1.1                          A bill for an act
  1.2             relating to the program of temporary assistance for 
  1.3             needy families; establishing a pilot project to 
  1.4             provide subsidized employment and supervised 
  1.5             on-the-job training in child care centers; 
  1.6             appropriating money; proposing coding for new law in 
  1.7             Minnesota Statutes, chapter 256J. 
  1.8   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.9      Section 1.  [256J.70] [PILOT PROJECT; SUBSIDIZED EMPLOYMENT 
  1.10  AND SUPERVISED ON-THE-JOB TRAINING IN CHILD CARE CENTERS.] 
  1.11     Subdivision 1.  [DEFINITIONS.] (a) "County agency" means 
  1.12  the agency designated by the county board to implement financial 
  1.13  assistance under the TANF program. 
  1.14     (b) "Qualified participant" means a parent who is receiving 
  1.15  assistance under the TANF program and meets the background study 
  1.16  requirements of section 245A.04, subdivision 3. 
  1.17     (c) "Subsidized employment" means employment that is partly 
  1.18  reimbursed by the county agency for the cost of wages, and of 
  1.19  benefits if applicable, paid to the TANF recipient. 
  1.20     (d) "TANF program" means the state's program of temporary 
  1.21  assistance to needy families. 
  1.22     Subd. 2.  [PILOT PROJECT AUTHORIZED.] The commissioner of 
  1.23  human services shall establish a pilot project to provide 
  1.24  subsidized employment and supervised on-the-job training in 
  1.25  licensed child care centers to individuals who are receiving 
  1.26  assistance under the TANF program.  The commissioner shall 
  2.1   establish the pilot project at three sites.  Two of the sites 
  2.2   shall be at licensed child care centers located within the 
  2.3   seven-county metropolitan area and one of the sites shall be at 
  2.4   a licensed child care center in a community outside of the 
  2.5   seven-county metropolitan area. 
  2.6      Subd. 3.  [EMPLOYMENT SUBSIDY.] The county agency may pay 
  2.7   all or part of a qualified participant's TANF benefits as a 
  2.8   subsidy to the participating child care center site for the 
  2.9   purpose of providing subsidized employment and supervised 
  2.10  on-the-job training provided that: 
  2.11     (1) the subsidized job is permanent; 
  2.12     (2) the subsidized job will provide at least the minimum 
  2.13  number of hours of employment per week that are specified in 
  2.14  subdivision 4; 
  2.15     (3) the subsidized job pays an hourly rate that is at least 
  2.16  equal to the nonsubsidized rates paid to employees of the center 
  2.17  who are performing jobs with similar responsibilities; and 
  2.18     (4) the qualified participant is under the supervision of a 
  2.19  staff person who is qualified as a director under Minnesota 
  2.20  Rules, part 9503.0031, or as a teacher under Minnesota Rules, 
  2.21  part 9503.0032. 
  2.22     Subd. 4.  [REQUIRED HOURS OF EMPLOYMENT.] (a) A qualified 
  2.23  participant who is a single parent must work at least the 
  2.24  minimum average number of hours per week specified in the 
  2.25  following table during each month the participant is employed at 
  2.26  a pilot site: 
  2.27     If the month is in        The minimum average number
  2.28     federal fiscal year:      of hours per week is:
  2.29            1997                       20
  2.30            1998                       20
  2.31            1999                       25
  2.32     (b) A qualified participant who is in a two-parent family 
  2.33  must work at least an average of 35 hours per week during each 
  2.34  month the participant is employed at a pilot site. 
  2.35     Subd. 5.  [SUPERVISED WORK EXPERIENCE TO COUNT AS 
  2.36  EDUCATION.] Notwithstanding Minnesota Rules, part 9503.0030, 
  3.1   subpart 1, item B: 
  3.2      (1) the first 1,040 hours of supervised work experience 
  3.3   attained by a qualified participant in the pilot program shall 
  3.4   also be counted as three quarter credits of education; and 
  3.5      (2) the second 1,040 hours of supervised work experience 
  3.6   attained by a qualified participant in the pilot program shall 
  3.7   also be counted as three additional quarter credits of education.
  3.8      Sec. 2.  [REPORT REQUIRED; PILOT PROJECT.] 
  3.9      By February 15, 1998, and by January 15, 1999, the 
  3.10  commissioner of human services shall report to the legislature 
  3.11  on the status of the pilot program to provide subsidized 
  3.12  employment in child care centers. 
  3.13     Sec. 3.  [APPROPRIATION.] 
  3.14     $....... is appropriated from the general fund to the 
  3.15  commissioner of human services for the biennium ending June 30, 
  3.16  1999, for the subsidized employment pilot program in section 
  3.17  256J.70.