8actions undertaken by the public authority, the status of those actions, and data on the
4.9income of the obligor or obligee may be disclosed to the other party;
4.10    (22) data in the work reporting system may be disclosed under section 256.998,
4.11subdivision 7 ;
4.12    (23) to the Department of Education for the purpose of matching Department of
4.13Education student data with public assistance data to determine students eligible for free
4.14and reduced price meals, meal supplements, and free milk according to United States
4.15Code, title 42, sections 1758, 1761, 1766, 1766a, 1772, and 1773; to allocate federal and
4.16state funds that are distributed based on income of the student's family; and to verify
4.17receipt of energy assistance for the telephone assistance plan;
4.18    (24) the current address and telephone number of program recipients and emergency
4.19contacts may be released to the commissioner of health or a local board of health as
4.20defined in section 145A.02, subdivision 2, when the commissioner or local board of health
4.21has reason to believe that a program recipient is a disease case, carrier, suspect case, or at
4.22risk of illness, and the data are necessary to locate the person;
4.23    (25) to other state agencies, statewide systems, and political subdivisions of this
4.24state, including the attorney general, and agencies of other states, interstate information
4.25networks, federal agencies, and other entities as required by federal regulation or law for
4.26the administration of the child support enforcement program;
4.27    (26) to personnel of public assistance programs as defined in section 256.741, for
4.28access to the child support system database for the purpose of administration, including
4.29monitoring and evaluation of those public assistance programs;
4.30    (27) to monitor and evaluate the Minnesota family investment program by
4.31exchanging data between the Departments of Human Services and Education, on
4.32recipients and former recipients of food support, cash assistance under chapter 256, 256D,
4.33256J, or 256K, child care assistance under chapter 119B, or medical programs under
4.34chapter 256B, 256D, or 256L;
4.35    (28) to evaluate child support program performance and to identify and prevent
4.36fraud in the child support program by exchanging data between the Department of Human
5.1Services, Department of Revenue under section 270B.14, subdivision 1, paragraphs (a)
5.2and (b), without regard to the limitation of use in paragraph (c), Department of Health,
5.3Department of Employment and Economic Development, and other state agencies as is
5.4reasonably necessary to perform these functions; or
5.5    (29) counties operating child care assistance programs under chapter 119B may
5.6disseminate data on program participants, applicants, and providers to the commissioner
5.7of education.
5.8    (b) Information on persons who have been treated for drug or alcohol abuse may
5.9only be disclosed according to the requirements of Code of Federal Regulations, title
5.1042, sections 2.1 to 2.67.
5.11    (c) Data provided to law enforcement agencies under paragraph (a), clause (15),
5.12(16), (17), or (18), or paragraph (b), are investigative data and are confidential or protected
5.13nonpublic while the investigation is active. The data are private after the investigation
5.14becomes inactive under section 13.82, subdivision 5, paragraph (a) or (b).
5.15    (d) Mental health data shall be treated as provided in subdivisions 7, 8, and 9, but is
5.16not subject to the access provisions of subdivision 10, paragraph (b).
5.17    For the purposes of this subdivision, a request will be deemed to be made in writing
5.18if made through a computer interface system.

5.19    Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 16D.13, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
5.20    Subd. 3. Exclusion. A state agency may not charge interest under this section on
5.21overpayments of assistance benefits under the programs formerly codified in sections
5.22256.031 to 256.0361, 256.72 to 256.87, and under chapters 119B, 256D, and 256I, or the
5.23federal food stamp program. Notwithstanding this prohibition, any debts that have been
5.24reduced to judgment under these programs are subject to the interest charges provided
5.25under section 549.09.

5.26    Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 119B.09, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
5.27    Subdivision 1. General Eligibility requirements for all applicants for child
5.28care assistance. (a) Child care services must be available to families who need child
5.29care to find or keep employment or to obtain the training or education necessary to find
5.30employment and who:
5.31    (1) have household income less than or equal to 250 percent of the federal poverty
5.32guidelines, adjusted for family size, and meet the requirements of section 119B.05;
5.33receive MFIP assistance; and are participating in employment and training services under
5.34chapter 256J or 256K; or
6.1    (2) have household income less than or equal to 175 percent of the federal poverty
6.2guidelines, adjusted for family size, at program entry and less than 250 percent of the
6.3federal poverty guidelines, adjusted for family size, at program exit.; or
6.4    (3) have household income less than or equal to 250 percent of the federal poverty
6.5guidelines, adjusted for family size, and were a family whose child care assistance was
6.6terminated due to insufficient funds under Minnesota Rules, part 3400.0183.
6.7    (b) Child care services must be made available as in-kind services.
6.8    (c) All applicants for child care assistance and families currently receiving child care
6.9assistance must be assisted and required to cooperate in establishment of paternity and
6.10enforcement of child support obligations for all children in the family as a condition
6.11of program eligibility. For purposes of this section, a family is considered to meet the
6.12requirement for cooperation when the family complies with the requirements of section
6.13256.741 .
6.14EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective July 1, 2008.

6.15    Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 119B.09, subdivision 7, is amended to read:
6.16    Subd. 7. Date of eligibility for assistance. (a) The date of eligibility for child
6.17care assistance under this chapter is the later of the date the application was signed; the
6.18beginning date of employment, education, or training; the date the infant is born for
6.19applicants to the at-home infant care program; or the date a determination has been made
6.20that the applicant is a participant in employment and training services under Minnesota
6.21Rules, part 3400.0080, subpart 2a, or chapter 256J.
6.22    (b) Payment ceases for a family under the at-home infant child care program when a
6.23family has used a total of 12 months of assistance as specified under section 119B.035.
6.24Payment of child care assistance for employed persons on MFIP is effective the date of
6.25employment or the date of MFIP eligibility, whichever is later. Payment of child care
6.26assistance for MFIP or DWP participants in employment and training services is effective
6.27the date of commencement of the services or the date of MFIP or DWP eligibility,
6.28whichever is later. Payment of child care assistance for transition year child care must be
6.29made retroactive to the date of eligibility for transition year child care.
6.30    (c) Notwithstanding paragraph (b), payment of child care assistance for participants
6.31eligible under section 119B.05, may only be made retroactively for a maximum of six
6.32months from the date of application for child care assistance.
6.33EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective July 1, 2008.

6.34    Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 119B.09, is amended by adding a subdivision
6.35to read:
7.1    Subd. 11. Payment of other child care expenses. Payment by a source other
7.2than the family, of part or all of a family's child care expenses not payable under this
7.3chapter, does not affect the family's eligibility for child care assistance, and the amount
7.4paid is excluded from the family's income, if the funds are paid directly to the family's
7.5child care provider on behalf of the family. Child care providers who accept third-party
7.6payments must maintain family-specific documentation of payment source, amount, type
7.7of expenses, and time period covered by the payment.

7.8    Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 119B.09, is amended by adding a subdivision
7.9to read:
7.10    Subd. 13. Sliding fee. Child care services to families must be made available on
7.11a sliding fee basis.
7.12    (a) The commissioner shall convert eligibility requirements in section 119B.09 and
7.13parent fee schedules in 119B.12 to state median income, based on a family size of three,
7.14adjusted for family size, Subd. 2(a) shall be implemented July 1, 2008. The commissioner
7.15shall report to the 2008 legislature with the necessary statutory changes to codify this
7.16conversion to state median income.

7.17    Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 119B.12, is amended to read:
7.18119B.12 SLIDING FEE SCALE.
7.19    Subdivision 1. Fee schedule. In setting the sliding fee schedule, the commissioner
7.20shall exclude from the amount of income used to determine eligibility an amount for
7.21federal and state income and Social Security taxes attributable to that income level
7.22according to federal and state standardized tax tables. The commissioner shall base the
7.23parent fee on the ability of the family to pay for child care. The fee schedule must be
7.24designed to use any available tax credits.
7.25    PARENT FEE SCHEDULE. The parent fee schedule is as follows:

7.26 7.27	Income Range (as a percent of the federal poverty guidelines)	Co-payment (as a percentage of adjusted gross income)
7.28	0-74.99%	$0/month
7.29	75.00-99.99%	$5/month
7.30	100.00-104.99%	2.61%
7.31	105.00-109.99%	2.61%
7.32	110.00-114.99%	2.61%
7.33	115.00-119.99%	2.61%
7.34	120.00-124.99%	2.91%
7.35	125.00-129.99%	2.91%
7.36	130.00-134.99%	2.91%
7.37	135.00-139.99%	2.91%
7.38	140.00-144.99%	3.21%
8.1	145.00-149.99%	3.21%
8.2	150.00-154.99%	3.21%
8.3	155.00-159.99%	3.84%
8.4	160.00-164.99%	3.84%
8.5	165.00-169.99%	4.46%
8.6	170.00-174.99%	4.76%
8.7	175.00-179.99%	5.05%
8.8	180.00-184.99%	5.65%
8.9	185.00-189.99%	5.95%
8.10	190.00-194.99%	6.24%
8.11	195.00-199.99%	6.84%
8.12	200.00-204.99%	7.58%
8.13	205.00-209.99%	8.33%
8.14	210.00-214.99%	9.20%
8.15	215.00-219.99%	10.07%
8.16	220.00-224.99%	10.94%
8.17	225.00-229.99%	11.55%
8.18	230.00-234.99%	12.16%
8.19	235.00-239.99%	12.77%
8.20	240.00-244.99%	13.38%
8.21	245.00-249.99%	14.00%
8.22	250%	ineligible

8.23    A family's monthly co-payment fee is the fixed percentage established for the
8.24income range multiplied by the highest possible income within that income range.
8.25    Subd. 2. Parent fee. A family must be assessed a parent fee for each service period.
8.26A family's parent fee must be a fixed percentage of its annual gross income. Parent fees
8.27must apply to families eligible for child care assistance under sections 119B.03 and
8.28119B.05 . Income must be as defined in section 119B.011, subdivision 15. The fixed
8.29percent is based on the relationship of the family's annual gross income to 100 percent
8.30of the annual federal poverty guidelines. Parent fees must begin at 75 percent of the
8.31poverty level. The minimum parent fees for families between 75 percent and 100 percent
8.32of poverty level must be $10 $5 per month. Parent fees must provide for graduated
8.33movement to full payment. Payment of part or all of a family's parent fee directly to the
8.34family's child care provider on behalf of the family by a source other than the family shall
8.35not affect the family's eligibility for child care assistance, and the amount paid shall be
8.36excluded from the family's income. Child care providers who accept third-party payments
8.37must maintain family specific documentation of payment source, amount, and time period
8.38covered by the payment.
8.39EFFECTIVE DATE.(a) This section is effective July 1, 2007.
9.1    (b) Effective July 1, 2008, the parent fee scale for families with incomes greater than
9.2or equal to 100 percent of FPG shall be converted to state median income for a family size
9.3of three, adjusted for family size, as directed in section 119B.09, subdivision 2(a).

9.4    Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 119B.125, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
9.5    Subd. 2. Persons who cannot be authorized. (a) A person who meets any of the
9.6conditions under paragraphs (b) to (n) must not be authorized as a legal nonlicensed
9.7family child care provider. To determine whether any of the listed conditions exist,
9.8the county must request information about the provider from the Bureau of Criminal
9.9Apprehension, the juvenile courts, and social service agencies. When one of the listed
9.10entities does not maintain information on a statewide basis, the county must contact the
9.11entity in the county where the provider resides and any other county in which the provider
9.12previously resided in the past year. For purposes of this subdivision, a finding that a
9.13delinquency petition is proven in juvenile court must be considered a conviction in state
9.14district court. If a county has determined that a provider is able to be authorized in that
9.15county, and a family in another county later selects that provider, the provider is able to
9.16be authorized in the second county without undergoing a new background investigation
9.17unless one of the following conditions exists:
9.18    (1) two years have passed since the first authorization;
9.19    (2) another person age 13 or older has joined the provider's household since the
9.20last authorization;
9.21    (3) a current household member has turned 13 since the last authorization; or
9.22    (4) there is reason to believe that a household member has a factor that prevents
9.23authorization.
9.24    (b) The person has been convicted of one of the following offenses or has admitted to
9.25committing or a preponderance of the evidence indicates that the person has committed an
9.26act that meets the definition of one of the following offenses: sections 609.185 to 609.195,
9.27murder in the first, second, or third degree; 609.2661 to 609.2663, murder of an unborn
9.28child in the first, second, or third degree; 609.322, solicitation, inducement, promotion
9.29of prostitution, or receiving profit from prostitution; 609.342 to 609.345, criminal sexual
9.30conduct in the first, second, third, or fourth degree; 609.352, solicitation of children to
9.31engage in sexual conduct; 609.365, incest; 609.377, felony malicious punishment of a
9.32child; 617.246, use of minors in sexual performance; 617.247, possession of pictorial
9.33representation of a minor; 609.2242 to 609.2243, felony domestic assault; a felony offense
9.34of spousal abuse; a felony offense of child abuse or neglect; a felony offense of a crime
9.35against children; or an attempt or conspiracy to commit any of these offenses as defined in
10.1Minnesota Statutes; or an offense in any other state or country where the elements are
10.2substantially similar to any of the offenses listed in this paragraph.
10.3    (c) Less than 15 years have passed since the discharge of the sentence imposed for
10.4the offense and the person has received a felony conviction for one of the following
10.5offenses, or the person has admitted to committing or a preponderance of the evidence
10.6indicates that the person has committed an act that meets the definition of a felony
10.7conviction for one of the following offenses: sections 609.20 to 609.205, manslaughter in
10.8the first or second degree; 609.21, criminal vehicular homicide; 609.215, aiding suicide
10.9or aiding attempted suicide; 609.221 to 609.2231, assault in the first, second, third, or
10.10fourth degree; 609.224, repeat offenses of fifth degree assault; 609.228, great bodily
10.11harm caused by distribution of drugs; 609.2325, criminal abuse of a vulnerable adult;
10.12609.2335 , financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult; 609.235, use of drugs to injure or
10.13facilitate a crime; 609.24, simple robbery; 617.241, repeat offenses of obscene materials
10.14and performances; 609.245, aggravated robbery; 609.25, kidnapping; 609.255, false
10.15imprisonment; 609.2664 to 609.2665, manslaughter of an unborn child in the first or
10.16second degree; 609.267 to 609.2672, assault of an unborn child in the first, second, or third
10.17degree; 609.268, injury or death of an unborn child in the commission of a crime; 609.27,
10.18coercion; 609.275, attempt to coerce; 609.324, subdivision 1, other prohibited acts, minor
10.19engaged in prostitution; 609.3451, repeat offenses of criminal sexual conduct in the fifth
10.20degree; 609.378, neglect or endangerment of a child; 609.52, theft; 609.521, possession of
10.21shoplifting gear; 609.561 to 609.563, arson in the first, second, or third degree; 609.582,
10.22burglary in the first, second, third, or fourth degree; 609.625, aggravated forgery; 609.63,
10.23forgery; 609.631, check forgery, offering a forged check; 609.635, obtaining signature
10.24by false pretenses; 609.66, dangerous weapon; 609.665, setting a spring gun; 609.67,
10.25unlawfully owning, possessing, or operating a machine gun; 609.687, adulteration; 609.71,
10.26riot; 609.713, terrorist threats; 609.749, harassment, stalking; 260C.301, termination of
10.27parental rights; 152.021 to 152.022 and 152.0262, controlled substance crime in the first
10.28or second degree; 152.023, subdivision 1, clause (3) or (4), or 152.023, subdivision 2,
10.29clause (4), controlled substance crime in third degree; 152.024, subdivision 1, clause
10.30(2), (3), or (4), controlled substance crime in fourth degree; 617.23, repeat offenses of
10.31indecent exposure; an attempt or conspiracy to commit any of these offenses as defined in
10.32Minnesota Statutes; or an offense in any other state or country where the elements are
10.33substantially similar to any of the offenses listed in this paragraph.
10.34    (d) Less than ten years have passed since the discharge of the sentence imposed for
10.35the offense and the person has received a gross misdemeanor conviction for one of the
10.36following offenses or the person has admitted to committing or a preponderance of the
11.1evidence indicates that the person has committed an act that meets the definition of a gross
11.2misdemeanor conviction for one of the following offenses: sections 609.224, fifth degree
11.3assault; 609.2242 to 609.2243, domestic assault; 518B.01, subdivision 14, violation of
11.4an order for protection; 609.3451, fifth degree criminal sexual conduct; 609.746, repeat
11.5offenses of interference with privacy; 617.23, repeat offenses of indecent exposure;
11.6617.241 , obscene materials and performances; 617.243, indecent literature, distribution;
11.7617.293 , disseminating or displaying harmful material to minors; 609.71, riot; 609.66,
11.8dangerous weapons; 609.749, harassment, stalking; 609.224, subdivision 2, paragraph
11.9(c), fifth degree assault against a vulnerable adult by a caregiver; 609.23, mistreatment
11.10of persons confined; 609.231, mistreatment of residents or patients; 609.2325, criminal
11.11abuse of a vulnerable adult; 609.2335, financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult;
11.12609.233 , criminal neglect of a vulnerable adult; 609.234, failure to report maltreatment of
11.13a vulnerable adult; 609.72, subdivision 3, disorderly conduct against a vulnerable adult;
11.14609.265 , abduction; 609.378, neglect or endangerment of a child; 609.377, malicious
11.15punishment of a child; 609.324, subdivision 1a, other prohibited acts, minor engaged
11.16in prostitution; 609.33, disorderly house; 609.52, theft; 609.582, burglary in the first,
11.17second, third, or fourth degree; 609.631, check forgery, offering a forged check; 609.275,
11.18attempt to coerce; an attempt or conspiracy to commit any of these offenses as defined in
11.19Minnesota Statutes; or an offense in any other state or country where the elements are
11.20substantially similar to any of the offenses listed in this paragraph.
11.21    (e) Less than seven years have passed since the discharge of the sentence imposed
11.22for the offense and the person has received a misdemeanor conviction for one of the
11.23following offenses or the person has admitted to committing or a preponderance of
11.24the evidence indicates that the person has committed an act that meets the definition
11.25of a misdemeanor conviction for one of the following offenses: sections 609.224, fifth
11.26degree assault; 609.2242, domestic assault; 518B.01, violation of an order for protection;
11.27609.3232 , violation of an order for protection; 609.746, interference with privacy; 609.79,
11.28obscene or harassing telephone calls; 609.795, letter, telegram, or package opening,
11.29harassment; 617.23, indecent exposure; 609.2672, assault of an unborn child, third degree;
11.30617.293 , dissemination and display of harmful materials to minors; 609.66, dangerous
11.31weapons; 609.665, spring guns; an attempt or conspiracy to commit any of these offenses
11.32as defined in Minnesota Statutes; or an offense in any other state or country where the
11.33elements are substantially similar to any of the offenses listed in this paragraph.
11.34    (f) The person has been identified by the child protection agency in the county where
11.35the provider resides or a county where the provider has resided or by the statewide child
12.1protection database as a person found by a preponderance of evidence under section
12.2626.556 to be responsible for physical or sexual abuse of a child within the last seven years.
12.3    (g) The person has been identified by the adult protection agency in the county
12.4where the provider resides or a county where the provider has resided or by the statewide
12.5adult protection database as the person responsible for abuse or neglect of a vulnerable
12.6adult within the last seven years.
12.7    (h) The person has refused to give written consent for disclosure of criminal history
12.8records.
12.9    (i) The person has been denied a family child care license or has received a fine or a
12.10sanction as a licensed child care provider that has not been reversed on appeal.
12.11    (j) The person has a family child care licensing disqualification that has not been
12.12set aside.
12.13    (k) The person has admitted or a county has found that there is a preponderance of
12.14evidence that fraudulent information was given to the county for child care assistance
12.15application purposes or was used in submitting child care assistance bills for payment.
12.16    (l) The person has been convicted of the crime of theft by wrongfully obtaining
12.17public assistance or has been found guilty of wrongfully obtaining public assistance by a
12.18federal court, state court, or an administrative hearing determination or waiver, through a
12.19disqualification consent agreement, as part of an approved diversion plan under section
12.20401.065, or a court-ordered stay with probationary or other conditions.
12.21    (m) The person has a household member age 13 or older who has access to children
12.22during the hours that care is provided and who meets one of the conditions listed in
12.23paragraphs (b) to (l).
12.24    (n) The person has a household member ages ten to 12 who has access to children
12.25during the hours that care is provided; information or circumstances exist which provide
12.26the county with articulable suspicion that further pertinent information may exist showing
12.27the household member meets one of the conditions listed in paragraphs (b) to (l); and the
12.28household member actually meets one of the conditions listed in paragraphs (b) to (l).

12.29    Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 119B.13, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
12.30    Subdivision 1. Subsidy restrictions. (a) Beginning July 1, 2006 2007, the
12.31maximum rate paid for child care assistance in any county or multicounty region under the
12.32child care fund shall be the rate for like-care arrangements in the county effective January
12.33July 1, 2006, increased by six two percent.
12.34    (b) Rate changes shall be implemented for services provided in September 2006
12.352007 unless a participant eligibility redetermination or a new provider agreement is
12.36completed between July 1, 2006 2007, and August 31, 2006 2007.
13.1    As necessary, appropriate notice of adverse action must be made according to
13.2Minnesota Rules, part 3400.0185, subparts 3 and 4.
13.3    New cases approved on or after July 1, 2006 2007, shall have the maximum rates
13.4under paragraph (a), implemented immediately.
13.5    (c) Not less than once every two years year, the commissioner shall survey rates
13.6charged by child care providers in Minnesota to determine the 75th percentile for
13.7like-care arrangements in counties. When the commissioner determines that, using the
13.8commissioner's established protocol, the number of providers responding to the survey is
13.9too small to determine the 75th percentile rate for like-care arrangements in a county or
13.10multicounty region, the commissioner may establish the 75th percentile maximum rate
13.11based on like-care arrangements in a county, region, or category that the commissioner
13.12deems to be similar.
13.13    (d) A rate which includes a special needs rate paid under subdivision 3 or under
13.14a school readiness service agreement paid under section 30 may be in excess of the
13.15maximum rate allowed under this subdivision.
13.16    (e) The department shall monitor the effect of this paragraph on provider rates. The
13.17county shall pay the provider's full charges for every child in care up to the maximum
13.18established. The commissioner shall determine the maximum rate for each type of care
13.19on an hourly, full-day, and weekly basis, including special needs and disability care. The
13.20half-day rates are effective beginning July 1, 2008.
13.21    (f) When the provider charge is greater than the maximum provider rate allowed,
13.22the parent is responsible for payment of the difference in the rates in addition to any
13.23family co-payment fee.
13.24    (g) All maximum provider rate changes shall be implemented on the Monday
13.25following the effective date of the maximum provider rate.

13.26    Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 119B.13, subdivision 3a, is amended to read:
13.27    Subd. 3a. Provider rate differential for accreditation. A family child care
13.28provider or child care center shall be paid a 15 percent differential above the maximum
13.29rate established in subdivision 1, up to the actual provider rate, if the provider or center
13.30holds a current early childhood development credential or is accredited. For a family
13.31child care provider, early childhood development credential and accreditation includes
13.32an individual who has earned a child development associate degree, a child development
13.33associate credential, a diploma in child development from a Minnesota state technical
13.34college, or a bachelor's or post baccalaureate degree in early childhood education from
13.35an accredited college or university, or who is accredited by the National Association for
13.36Family Child Care or the Competency Based Training and Assessment Program. For a
14.1child care center, accreditation includes accreditation by the National Association for the
14.2Education of Young Children, the Council on Accreditation, the National Early Childhood
14.3Program Accreditation, the National School-Age Care Association, or the National Head
14.4Start Association Program of Excellence. For Montessori programs, accreditation includes
14.5the American Montessori Society, Association of Montessori International-USA, or the
14.6National Center for Montessori Education.

14.7    Sec. 11. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 119B.13, subdivision 6, is amended to read:
14.8    Subd. 6. Provider payments. (a) Counties or the state shall make vendor payments
14.9to the child care provider or pay the parent directly for eligible child care expenses.
14.10    (b) If payments for child care assistance are made to providers, the provider shall
14.11bill the county for services provided within ten days of the end of the service period. If
14.12bills are submitted within ten days of the end of the service period, a county or the state
14.13shall issue payment to the provider of child care under the child care fund within 30 days
14.14of receiving a bill from the provider. Counties or the state may establish policies that
14.15make payments on a more frequent basis.
14.16    (c) All bills If a provider has received an authorization of care and has been issued a
14.17billing form for an eligible family, the bill must be submitted within 60 days of the last
14.18date of service on the bill. A county may pay a bill submitted more than 60 days after
14.19the last date of service if the provider shows good cause why the bill was not submitted
14.20within 60 days. Good cause must be defined in the county's child care fund plan under
14.21section 119B.08, subdivision 3, and the definition of good cause must include county
14.22error. A county may not pay any bill submitted more than a year after the last date of
14.23service on the bill.
14.24    (d) If a provider provided care for a time period without receiving an authorization
14.25of care and a billing form for an eligible family, payment of child care assistance may only
14.26be made retroactively for a maximum of six months from the date the provider is issued an
14.27authorization of care and a billing form.
14.28    (d) (e) A county may stop payment issued to a provider or may refuse to pay a
14.29bill submitted by a provider if:
14.30    (1) the provider admits to intentionally giving the county materially false information
14.31on the provider's billing forms; or
14.32    (2) a county finds by a preponderance of the evidence that the provider intentionally
14.33gave the county materially false information on the provider's billing forms.
14.34    (e) (f) A county's payment policies must be included in the county's child care plan
14.35under section 119B.08, subdivision 3. If payments are made by the state, in addition to
15.1being in compliance with this subdivision, the payments must be made in compliance
15.2with section 16A.124.

15.3    Sec. 12. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 119B.13, subdivision 7, is amended to read:
15.4    Subd. 7. Absent days. (a) Child care providers may not be reimbursed for more
15.5than 25 full-day absent days per child, excluding holidays, in a fiscal year, or for more
15.6than ten consecutive full-day absent days, unless the child has a documented medical
15.7condition that causes more frequent absences. Absences due to a documented medical
15.8condition of a parent or sibling who lives in the same residence as the child receiving
15.9child care assistance do not count against the 25-day absent day limit in a fiscal year.
15.10Documentation of medical conditions must be on the forms and submitted according to
15.11the timelines established by the commissioner. A public health nurse or school nurse
15.12may verify the illness in lieu of a medical practitioner. If a provider sends a child home
15.13early due to a medical reason including, but not limited to, fever or contagious illness,
15.14the child care center director or lead teacher may verify the illness in lieu of a medical
15.15practitioner. If a child attends for part of the time authorized to be in care in a day, but is
15.16absent for part of the time authorized to be in care in that same day, the absent time will be
15.17reimbursed but the time will not count toward the ten consecutive or 25 cumulative absent
15.18day limits. Children in families where at least one parent is under the age of 21, does not
15.19have a high school or general education development (GED) diploma, and is a student in a
15.20school district or another similar program that provides or arranges for child care, as well
15.21as parenting, social services, career and employment supports, and academic support to
15.22achieve high school graduation, may be exempt from the absent day limits upon request
15.23of the program and approval of the county. If a child attends part of an authorized day,
15.24payment to the provider must be for the full amount of care authorized for that day. Child
15.25care providers may only be reimbursed for absent days if the provider has a written policy
15.26for child absences and charges all other families in care for similar absences.
15.27    (b) Child care providers must be reimbursed for up to ten federal or state holidays
15.28or designated holidays per year when the provider charges all families for these days
15.29and the holiday or designated holiday falls on a day when the child is authorized to be
15.30in attendance. Parents may substitute other cultural or religious holidays for the ten
15.31recognized state and federal holidays. Holidays do not count toward the ten consecutive or
15.3225 cumulative absent day limits.
15.33    (c) A family or child care provider may not be assessed an overpayment for an
15.34absent day payment unless (1) there was an error in the amount of care authorized for the
15.35family, (2) all of the allowed full-day absent payments for the child have been paid, or (3)
15.36the family or provider did not timely report a change as required under law.
16.1    (d) The provider and family must receive notification of the number of absent days
16.2used upon initial provider authorization for a family and when the family has used 15
16.3cumulative absent days. Upon statewide implementation of the Minnesota Electronic
16.4Child Care System, the provider and family authorization for a family and ongoing
16.5notification of the number of absent days used as of the date of the notification.
16.6    (e) A county may pay for more absent days than the statewide absent day policy
16.7established under this subdivision, if current market practice in the county justifies
16.8payment for those additional days. County policies for payment of absent days in excess
16.9of the statewide absent day policy and justification for these county policies must be
16.10included in the county's child care fund plan under section 119B.08, subdivision 3. This
16.11paragraph may be implemented by counties on or after July 1, 2008.

16.12    Sec. 13. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 119B.21, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
16.13    Subd. 5. Child care services grants. (a) A child care resource and referral program
16.14designated under section 119B.19, subdivision 1a, may award child care services grants
16.15for:
16.16    (1) creating new licensed child care facilities and expanding existing facilities,
16.17including, but not limited to, supplies, equipment, facility renovation, and remodeling;
16.18    (2) improving licensed child care facility programs;
16.19    (3) staff training and development services including, but not limited to, in-service
16.20training, curriculum development, accreditation, certification, consulting, resource centers,
16.21and program and resource materials, supporting effective teacher-child interactions,
16.22child-focused teaching, and content-driven classroom instruction;
16.23    (4) interim financing;
16.24    (5) capacity building through the purchase of appropriate technology to create,
16.25enhance, and maintain business management systems;
16.26    (6) emergency assistance for child care programs;
16.27    (7) new programs or projects for the creation, expansion, or improvement of
16.28programs that serve ethnic immigrant and refugee communities; and
16.29    (8) targeted recruitment initiatives to expand and build the capacity of the child
16.30care system and to improve the quality of care provided by legal nonlicensed child care
16.31providers.
16.32    (b) A child care resource and referral program designated under section 119B.19,
16.33subdivision 1a , may award child care services grants to:
16.34    (1) licensed providers;
16.35    (2) providers in the process of being licensed;
16.36    (3) corporations or public agencies that develop or provide child care services;
17.1    (4) school-age care programs; or
17.2    (5) any combination of clauses (1) to (4).
17.3Unlicensed providers are only eligible for grants under paragraph (a), clause (7).
17.4    (c) A recipient of a child care services grant for facility improvements, interim
17.5financing, or staff training and development must provide a 25 percent local match.

17.6    Sec. 14. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 245A.10, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
17.7    Subd. 2. County fees for background studies and licensing inspections. (a) For
17.8purposes of family and group family child care licensing under this chapter, a county
17.9agency may charge a fee to an applicant or license holder to recover the actual cost of
17.10background studies, but in any case not to exceed $100 annually. A county agency may
17.11also charge a license fee to an applicant or license holder to recover the actual cost of
17.12licensing inspections, but in any case not to exceed $150 annually $50 for a one-year
17.13license or $100 for a two-year license.
17.14    (b) A county agency may charge a fee to a legal nonlicensed child care provider or
17.15applicant for authorization to recover the actual cost of background studies completed
17.16under section 119B.125, but in any case not to exceed $100 annually.
17.17    (c) Counties may elect to reduce or waive the fees in paragraph (a) or (b):
17.18    (1) in cases of financial hardship;
17.19    (2) if the county has a shortage of providers in the county's area;
17.20    (3) for new providers; or
17.21    (4) for providers who have attained at least 16 hours of training before seeking
17.22initial licensure.
17.23    (d) Counties may allow providers to pay the applicant fees in paragraph (a) or (b) on
17.24an installment basis for up to one year. If the provider is receiving child care assistance
17.25payments from the state, the provider may have the fees under paragraph (a) or (b)
17.26deducted from the child care assistance payments for up to one year and the state shall
17.27reimburse the county for the county fees collected in this manner.
17.28EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment.

17.29    Sec. 15. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 245A.16, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
17.30    Subdivision 1. Delegation of authority to agencies. (a) County agencies and
17.31private agencies that have been designated or licensed by the commissioner to perform
17.32licensing functions and activities under section 245A.04 and background studies for
17.33adult foster care, family adult day services, and child foster care under chapter 245C, to
17.34recommend denial of applicants under section 245A.05, to issue correction orders, to issue
17.35variances, and recommend a conditional license under section 245A.06, or to recommend
18.1suspending or revoking a license or issuing a fine under section 245A.07, shall comply
18.2with rules and directives of the commissioner governing those functions and with this
18.3section. The following variances are excluded from the delegation of variance authority
18.4and may be issued only by the commissioner:
18.5    (1) dual licensure of family child care and child foster care, dual licensure of child
18.6and adult foster care, and adult foster care and family child care;
18.7    (2) adult foster care maximum capacity;
18.8    (3) adult foster care minimum age requirement;
18.9    (4) child foster care maximum age requirement;
18.10    (5) variances regarding disqualified individuals except that county agencies may
18.11issue variances under section 245C.30 regarding disqualified individuals when the county
18.12is responsible for conducting a consolidated reconsideration according to sections 245C.25
18.13and 245C.27, subdivision 2, clauses (a) and (b), of a county maltreatment determination
18.14and a disqualification based on serious or recurring maltreatment; and
18.15    (6) the required presence of a caregiver in the adult foster care residence during
18.16normal sleeping hours.
18.17    (b) County agencies must report:
18.18    (1) information about disqualification reconsiderations under sections 245C.25
18.19and 245C.27, subdivision 2, clauses (a) and (b), and variances granted under paragraph
18.20(a), clause (5), to the commissioner at least monthly in a format prescribed by the
18.21commissioner; and
18.22    (2) for relative child foster care applicants and license holders, the number of
18.23relatives, as defined in section 260C.007, subdivision 27, and household members of
18.24relatives who are disqualified under section 245C.14; the disqualifying characteristics
18.25under section 245C.15; the number of these individuals who requested reconsideration
18.26under section 245C.21; the number of set-asides under section 245C.22; and variances
18.27under section 245C.30 issued. This information shall be reported to the commissioner
18.28annually by January 15 of each year in a format prescribed by the commissioner.
18.29    (c) For family day care programs, the commissioner may authorize licensing reviews
18.30every two years after a licensee has had at least one annual review.
18.31    (d) For family adult day services programs, the commissioner may authorize
18.32licensing reviews every two years after a licensee has had at least one annual review.
18.33    (e) A license issued under this section may be issued for up to two years.
18.34    (f) The commissioner shall work with counties to determine the cost and propose
18.35an ongoing funding allocation from the general fund to cover the cost to counties
18.36to implement an annual license review for licensed family child care providers.
19.1The commissioner shall solicit input from counties to determine the outcome. The
19.2commissioner shall report to the committees of the house of representatives and senate
19.3having jurisdiction over early childhood programs by January 15, 2008, as to the costs
19.4and the funding allocation recommended for future use.
19.5EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective January 1, 2008.

19.6    Sec. 16. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 245A.16, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
19.7    Subd. 3. Recommendations to the commissioner. The county or private agency
19.8shall not make recommendations to the commissioner regarding licensure without first
19.9conducting an inspection, and for adult foster care, family adult day services, and child
19.10foster care, a background study of the applicant, and evaluation pursuant to chapter 245C.
19.11The county or private agency must forward its recommendation to the commissioner
19.12regarding the appropriate licensing action within 20 working days of receipt of a
19.13completed application.
19.14EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective January 1, 2008.

19.15    Sec. 17. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 245C.04, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
19.16    Subdivision 1. Licensed programs. (a) The commissioner shall conduct a
19.17background study of an individual required to be studied under section 245C.03,
19.18subdivision 1 , at least upon application for initial license for all license types.
19.19    (b) The commissioner shall conduct a background study of an individual required
19.20to be studied under section 245C.03, subdivision 1, at reapplication for a license for
19.21family child care, child foster care, and adult foster care.
19.22    (c) The commissioner is not required to conduct a study of an individual at the time
19.23of reapplication for a license if the individual's background study was completed by the
19.24commissioner of human services for an adult foster care license holder that is also:
19.25    (1) registered under chapter 144D; or
19.26    (2) licensed to provide home and community-based services to people with
19.27disabilities at the foster care location and the license holder does not reside in the foster
19.28care residence; and
19.29    (3) the following conditions are met:
19.30    (i) a study of the individual was conducted either at the time of initial licensure or
19.31when the individual became affiliated with the license holder;
19.32    (ii) the individual has been continuously affiliated with the license holder since
19.33the last study was conducted; and
19.34    (iii) the last study of the individual was conducted on or after October 1, 1995.
20.1    (d) From January 1, 2008, to December 31, 2009, the commissioner shall conduct
20.2a study of an individual required to be studied under section 245C.03, at the time of
20.3reapplication for a family child care license. The county shall collect and forward to the
20.4commissioner the information required under section 245C.05, subdivisions 1 and 5. The
20.5background study conducted by the commissioner under this paragraph must include a
20.6review of the information required under section 245C.08, subdivisions 1, paragraph
20.7(a), and 3.
20.8    (e) The commissioner shall conduct a background study of an individual specified
20.9under section 245C.03, subdivision 1, paragraph (a), clauses (2) to (6), who is newly
20.10affiliated with a family child care license holder. The county shall collect and forward
20.11to the commissioner the information required under section 245C.05, subdivisions 1
20.12and 5. The background study conducted by the commissioner under this paragraph
20.13must include a review of the information required under section 245C.08, subdivisions
20.141, paragraph (a), and 3.
20.15    (f) Applicants for licensure, license holders, and other entities as provided in this
20.16chapter must submit completed background study forms to the commissioner before
20.17individuals specified in section 245C.03, subdivision 1, begin positions allowing direct
20.18contact in any licensed program.
20.19    (e) (g) For purposes of this section, a physician licensed under chapter 147 is
20.20considered to be continuously affiliated upon the license holder's receipt from the
20.21commissioner of health or human services of the physician's background study results.
20.22EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective January 1, 2008.

20.23    Sec. 18. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 245C.05, is amended by adding a
20.24subdivision to read:
20.25    Subd. 2a. County agency. For background studies related to family child care,
20.26county agencies must collect the information under subdivision 1 and forward it to the
20.27commissioner.
20.28EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective January 1, 2008.

20.29    Sec. 19. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 245C.05, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
20.30    Subd. 4. Electronic transmission. For background studies conducted by the
20.31Department of Human Services, the commissioner shall implement a system for the
20.32electronic transmission of:
20.33    (1) background study information to the commissioner; and
20.34    (2) background study results to the license holder; and
21.1    (3) background study results to county agencies for background studies conducted
21.2by the commissioner for family child care.
21.3EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective January 1, 2008.

21.4    Sec. 20. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 245C.05, subdivision 7, is amended to read:
21.5    Subd. 7. Probation officer and corrections agent. (a) A probation officer or
21.6corrections agent shall notify the commissioner of an individual's conviction if the
21.7individual is:
21.8    (1) affiliated with a program or facility regulated by the Department of Human
21.9Services or Department of Health, a facility serving children or youth licensed by the
21.10Department of Corrections, or any type of home care agency or provider of personal care
21.11assistance services; and
21.12    (2) convicted of a crime constituting a disqualification under section 245C.14.
21.13    (b) For the purpose of this subdivision, "conviction" has the meaning given it
21.14in section 609.02, subdivision 5.
21.15    (c) The commissioner, in consultation with the commissioner of corrections, shall
21.16develop forms and information necessary to implement this subdivision and shall provide
21.17the forms and information to the commissioner of corrections for distribution to local
21.18probation officers and corrections agents.
21.19    (d) The commissioner shall inform individuals subject to a background study that
21.20criminal convictions for disqualifying crimes will be reported to the commissioner by the
21.21corrections system.
21.22    (e) A probation officer, corrections agent, or corrections agency is not civilly or
21.23criminally liable for disclosing or failing to disclose the information required by this
21.24subdivision.
21.25    (f) Upon receipt of disqualifying information, the commissioner shall provide the
21.26notice required under section 245C.17, as appropriate, to agencies on record as having
21.27initiated a background study or making a request for documentation of the background
21.28study status of the individual.
21.29    (g) This subdivision does not apply to family child care and child foster care
21.30programs.
21.31EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective January 1, 2008.

21.32    Sec. 21. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 245C.08, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
21.33    Subd. 2. Background studies conducted by a county or private agency. (a) For a
21.34background study conducted by a county or private agency for child foster care, and adult
21.35foster care, and family child care homes, the commissioner shall review:
22.1    (1) information from the county agency's record of substantiated maltreatment
22.2of adults and the maltreatment of minors;
22.3    (2) information from juvenile courts as required in subdivision 4 for individuals
22.4listed in section 245C.03, subdivision 1, clauses (2), (5), and (6);
22.5    (3) information from the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension; and
22.6    (4) arrest and investigative records maintained by the Bureau of Criminal
22.7Apprehension, county attorneys, county sheriffs, courts, county agencies, local police, the
22.8National Criminal Records Repository, and criminal records from other states.
22.9    (b) If the individual has resided in the county for less than five years, the study shall
22.10include the records specified under paragraph (a) for the previous county or counties of
22.11residence for the past five years.
22.12    (c) Notwithstanding expungement by a court, the county or private agency may
22.13consider information obtained under paragraph (a), clauses (3) and (4), unless the
22.14commissioner received notice of the petition for expungement and the court order for
22.15expungement is directed specifically to the commissioner.
22.16EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective January 1, 2008.

22.17    Sec. 22. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 245C.17, is amended by adding a
22.18subdivision to read:
22.19    Subd. 5. Notice to county agency. For studies on individuals related to a license to
22.20provide family child care, the commissioner shall also provide a notice of the background
22.21study results to the county or private agency that initiated the background study.
22.22EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective January 1, 2008.

22.23    Sec. 23. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 245C.21, is amended by adding a
22.24subdivision to read:
22.25    Subd. 1a. Submission of reconsideration request to county agency. (a) For
22.26disqualifications related to studies conducted by county agencies, and for disqualifications
22.27related to studies conducted by the commissioner for family child care, the individual shall
22.28submit the request for reconsideration to the county that initiated the background study.
22.29    (b) A reconsideration request shall be submitted within the time frames specified in
22.30subdivision 2.
22.31    (c) The county agency shall forward the individual's request for reconsideration and
22.32provide the commissioner with a recommendation whether to set aside the individual's
22.33disqualification.
22.34EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective January 1, 2008.

23.1    Sec. 24. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 245C.23, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
23.2    Subd. 2. Commissioner's notice of disqualification that is not set aside. (a) The
23.3commissioner shall notify the license holder of the disqualification and order the license
23.4holder to immediately remove the individual from any position allowing direct contact
23.5with persons receiving services from the license holder if:
23.6    (1) the individual studied does not submit a timely request for reconsideration
23.7under section 245C.21;
23.8    (2) the individual submits a timely request for reconsideration, but the commissioner
23.9does not set aside the disqualification for that license holder under section 245C.22;
23.10    (3) an individual who has a right to request a hearing under sections 245C.27 and
23.11256.045 , or 245C.28 and chapter 14 for a disqualification that has not been set aside, does
23.12not request a hearing within the specified time; or
23.13    (4) an individual submitted a timely request for a hearing under sections 245C.27
23.14and 256.045, or 245C.28 and chapter 14, but the commissioner does not set aside the
23.15disqualification under section 245A.08, subdivision 5, or 256.045.
23.16    (b) If the commissioner does not set aside the disqualification under section 245C.22,
23.17and the license holder was previously ordered under section 245C.17 to immediately
23.18remove the disqualified individual from direct contact with persons receiving services or
23.19to ensure that the individual is under continuous, direct supervision when providing direct
23.20contact services, the order remains in effect pending the outcome of a hearing under
23.21sections 245C.27 and 256.045, or 245C.28 and chapter 14.
23.22    (c) For background studies related to family child care, the commissioner shall also
23.23notify the county that initiated the study of the results of the reconsideration.
23.24EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective January 1, 2008.

23.25    Sec. 25. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 256.017, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
23.26    Subdivision 1. Authority and purpose. The commissioner shall administer a
23.27compliance system for the Minnesota family investment program, the food stamp or food
23.28support program, emergency assistance, general assistance, medical assistance, general
23.29assistance medical care, emergency general assistance, Minnesota supplemental assistance,
23.30preadmission screening, and alternative care grants, and the child care assistance program
23.31under the powers and authorities named in section 256.01, subdivision 2. The purpose of
23.32the compliance system is to permit the commissioner to supervise the administration of
23.33public assistance programs and to enforce timely and accurate distribution of benefits,
23.34completeness of service and efficient and effective program management and operations,
23.35to increase uniformity and consistency in the administration and delivery of public
24.1assistance programs throughout the state, and to reduce the possibility of sanctions and
24.2fiscal disallowances for noncompliance with federal regulations and state statutes.
24.3    The commissioner shall utilize training, technical assistance, and monitoring
24.4activities, as specified in section 256.01, subdivision 2, to encourage county agency
24.5compliance with written policies and procedures.

24.6    Sec. 26. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 256.017, subdivision 9, is amended to read:
24.7    Subd. 9. Timing and disposition of penalty and case disallowance funds. Quality
24.8control case penalty and administrative penalty amounts shall be disallowed or withheld
24.9from the next regular reimbursement made to the county agency for state and federal
24.10benefit reimbursements and federal administrative reimbursements for all programs
24.11covered in this section, according to procedures established in statute, but shall not be
24.12imposed sooner than 30 calendar days from the date of written notice of such penalties.
24.13Except for penalties withheld under the child care assistance program, all penalties
24.14must be deposited in the county incentive fund provided in section 256.018. Penalties
24.15withheld under the child care assistance program shall be reallocated to counties using the
24.16allocation formula under section 119B.03, subdivision 5. All penalties must be imposed
24.17according to this provision until a decision is made regarding the status of a written
24.18exception. Penalties must be returned to county agencies when a review of a written
24.19exception results in a decision in their favor.

24.20    Sec. 27. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 270B.14, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
24.21    Subdivision 1. Disclosure to commissioner of human services. (a) On the request
24.22of the commissioner of human services, the commissioner shall disclose return information
24.23regarding taxes imposed by chapter 290, and claims for refunds under chapter 290A, to
24.24the extent provided in paragraph (b) and for the purposes set forth in paragraph (c).
24.25    (b) Data that may be disclosed are limited to data relating to the identity,
24.26whereabouts, employment, income, and property of a person owing or alleged to be owing
24.27an obligation of child support.
24.28    (c) The commissioner of human services may request data only for the purposes of
24.29carrying out the child support enforcement program and to assist in the location of parents
24.30who have, or appear to have, deserted their children. Data received may be used only
24.31as set forth in section 256.978.
24.32    (d) The commissioner shall provide the records and information necessary to
24.33administer the supplemental housing allowance to the commissioner of human services.
24.34    (e) At the request of the commissioner of human services, the commissioner of
24.35revenue shall electronically match the Social Security numbers and names of participants
24.36in the telephone assistance plan operated under sections 237.69 to 237.711, with those of
25.1property tax refund filers, and determine whether each participant's household income is
25.2within the eligibility standards for the telephone assistance plan.
25.3    (f) The commissioner may provide records and information collected under sections
25.4295.50 to 295.59 to the commissioner of human services for purposes of the Medicaid
25.5Voluntary Contribution and Provider-Specific Tax Amendments of 1991, Public Law
25.6102-234. Upon the written agreement by the United States Department of Health and
25.7Human Services to maintain the confidentiality of the data, the commissioner may provide
25.8records and information collected under sections 295.50 to 295.59 to the Centers for
25.9Medicare and Medicaid Services section of the United States Department of Health and
25.10Human Services for purposes of meeting federal reporting requirements.
25.11    (g) The commissioner may provide records and information to the commissioner of
25.12human services as necessary to administer the early refund of refundable tax credits.
25.13    (h) The commissioner may disclose information to the commissioner of human
25.14services necessary to verify income for eligibility and premium payment under the
25.15MinnesotaCare program, under section 256L.05, subdivision 2.
25.16    (i) The commissioner may disclose information to the commissioner of human
25.17services necessary to verify whether applicants or recipients for the Minnesota family
25.18investment program, general assistance, food support, and Minnesota supplemental aid
25.19program, and child care assistance have claimed refundable tax credits under chapter 290
25.20and the property tax refund under chapter 290A, and the amounts of the credits.

25.21    Sec. 28. INSPECTION OF LEGAL UNLICENSED CHILD CARE PROVIDERS.
25.22    The commissioner of human services, in consultation with the commissioners of
25.23health and education and the counties, shall develop and present recommendations to
25.24the legislature in January 2008 in order for each legally unlicensed child care provider
25.25receiving child care assistance funds to receive a onetime home visit to receive information
25.26on health and safety, and school readiness.

25.27    Sec. 29. COMMISSIONER OF HUMAN SERVICES DUTIES; EARLY
25.28CHILDHOOD AND SCHOOL-AGE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
25.29TRAINING.
25.30    Subdivision 1. Development and implementation of an early childhood and
25.31school-age professional development system. (a) The commissioner of human services,
25.32in cooperation with the commissioners of education and health, shall develop and phase-in
25.33the implementation of a professional development system for practitioners serving
25.34children in early childhood and school-age programs. The system shall provide training
25.35options and supports for practitioners to voluntarily choose, as they complete or exceed
25.36existing licensing requirements.
26.1    The system must, at a minimum, include the following features:
26.2    (1) a continuum of training content based on the early childhood and school-age
26.3care practitioner core competencies that translates knowledge into improved practice to
26.4support children's school success;
26.5    (2) training strategies that provide direct feedback about practice to practitioners
26.6through ongoing consultation, mentoring, or coaching with special emphasis on early
26.7literacy and early mathematics;
26.8    (3) an approval process for trainers;
26.9    (4) a professional development registry for early childhood and school-age care
26.10practitioners that will provide tracking and recognition of practitioner training/career
26.11development progress;
26.12    (5) a career lattice that includes a range of professional development and educational
26.13opportunities that provide appropriate coursework and degree pathways;
26.14    (6) development of a plan with public higher education institutions for an articulated
26.15system of education, training, and professional development that includes credit for prior
26.16learning and development of equivalences to two- and four-year degrees;
26.17    (7) incentives and supports for early childhood and school-age care practitioners
26.18to seek additional training and education, including TEACH, other scholarships, and
26.19career guidance; and
26.20    (8) coordinated and accessible delivery of training to early childhood and school-age
26.21care practitioners.
26.22    (b) By January 1, 2008, the commissioner, in consultation with the organizations
26.23named in subdivision 2 shall develop additional opportunities in order to qualify more
26.24licensed family childcare providers under section 119B.13, subdivision 3a.
26.25    (c) The commissioner of human services must evaluate the professional development
26.26system and make continuous improvements.
26.27    (d) Beginning July 1, 2007, as appropriations permit, the commissioner shall
26.28phase-in the professional development system.
26.29    Subd. 2. Two-hour early childhood training. By January 15, 2008, the
26.30commissioner of human services, with input from the Minnesota Licensed Family Child
26.31Care Association and the Minnesota Professional Development Council, shall identify
26.32trainings that qualify for the two-hour early childhood development training requirement
26.33for new child care practitioners under Minnesota Statutes, section 245A.14, subdivision
26.349a, paragraphs (a) and (b). For licensed family child care, the commissioner shall also
26.35seek the input of labor unions that serve licensed family child care providers, if the union
26.36has been recognized by a county to serve licensed family child care providers.

27.1    Sec. 30. SCHOOL READINESS SERVICE AGREEMENTS.
27.2    Subdivision 1. Overview. (a) Effective July 1, 2007, funds must be made available
27.3to allow the commissioner to pay higher rates to up to 50 child care providers who are
27.4deemed by the commissioner to meet the requirements of a school readiness service
27.5agreement (SRSA) provider and perform services that support school readiness for
27.6children and economic stability for parents.
27.7    (b) A provider may be paid a rate above that currently allowed under Minnesota
27.8Statutes, section 119B.13, if:
27.9    (1) the provider has entered into an SRSA with the commissioner;
27.10    (2) a family using that provider receives child care assistance under any provision in
27.11Minnesota Statutes, chapter 119B, except Minnesota Statutes, section 119B.035;
27.12    (3) the family using that provider meets the criteria in this section; and
27.13    (4) funding is available under this section.
27.14    Subd. 2. Provider eligibility. (a) To be considered for an SRSA, a provider shall
27.15apply to the commissioner. To be eligible to apply for an SRSA, a provider shall:
27.16    (1) be eligible for child care assistance payments under Minnesota Statutes, chapter
27.17119B;
27.18    (2) have at least 25 percent of the children enrolled with the provider subsidized
27.19through the child care assistance program;
27.20    (3) provide full-time, full-year child care services; and
27.21    (4) serve at least one child who is subsidized through the child care assistance
27.22program and who is expected to enter kindergarten within the following 30 months.
27.23    (b) The commissioner may waive the 25 percent requirement in paragraph (a), clause
27.24(2), if necessary to achieve geographic distribution of SRSA providers and diversity of
27.25types of care provided by SRSA providers.
27.26    (c) An eligible provider who would like to enter into an SRSA with the commissioner
27.27shall submit an SRSA application. To determine whether to enter into an SRSA with a
27.28provider, the commissioner shall evaluate the following factors:
27.29    (1) the qualifications of the provider and the provider's staff;
27.30    (2) the provider's staff-child ratios;
27.31    (3) the provider's curriculum;
27.32    (4) the provider's current or planned parent education activities;
27.33    (5) the provider's current or planned social service and employment linkages;
27.34    (6) the provider's child development assessment plan;
27.35    (7) the geographic distribution needed for SRSA providers;
27.36    (8) the inclusion of a variety of child care delivery models; and
28.1    (9) other related factors determined by the commissioner.
28.2    Subd. 3. Family and child eligibility. (a) A family eligible to choose an SRSA
28.3provider for their children shall:
28.4    (1) be eligible to receive child care assistance under any provision in Minnesota
28.5Statutes, chapter 119B, except Minnesota Statutes, section 119B.035;
28.6    (2) be in an authorized activity for an average of at least 35 hours per week when
28.7initial eligibility is determined; and
28.8    (3) include a child who has not yet entered kindergarten.
28.9    (b) A family who is determined to be eligible to choose an SRSA provider remains
28.10eligible to be paid at a higher rate through the SRSA provider when the following
28.11conditions exist:
28.12    (1) the child attends child care with the SRSA provider a minimum of 25 hours per
28.13week, on average;
28.14    (2) the family has a child who has not yet entered kindergarten; and
28.15    (3) the family maintains eligibility under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 119B, except
28.16Minnesota Statutes, section 119B.035.
28.17    (c) For the 12 months after initial eligibility has been determined, a decrease in
28.18the family's authorized activities to an average of less than 35 hours per week does not
28.19result in ineligibility for the SRSA rate.
28.20    (d) A family that moves between counties but continues to use the same SRSA
28.21provider shall continue to receive SRSA funding for the increased payments.
28.22    Subd. 4. Requirements of providers. An SRSA must include assessment,
28.23evaluation, and reporting requirements that promote the goals of improved school
28.24readiness and movement toward appropriate child development milestones. A provider
28.25who enters into an SRSA shall comply with the assessment, evaluation, and reporting
28.26requirements in the SRSA.
28.27    Subd. 5. Relationship to current law. (a) The following provisions in Minnesota
28.28Statutes, chapter 119B, must be waived or modified for families receiving services under
28.29this section.
28.30    (b) Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 119B.13, subdivisions 1 and 1a,
28.31maximum weekly rates under this section are 125 percent of the existing maximum
28.32weekly rate for like-care. Providers eligible for a differential rate under Minnesota
28.33Statutes, section 119B.13, subdivision 3a, remain eligible for the differential above the
28.34rate identified in this section. Only care for children who have not yet entered kindergarten
28.35may be paid at the maximum rate under this section. The provider's charge for service
29.1provided through an SRSA may not exceed the rate that the provider charges a private-pay
29.2family for like-care arrangements.
29.3    (c) A family or child care provider may not be assessed an overpayment for care
29.4provided through an SRSA unless:
29.5    (1) there was an error in the amount of care authorized for the family; or
29.6    (2) the family or provider did not timely report a change as required under the law.
29.7    (d) Care provided through an SRSA is authorized on a weekly basis.
29.8    (e) Funds appropriated under this section to serve families eligible under Minnesota
29.9Statutes, section 119B.03, are not allocated through the basic sliding fee formula under
29.10Minnesota Statutes, section 119B.03. Funds appropriated under this section are used to
29.11offset increased costs when payments are made under SRSA's.
29.12    (f) Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 119B.09, subdivision 6, the
29.13maximum amount of child care assistance that may be authorized for a child receiving
29.14care through an SRSA in a two-week period is 160 hours per child.
29.15    Subd. 6. Establishment of service agreements. (a) The commissioner shall
29.16approve SRSA's for up to 50 providers that represent diverse parts of the state and a
29.17variety of child care delivery models. Entering into a service agreement does not guarantee
29.18that a provider will receive payment at a higher rate for families receiving child care
29.19assistance. A family eligible under this section shall choose a provider participating in an
29.20SRSA in order for a higher rate to be paid. Payments through SRSA's are also limited by
29.21the availability of SRSA funds.
29.22    (b) Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit parent choice as defined in
29.23Minnesota Statutes, section 119B.09, subdivision 5.
29.24    (c) The commissioner may allow for startup time for some providers if failing to
29.25do so would limit geographic diversity of SRSA providers or a variety of child care
29.26delivery models.

29.27    Sec. 31. FAMILY, FRIEND, AND NEIGHBOR GRANT PROGRAM.
29.28    Subdivision 1. Establishment. A family, friend, and neighbor (FFN) grant program
29.29is established to promote children's early literacy, healthy development, and school
29.30readiness, and to foster community partnerships to promote children's school readiness.
29.31The commissioner shall attempt to ensure that grants are made in all areas of the state. The
29.32commissioner of human services shall make grants available to fund: community-based
29.33organizations, nonprofit organizations, and Indian tribes working with FFN caregivers
29.34under subdivision 2, paragraph (a); and community-based partnerships to implement early
29.35literacy programs under subdivision 2, paragraph (b).
30.1    Subd. 2. Program components. (a)(1) Grants that the commissioner awards under
30.2this section must be used by community-based organizations, nonprofit organizations, and
30.3Indian tribes working with FFN caregivers in local communities, cultural communities,
30.4and Indian tribes to:
30.5    (i) provide training, support, and resources to FFN caregivers in order to improve
30.6and promote children's health, safety, nutrition, and school readiness;
30.7    (ii) connect FFN caregivers and children's families with appropriate community
30.8resources that support the families' health, mental health, economic, and developmental
30.9needs;
30.10    (iii) connect FFN caregivers and children's families to early childhood screening
30.11programs and facilitate referrals where appropriate;
30.12    (iv) provide FFN caregivers and children's families with information about early
30.13learning guidelines from the Departments of Human Services and Education;
30.14    (v) provide FFN caregivers and children's families with information about becoming
30.15a licensed family child care provider; and
30.16    (vi) provide FFN caregivers and children's families with information about early
30.17learning allowances and enrollment opportunities in high quality community-based
30.18child-care and preschool programs.
30.19    (2) Grants that the commissioner awards under this paragraph also may be used for:
30.20    (i) health and safety and early learning kits for FFN caregivers;
30.21    (ii) play-and-learn groups with FFN caregivers;
30.22    (iii) culturally appropriate early childhood training for FFN caregivers;
30.23    (iv) transportation for FFN caregivers and children's families to school readiness and
30.24other early childhood training activities;
30.25    (v) other activities that promote school readiness;
30.26    (vi) data collection and evaluation;
30.27    (vii) staff outreach and outreach activities;
30.28    (viii) translation needs; or
30.29    (ix) administrative costs that equal up to 12 percent of the recipient's grant award.
30.30    (b) Grants that the commissioner awards under this section also must be used to fund
30.31partnerships among Minnesota public and regional library systems, community-based
30.32organizations, nonprofit organizations, and Indian tribes to implement early literacy
30.33programs in low-income communities, including tribal communities, to:
30.34    (1) purchase and equip early childhood read-mobiles that provide FFN caregivers
30.35and children's families with books, training, and early literacy activities;
31.1    (2) provide FFN caregivers and children's families with translations of early
31.2childhood books, training, and early literacy activities in native languages; or
31.3    (3) provide FFN caregivers and children's families with early literacy activities in
31.4local libraries.
31.5    Subd. 3. Grant awards. Interested entities eligible to receive a grant under
31.6this section may apply to the commissioner in the form and manner the commissioner
31.7determines. The commissioner shall awards grants to eligible entities consistent with
31.8the requirements of this section.
31.9    Subd. 4. Evaluation. The commissioner, in consultation with early childhood
31.10care and education experts at the University of Minnesota, must evaluate the impact of
31.11the grants under subdivision 2 on children's school readiness and submit a written report
31.12to the human services and education finance and policy committees of the legislature by
31.13February 15, 2010.
31.14EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment.

31.15    Sec. 32. CHILD CARE PROVIDER STUDY.
31.16    The commissioner of human services is directed to study the implications of
31.17restricting the use of state subsidies in center-based child care to centers meeting state
31.18quality standards under Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.175, paragraph (c), and to
31.19publish the results no later than January 1, 2010. The study must include:
31.20    (1) the likelihood of there being sufficient child care providers meeting the standards;
31.21    (2) the cost to bring providers up to the standards and how this cost would be funded;
31.22    (3) how the standards and the ratings would be communicated to both parents and
31.23the general public; and
31.24    (4) a determination whether a similar system could be implemented for
31.25non-center-based care.

31.26

Sec. 33. SUMMARY OF APPROPRIATIONS.

31.27    The amounts shown in this section summarize direct appropriations, by fund, made
31.28in this article.

31.29			2008		2009		Total
31.30	General	$	123,990,000	$	125,087,000	$	249,077,000
31.31	Federal TANF		10,300,000		12,200,000		22,500,000
31.32	Total	$	134,290,000	$	137,287,000	$	271,577,000

31.33

Sec. 34. HUMAN SERVICES APPROPRIATIONS.

31.34    The sums shown in the columns marked "appropriations" are appropriated to the
31.35agencies and for the purposes specified in this article. The appropriations are from the
32.1general fund, or another named fund, and are available for the fiscal years indicated
32.2for each purpose. The figures "2008" and "2009" used in this article mean that the
32.3appropriations listed under them are available for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2008, or
32.4June 30, 2009, respectively. "The first year" is fiscal year 2008. "The second year" is fiscal
32.5year 2009. "The biennium" is fiscal years 2008 and 2009. Appropriations for the fiscal
32.6year ending June 30, 2007, are effective the day following final enactment.

32.7				APPROPRIATIONS
32.8				Available for the Year
32.9				Ending June 30
32.10					2008		2009

32.11

Sec. 35. HUMAN SERVICES

$

134,290,000

$

137,287,000

32.12	Appropriations by Fund
32.13	General	123,990,000	125,087,000
32.14	Federal TANF	10,300,000	12,200,000

32.15The amounts that may be spent from this
32.16appropriation for each purpose are as follows:

32.17

(a) Legal and Regulatory

32.18

General

232,000

465,000

32.19Base Adjustment. The general fund base is
32.20decreased by $177,000 in fiscal year 2010
32.21and $353,000 in fiscal year 2011 for legal
32.22and regulatory.
32.23Child Care Licensing. $697,000 is
32.24appropriated from the general fund to
32.25the commissioner of human services for
32.26the biennium beginning July 1, 2007, for
32.27purposes of completing background studies
32.28for family and group family child care
32.29providers under Minnesota Statutes, chapter
32.30245C. This appropriation will be $288,000 in
32.31fiscal year 2010 and $112,000 in fiscal year
32.322011.

32.33

(b) Revenues and Pass Through

32.34

TANF

10,300,000

12,200,000

33.1TANF Transfer to Federal Child Care
33.2and Development Fund. The following
33.3TANF fund amounts are appropriated to
33.4the commissioner for the purposes of MFIP
33.5transition year child care under MFIP,
33.6Minnesota Statutes, section 119B.05:
33.7(1) fiscal year 2008, $9,478,000
33.8(2) fiscal year 2009, $13,022,000
33.9(3) fiscal year 2010, $3,332,000 and
33.10(4) fiscal year 2011, $4,668,000.
33.11The commissioner shall authorize transfer
33.12of sufficient TANF funds to the federal
33.13child care and development fund to meet
33.14this appropriation and shall ensure that all
33.15transferred funds are expended according
33.16the federal child care and development fund
33.17regulations.

33.18

(c) MFIP Child Care Assistance Grants

33.19

General

74,453,000

73,131,000

33.20 33.21

(d) Basic Sliding Fee Child Care Assistance Grants

33.22

General

43,012,000

45,432,000

33.23Base Adjustment. The general fund base is
33.24increased by $3,583,000 in fiscal year 2010
33.25and $1,334,000 in fiscal year 2011 for basic
33.26sliding fee child care assistance grants.

33.27

(e) Child Care Development Grants

33.28

General

5,865,000

5,865,000

33.29Child Care Services Grants. $5,000,000
33.30is appropriated from the general fund to
33.31the commissioner of human services for
33.32the biennium beginning July 1, 2007, for
33.33purposes of providing child care services
34.1grants under Minnesota Statutes, section
34.2119B.21, subdivision 5. This appropriation
34.3is for the 2008-2009 biennium only, and does
34.4not increase the base funding.
34.5Early Childhood Professional
34.6Development System. $2,000,000 is
34.7appropriated from the general fund to
34.8the commissioner of human services for
34.9the biennium beginning July 1, 2007, for
34.10purposes of the early childhood professional
34.11development system, which increases the
34.12quality and continuum of professional
34.13development opportunities for child care
34.14practitioners. This appropriation is for the
34.152008-2009 biennium only, and does not
34.16increase the base funding.
34.17Family, Friend, and Neighbor Grant
34.18Program. $750,000 in fiscal year 2008 and
34.19$750,000 in fiscal year 2009 are appropriated
34.20from the general fund to the commissioner
34.21of human services for the family, friend,
34.22and neighbor grant program in section 31.
34.23Any balance in the first year does not cancel
34.24but is available in the second year. This
34.25appropriation is for the 2008-2009 biennium
34.26only, and does not increase the base funding.
34.27(f) Increased Child Care Provider
34.28Connections. (1) $200,000 is appropriated
34.29from the general fund to the commissioner of
34.30human services for the biennium beginning
34.31July 1, 2007, for the following purposes:
34.32$100,000 each year is for a grant to Hennepin
34.33County, and $100,000 each year is for a grant
34.34to Ramsey County. The two counties shall
34.35each contract with a nonprofit organization
35.1to work with the contracting county
35.2and county-based licensed family child
35.3care providers to facilitate county-based
35.4information regarding family and children's
35.5resources and to make training and peer
35.6support available to licensed family child
35.7care providers consistent with clause (2).
35.8These appropriations are available until
35.9June 30, 2009, and shall not become part
35.10of base-level funding for the biennium
35.11beginning July 1, 2009.
35.12(2) Programs to improve child care provider
35.13connections to county services shall be
35.14established in Hennepin and Ramsey
35.15counties to:
35.16(i) improve county contact activities
35.17with county-licensed family child care
35.18providers that facilitate utilization of county
35.19educational, social service, public health,
35.20and economic assistance services by eligible
35.21families, parents, and children using licensed
35.22family child care; and
35.23(ii) support licensed family child care
35.24providers to qualify as quality-rated child
35.25care providers through peer support and
35.26coaching networks.
35.27Hennepin and Ramsey Counties shall
35.28contract with a nonprofit organization under
35.29clause (1) that utilizes licensed family child
35.30care providers as contacts for families using
35.31licensed family child care and to provide
35.32peer support to licensed family child care
35.33providers.
35.34(3) Hennepin and Ramsey Counties must
35.35report back on successful strategies for
36.1increasing contact with county-based
36.2licensed family child care providers and
36.3report their findings to the appropriate
36.4legislative committees by February 15, 2010.

36.5 36.6

(g) Children and Economic Assistance Administration

36.7

General

304,000

194,000

36.8 36.9

(h) Children and Economic Assistance Operations

36.10

General

124,000

-0-

36.11    Sec. 36. REPEALER.
36.12Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 119B.08, subdivision 4, is repealed."
36.13Page 379, line 16, delete "10" and insert "11"
36.14Renumber the sections in sequence and correct the internal references
36.15Amend the title accordingly