Purpose of the Bill

The primary goal of this bill is to update and modernize the regulations for family child care in Minnesota. The focus is on creating a system that better protects children’s health and safety, and provides a fair and friendly framework for providers and families.

Main Provisions

• Consultation and Development: An experienced consultant will develop proposals for new family child care licensing standards. This proposal will aim to enhance child safety and be fair to providers.
• Stakeholder Input: Input is required from various stakeholders, including parents, childcare providers, and experts in child development.
• Risk-Based Monitoring Model: A new model for monitoring compliance will be developed, which will weigh violations based on the risk to children’s health and safety. This will guide the implementation of licensing sanctions.
• Abbreviated Inspections: Guidance on which providers can have abbreviated compliance inspections will also be included using empirical data methodologies.
• Multi-language Accessibility: All materials related to the new standards and proposals will be translated into multiple languages to ensure accessibility.

Significant Changes

• The bill mandates a shift towards a risk-based monitoring model for family child care licensing. This new model will evaluate potential risks each violation poses to children, rather than treating all violations equally.
• There is an extension of deadlines for submitting reports and proposals, moving the implementation of these changes to no earlier than January 1, 2027. Previously, these reports were due by February 1, 2024.

Relevant Terms

risk-based model, child care licensing, stakeholder engagement, health and safety, violations, compliance monitoring, abbreviated inspections, National Association for Regulatory Administration.