Purpose of the Bill

The bill aims to support workforce development by enhancing the retention of law enforcement officers and first responders. It achieves this through a pilot child care program tailored to their unique work schedules.

Main Provisions

• Funding Allocation: The bill allocates $1,000,000 from the workforce development fund to the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office. The money is intended for a grant to work with WomenVenture to implement a child care pilot program.
• Program Goals: The program focuses on creating child care solutions that accommodate the shift work and unusual hours typical in law enforcement and first responder roles. This is meant to improve employee recruitment and retention.
• Supports Provided: The grant will be used to offer technical support, facilitate loan accessibility, support business plan development, perform geographic needs assessments, and provide subsidies for training and startup costs for child care providers. Additionally, scholarships will be available for families participating in the program.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• One-Time Appropriation: The funding is a one-time appropriation available through June 30, 2027.
• Reporting Requirement: By December 1, 2027, the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office must report to specific legislative committees. This report will detail how the funds were used and provide recommendations for future child care programs to enhance recruitment and retention of law enforcement and other first responders.

Relevant Terms

• Workforce development
• Child care pilot program
• Law enforcement retention
• First responder support
• Hennepin County Sheriff's Office
• WomenVenture
• Technical support for child care providers