1.1.................... moves to amend H.F. No. 2150, the delete everything amendment
1.2(A14-0976), as follows:
1.3Page 137, after line 6, insert:

1.4    "Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 119B.09, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
1.5    Subd. 5. Provider choice. Parents may choose child care providers as defined under
1.6section 119B.011, subdivision 19, that best meet the needs of their family. Beginning
1.7July 1, 2018, parents or guardians must choose a participating provider under section
1.8124D.142 for their children not yet attending kindergarten, unless a waiver is granted
1.9under section 119B.125, subdivision 1, by the commissioner of human services. Counties
1.10shall make resources available to parents in choosing quality child care services. Counties
1.11may require a parent to sign a release stating their knowledge and responsibilities in
1.12choosing a legal provider described under section 119B.011, subdivision 19. When a
1.13county knows that a particular provider is unsafe, or that the circumstances of the child
1.14care arrangement chosen by the parent are unsafe, the county may deny a child care
1.15subsidy. A county may not restrict access to a general category of provider allowed under
1.16section 119B.011, subdivision 19.

1.17    Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 119B.125, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
1.18    Subdivision 1. Authorization. (a) Except as provided in subdivision 5, a county
1.19must authorize the provider chosen by an applicant or a participant before the county can
1.20authorize payment for care provided by that provider. The commissioner must establish
1.21the requirements necessary for authorization of providers.
1.22(b) In order to be authorized to care for a child not yet attending kindergarten, a
1.23provider must:
1.24(1) beginning July 1, 2018, participate in the quality rating and improvement system
1.25under section 124D.142; and
2.1(2) beginning July 1, 2020, have at least a one-star rating in the quality rating and
2.2improvement system.
2.3(c) In order to comply with federal regulations, the requirements in paragraph (b) do
2.4not apply to unlicensed or license-exempt providers, including legal nonlicensed providers
2.5or providers licensed by a state other than Minnesota. In addition, the commissioner may
2.6waive the requirements in paragraph (b), if:
2.7(1) the parents' authorized activities occur during times when care is not available or
2.8not practicable from providers participating in the quality rating and improvement system,
2.9for all or a part of the authorized activities;
2.10(2) a family lives in an area where care from providers participating in the quality
2.11rating and improvement system is not available;
2.12(3) a family has a school-aged sibling whose provider is not participating in the
2.13quality rating and improvement system, and the family wishes to keep the children with
2.14that same provider;
2.15(4) no providers participating in the quality rating and improvement system are
2.16willing or able to care for one or all of the children in the family;
2.17(5) a family has a child with a disability as defined in section 125A.02; or
2.18(6) a family is using a nonparticipating provider prior to July 1, 2018, or July 1,
2.192020, and wishes to continue using that provider.
2.20(d) A provider must be reauthorized every two years. A legal, nonlicensed family
2.21child care provider also must be reauthorized when another person over the age of 13 joins
2.22the household, a current household member turns 13, or there is reason to believe that a
2.23household member has a factor that prevents authorization. The provider is required to
2.24report all family changes that would require reauthorization. When a provider has been
2.25authorized for payment for providing care for families in more than one county, the county
2.26responsible for reauthorization of that provider is the county of the family with a current
2.27authorization for that provider and who has used the provider for the longest length of time."
2.28Page 142, after line 5, insert:

2.29    "Sec. 13. WAIVER PROCESS RELATED TO CHILD CARE PROVIDER
2.30CHOICE.
2.31(a) The commissioner of human services shall develop a simple waiver process
2.32related to Minnesota Statutes, section 119B.125, subdivision 1.
2.33(b) Eligibility for child care assistance is determined under Minnesota Statutes,
2.34section 119B.09, subdivision 7, and payments are authorized retroactively from that date,
2.35regardless of when a waiver is approved.
3.1(c) The commissioner must monitor the waiver process and report on the usage
3.2of waivers to the legislative committees having jurisdiction over child care and Parent
3.3Aware policy and finance.

3.4    Sec. 14. PARENT AWARE QUALITY RATING AND IMPROVEMENT
3.5SYSTEM ACCESSIBILITY REPORT.
3.6    Subdivision 1. Recommendations. The commissioner of human services, in
3.7consultation with representatives from the child care and early childhood advocacy
3.8community, child care provider organizations, child care providers, organizations
3.9administering Parent Aware, the Departments of Education and Health, counties,
3.10and parents, shall make recommendations to the legislature on increasing statewide
3.11accessibility for child care providers to the Parent Aware quality rating and improvement
3.12system and for increasing access to Parent Aware-rated programs for families with
3.13children. The recommendations must address the following factors impacting accessibility:
3.14(1) availability of rated and nonrated programs by child care provider type, within
3.15rural and underserved areas, and for different cultural and non-English-speaking groups;
3.16(2) time and resources necessary for child care providers to participate in Parent
3.17Aware at various rating levels, including cultural and linguistic considerations;
3.18(3) federal child care development fund regulations; and
3.19(4) other factors as determined by the commissioner.
3.20    Subd. 2. Report. By February 15, 2015, the commissioner of human services
3.21shall report to the legislative committees with jurisdiction over the child care
3.22assistance programs and the Parent Aware quality rating and improvement system with
3.23recommendations to increase access for families and child care providers to Parent Aware,
3.24including benchmarks for achieving the maximum participation in Parent Aware-rated
3.25child care programs by families receiving child care assistance.
3.26The recommendations may also include, but are not limited to, potential
3.27modifications to Minnesota Statutes sections 119B.09, subdivision 5; 119B.125,
3.28subdivision 1; and section 13, if necessary, which may include a delayed effective date,
3.29different phase-in process, or repealer.
3.30EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment."
3.31Renumber the sections in sequence and correct the internal references
3.32Amend the title accordingly