1.1.................... moves to amend H.F. No. 2294, the delete everything amendment
1.2(H2294DE2), as follows:
1.3Page 50, after line 14, insert:


1.6    Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 119B.025, subdivision 1, is amended to
1.7read:
1.8    Subdivision 1. Factors which must be verified. (a) The county shall verify the
1.9following at all initial child care applications using the universal application:
1.10(1) identity of adults;
1.11(2) presence of the minor child in the home, if questionable;
1.12(3) relationship of minor child to the parent, stepparent, legal guardian, eligible
1.13relative caretaker, or the spouses of any of the foregoing;
1.14(4) age;
1.15(5) immigration status, if related to eligibility;
1.16(6) Social Security number, if given;
1.17(7) income;
1.18(8) spousal support and child support payments made to persons outside the
1.19household;
1.20(9) residence; and
1.21(10) inconsistent information, if related to eligibility.
1.22(b) If a family did not use the universal application or child care addendum to apply
1.23for child care assistance, the family must complete the universal application or child care
1.24addendum at its next eligibility redetermination and the county must verify the factors
1.25listed in paragraph (a) as part of that redetermination. Once a family has completed a
1.26universal application or child care addendum, the county shall use the redetermination
2.1form described in paragraph (c) for that family's subsequent redeterminations. Eligibility
2.2must be redetermined at least every six 12 months. For a family where at least one parent
2.3is under the age of 21, does not have a high school or general equivalency diploma, and is
2.4a student in a school district or another similar program that provides or arranges for child
2.5care, as well as parenting, social services, career and employment supports, and academic
2.6support to achieve high school graduation, the redetermination of eligibility shall be
2.7deferred beyond six months, but not to exceed 12 months, to the end of the student's
2.8school year. If a family reports a change in an eligibility factor before the family's next
2.9regularly scheduled redetermination, the county must recalculate eligibility without
2.10requiring verification of any eligibility factor that did not change.
2.11(c) The commissioner shall develop a redetermination form to redetermine eligibility
2.12and a change report form to report changes that minimize paperwork for the county and
2.13the participant.

2.14    Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 119B.05, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
2.15    Subdivision 1. Eligible participants. Families eligible for child care assistance
2.16under the MFIP child care program are:
2.17    (1) MFIP participants who are employed or in job search and meet the requirements
2.18of section 119B.10;
2.19    (2) persons who are members of transition year families under section 119B.011,
2.20subdivision 20 , and meet the requirements of section 119B.10;
2.21    (3) families who are participating in employment orientation or job search, or
2.22other employment or training activities that are included in an approved employability
2.23development plan under section 256J.95;
2.24    (4) MFIP families who are participating in work job search, job support,
2.25employment, or training activities as required in their employment plan, or in appeals,
2.26hearings, assessments, or orientations according to chapter 256J;
2.27    (5) MFIP families who are participating in social services activities under chapter
2.28256J as required in their employment plan approved according to chapter 256J;
2.29    (6) families who are participating in services or activities that are included in an
2.30approved family stabilization plan under section 256J.575;
2.31(7) MFIP child-only cases under section 256J.88 may be authorized to receive up to
2.3212 hours of MFIP child care assistance per week as approved by the county, if the child is
2.33not enrolled in any other early childhood programming;
2.34    (7) (8) families who are participating in programs as required in tribal contracts
2.35under section 119B.02, subdivision 2, or 256.01, subdivision 2; and
3.1    (8) (9) families who are participating in the transition year extension under section
3.2119B.011, subdivision 20a .

3.3    Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 256J.08, is amended by adding a subdivision
3.4to read:
3.5    Subd. 11b. Child well-being. "Child well-being" means a child's developmental
3.6progress relative to the child's age, including cognitive, physical, emotional, and social
3.7development as measured through developmental screening tools, school achievement,
3.8health status, and other relevant standardized measures of development.

3.9    Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 256J.45, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
3.10    Subd. 2. General information. (a) The MFIP orientation must consist of a
3.11presentation that informs caregivers of:
3.12(1) the necessity to obtain immediate employment;
3.13(2) the work incentives under MFIP, including the availability of the federal earned
3.14income tax credit and the Minnesota working family tax credit;
3.15(3) the requirement to comply with the employment plan and other requirements
3.16of the employment and training services component of MFIP, including a description
3.17of the range of work and training activities that are allowable under MFIP to meet the
3.18individual needs of participants;
3.19(4) the consequences for failing to comply with the employment plan and other
3.20program requirements, and that the county agency may not impose a sanction when failure
3.21to comply is due to the unavailability of child care or other circumstances where the
3.22participant has good cause under subdivision 3;
3.23(5) the rights, responsibilities, and obligations of participants;
3.24(6) the types and locations of child care services available through the county agency;
3.25(7) the availability and the benefits of the early childhood health and developmental
3.26screening under sections 121A.16 to 121A.19; 123B.02, subdivision 16; and 123B.10;
3.27(8) the caregiver's eligibility for transition year child care assistance under section
3.28119B.05 ;
3.29(9) the availability of all health care programs, including transitional medical
3.30assistance;
3.31(10) the caregiver's option to choose an employment and training provider and
3.32information about each provider, including but not limited to, services offered, program
3.33components, job placement rates, job placement wages, and job retention rates;
4.1(11) the caregiver's option to request approval of an education and training plan
4.2according to section 256J.53;
4.3(12) the work study programs available under the higher education system; and
4.4(13) information about the 60-month time limit exemptions under the family
4.5violence waiver and referral information about shelters and programs for victims of family
4.6violence; and
4.7(14) the availability and benefits of early childhood health and developmental
4.8screening and other early childhood resources and programs.
4.9(b) For MFIP caregivers who are exempt from attending the orientation under
4.10subdivision 1, the county agency must provide the information required under paragraph
4.11(a), clause (14), via other means.

4.12    Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2011 Supplement, section 256J.49, subdivision 13, is
4.13amended to read:
4.14    Subd. 13. Work activity. (a) "Work activity" means any activity in a participant's
4.15approved employment plan that leads to employment. For purposes of the MFIP program,
4.16this includes activities that meet the definition of work activity under the participation
4.17requirements of TANF. Work activity includes:
4.18    (1) unsubsidized employment, including work study and paid apprenticeships or
4.19internships;
4.20    (2) subsidized private sector or public sector employment, including grant diversion
4.21as specified in section 256J.69, on-the-job training as specified in section 256J.66, paid
4.22work experience, and supported work when a wage subsidy is provided;
4.23    (3) unpaid work experience, including community service, volunteer work,
4.24the community work experience program as specified in section 256J.67, unpaid
4.25apprenticeships or internships, and supported work when a wage subsidy is not provided.
4.26Unpaid work experience is only an option if the participant has been unable to obtain or
4.27maintain paid employment in the competitive labor market, and no paid work experience
4.28programs are available to the participant. Prior to placing a participant in unpaid work,
4.29the county must inform the participant that the participant will be notified if a paid work
4.30experience or supported work position becomes available. Unless a participant consents in
4.31writing to participate in unpaid work experience, the participant's employment plan may
4.32only include unpaid work experience if including the unpaid work experience in the plan
4.33will meet the following criteria:
5.1    (i) the unpaid work experience will provide the participant specific skills or
5.2experience that cannot be obtained through other work activity options where the
5.3participant resides or is willing to reside; and
5.4    (ii) the skills or experience gained through the unpaid work experience will result
5.5in higher wages for the participant than the participant could earn without the unpaid
5.6work experience;
5.7    (4) job search including job readiness assistance, job clubs, job placement,
5.8job-related counseling, and job retention services;
5.9    (5) job readiness education, including English as a second language (ESL) or
5.10functional work literacy classes as limited by the provisions of section 256J.531,
5.11subdivision 2 , general educational development (GED) course work, high school
5.12completion, and adult basic education as limited by the provisions of section 256J.531,
5.13subdivision 1 ;
5.14    (6) job skills training directly related to employment, including education and
5.15training that can reasonably be expected to lead to employment, as limited by the
5.16provisions of section 256J.53;
5.17    (7) providing child care services to a participant who is working in a community
5.18service program;
5.19    (8) activities included in the employment plan that is developed under section
5.20256J.521, subdivision 3 ; and
5.21    (9) preemployment activities including chemical and mental health assessments,
5.22treatment, and services; learning disabilities services; child protective services; family
5.23stabilization services; or other programs designed to enhance employability; and
5.24(10) attending a child's early childhood activities, including developmental
5.25screenings and subsequent referral and follow-up services. MFIP employment and training
5.26providers must coordinate with county social service agencies and health plans to assist
5.27recipients in arranging referrals indicated by screening results.
5.28(b) "Work activity" does not include activities done for political purposes as defined
5.29in section 211B.01, subdivision 6.

5.30    Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 256J.50, is amended by adding a subdivision
5.31to read:
5.32    Subd. 13. Child development information. MFIP employment and training
5.33providers and county agencies shall post information regarding child development in areas
5.34easily accessible to families participating in MFIP.

6.1    Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 256J.521, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
6.2    Subd. 2. Employment plan; contents. (a) Based on the assessment under
6.3subdivision 1, the job counselor and the participant must develop an employment plan
6.4that includes participation in activities and hours that meet the requirements of section
6.5256J.55, subdivision 1 . The purpose of the employment plan is to identify for each
6.6participant the most direct path to unsubsidized employment and any subsequent steps that
6.7support long-term economic stability. The employment plan should be developed using
6.8the highest level of activity appropriate for the participant. Activities must be chosen from
6.9clauses (1) to (6), which are listed in order of preference. Notwithstanding this order of
6.10preference for activities, priority must be given for activities related to a family violence
6.11waiver when developing the employment plan. The employment plan must also list the
6.12specific steps the participant will take to obtain employment, including steps necessary
6.13for the participant to progress from one level of activity to another, and a timetable for
6.14completion of each step. Levels of activity include:
6.15    (1) unsubsidized employment;
6.16    (2) job search;
6.17    (3) subsidized employment or unpaid work experience;
6.18    (4) unsubsidized employment and job readiness education or job skills training;
6.19    (5) unsubsidized employment or unpaid work experience and activities related to
6.20a family violence waiver or preemployment needs; and
6.21    (6) activities related to a family violence waiver or preemployment needs.
6.22    (b) Participants who are determined to possess sufficient skills such that the
6.23participant is likely to succeed in obtaining unsubsidized employment must job search at
6.24least 30 hours per week for up to six weeks and accept any offer of suitable employment.
6.25The remaining hours necessary to meet the requirements of section 256J.55, subdivision
6.261 , may be met through participation in other work activities under section 256J.49,
6.27subdivision 13 . The participant's employment plan must specify, at a minimum: (1)
6.28whether the job search is supervised or unsupervised; (2) support services that will
6.29be provided; and (3) how frequently the participant must report to the job counselor.
6.30Participants who are unable to find suitable employment after six weeks must meet
6.31with the job counselor to determine whether other activities in paragraph (a) should be
6.32incorporated into the employment plan. Job search activities which are continued after six
6.33weeks must be structured and supervised.
6.34    (c) Participants who are determined to have barriers to obtaining or maintaining
6.35suitable employment that will not be overcome during six weeks of job search under
6.36paragraph (b) must work with the job counselor to develop an employment plan that
7.1addresses those barriers by incorporating appropriate activities from paragraph (a), clauses
7.2(1) to (6). The employment plan must include enough hours to meet the participation
7.3requirements in section 256J.55, subdivision 1, unless a compelling reason to require
7.4fewer hours is noted in the participant's file.
7.5    (d) The job counselor and the participant must sign the employment plan to indicate
7.6agreement on the contents.
7.7    (e) Except as provided under paragraph (f), failure to develop or comply with
7.8activities in the plan, or voluntarily quitting suitable employment without good cause, will
7.9result in the imposition of a sanction under section 256J.46.
7.10    (f) When a participant fails to meet the agreed-upon hours of participation in paid
7.11employment because the participant is not eligible for holiday pay and the participant's
7.12place of employment is closed for a holiday, the job counselor shall not impose a sanction
7.13or increase the hours of participation in any other activity, including paid employment, to
7.14offset the hours that were missed due to the holiday.
7.15    (g) Employment plans must be reviewed at least every three months to determine
7.16whether activities and hourly requirements should be revised. At the time of the
7.17employment plan review, the job counselor must provide information to participants
7.18regarding early childhood development and resources for families. The job counselor
7.19is encouraged to allow participants who are participating in at least 20 hours of work
7.20activities to also participate in education and training activities in order to meet the federal
7.21hourly participation rates.

7.22    Sec. 8. CITATION.
7.23Sections 2 to 14 may be cited as the "Minnesota Children and Family Investment
7.24Program Act."

7.25    Sec. 9. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS.
7.26The legislature finds that:
7.27(1) seven out of ten MFIP recipients are children;
7.28(2) children receiving MFIP assistance are living in poverty;
7.29(3) current MFIP policies are pushing children and their families deeper into poverty;
7.30(4) half of Minnesota children receiving MFIP assistance are under the age of five;
7.31(5) 90 percent of brain development occurs during the first five years of a child's
7.32life; and
8.1(6) research demonstrates that experiences affect the way a child's brain develops,
8.2and that adverse childhood experiences can produce toxic levels of stress and disrupt the
8.3architecture of a child's developing brain.

8.4    Sec. 10. TASK FORCE ON LOW-INCOME FAMILIES.
8.5    Subdivision 1. Purpose. A task force on low-income families is established to
8.6review the adequacy of state programs and tax policies to support low-income families.
8.7    Subd. 2. Membership. The task force shall include the following members:
8.8(1) the commissioner of economic development or designee;
8.9(2) the commissioner of health or designee;
8.10(3) the commissioner of human services or designee;
8.11(4) the commissioner of education or designee;
8.12(5) the commissioner of revenue or designee;
8.13(6) two county representatives appointed by the governor;
8.14(7) two advocates for low-income families appointed by the governor;
8.15(8) two members of the house of representatives, one from the majority party and
8.16one from the minority party, appointed by the speaker of the house; and
8.17(9) two members of the senate, one from the majority party and one from the
8.18minority party, appointed by the Subcommittee on Committees of the Committee on
8.19Rules and Administration.
8.20    Subd. 3. Staff. The Department of Employment and Economic Development shall
8.21provide staff support for the task force.
8.22    Subd. 4. Duties. Within the context of the state's projected workforce and economic
8.23development needs, the task force shall review current MFIP cash benefit levels and state
8.24programs and tax policies affecting low-income families. The task force shall consider
8.25the return on investment to the public and private sectors of family support policies such
8.26as paid sick leave, parental leave, early childhood programs, and family tax policies.
8.27The task force shall make recommendations to the legislature by January 15, 2014, to
8.28modify state programs and tax policies to improve family economic security and child
8.29well-being, including future worker productivity. The recommendations must be related to
8.30the Minnesota Milestones goals and measures.
8.31    Subd. 5. Expiration. The task force under this section expires on June 30, 2013.
8.32EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment.

9.1    Sec. 11. DIRECTIONS TO COMMISSIONER.
9.2(a) The commissioner of human services shall include information regarding the
9.3number of children and their ages: receiving MFIP; affected by sanctions; and in families
9.4exceeding the 60-month time limit in the Department of Human Services' MFIP monthly
9.5reports and trends reports. By February 1, 2013, the commissioner, in consultation with
9.6the commissioners of education and health, shall make recommendations to the legislative
9.7committees with jurisdiction over human services policy and finance on ways to provide
9.8state and local-level information on child well-being and the participation of MFIP
9.9children in early childhood programs, such as family home visiting, Early Head Start,
9.10Head Start, Part C early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities and
9.11their utilization of health services, including well-child visits.
9.12(b) The commissioner shall provide MFIP financial workers and case managers with
9.13information regarding early childhood brain development, developmental screening, and
9.14early childhood resources as part of their ongoing training.
9.15(c) By February 1, 2013, the commissioner of education, in consultation with the
9.16commissioners of health and human services, shall report to the legislative committees
9.17with jurisdiction over education policy and finance and health and human services policy
9.18and finance on the short and long-term costs and benefits of making low-income children
9.19eligible for early childhood services, such as home visiting, Early Head Start, Head Start,
9.20and Part C early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities based on
9.21their high risk for developmental delay due to living in poverty.

9.22    Sec. 12. REVISOR'S INSTRUCTION.
9.23In Minnesota Statutes and Minnesota Rules, the revisor of statutes shall substitute
9.24the terms "Minnesota Children and Family Investment Program" for "Minnesota Family
9.25Investment Program" and "MCFIP" for "MFIP" wherever they appear.

9.26    Sec. 13. REPEALER.
9.27Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 256J.24, subdivision 6, is repealed."
9.28Page 62, after line 4, insert:
9.29"MFIP Mentoring Pilot Program.
9.30$150,000 is appropriated to the commissioner
9.31of human services from the TANF fund in
9.32fiscal year 2013 for the purpose of providing
9.33grants to help five local communities to
9.34train and support volunteers mentoring
10.1families receiving MFIP. Each pilot program
10.2may receive a grant of up to $30,000.
10.3Organizations must apply for grant funds
10.4according to the timelines and on the
10.5forms prescribed by the commissioner.
10.6Organizations receiving grant funding must
10.7model their project on the circles of support
10.8model. Projects must focus on reducing
10.9parents' and their children's isolation and
10.10supporting families in making connections
10.11within their local communities."
10.12Renumber the sections in sequence and correct the internal references
10.13Amend the title accordingly
10.14Adjust fund totals accordingly