1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to children; child care assistance; allowing 
  1.3             child care assistance payments to be used for all day 
  1.4             kindergarten tuition payments; amending Minnesota 
  1.5             Statutes 2000, sections 119B.011, subdivision 7; 
  1.6             119B.13, subdivision 1. 
  1.7   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.8      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 119B.011, 
  1.9   subdivision 7, is amended to read: 
  1.10     Subd. 7.  [CHILD CARE SERVICES.] "Child care services" 
  1.11  means child care provided in family day care homes, group day 
  1.12  care homes, nursery schools, day nurseries, child day care 
  1.13  centers, head start, all-day every day kindergarten for the 
  1.14  portion of kindergarten paid through parent fees, and extended 
  1.15  day school age child care programs in or out of the child's home.
  1.16     Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 119B.13, 
  1.17  subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
  1.18     Subdivision 1.  [SUBSIDY RESTRICTIONS.] The maximum rate 
  1.19  paid for child care assistance under the child care fund may not 
  1.20  exceed the 75th percentile rate for like-care arrangements in 
  1.21  the county as surveyed by the commissioner.  The maximum rate 
  1.22  paid for all-day every day kindergarten fees must not exceed the 
  1.23  75th percentile rate established for child care in the county of 
  1.24  attendance.  A rate which includes a provider bonus paid under 
  1.25  subdivision 2 or a special needs rate paid under subdivision 3 
  1.26  may be in excess of the maximum rate allowed under this 
  2.1   subdivision.  The department shall monitor the effect of this 
  2.2   paragraph on provider rates.  The county shall pay the 
  2.3   provider's full charges for every child in care up to the 
  2.4   maximum established.  The commissioner shall determine the 
  2.5   maximum rate for each type of care, including all-day every day 
  2.6   kindergarten fees, special needs, and handicapped care.  Not 
  2.7   less than once every two years, the commissioner shall evaluate 
  2.8   market practices for payment of absences and shall establish 
  2.9   policies for payment of absent days that reflect current market 
  2.10  practice. 
  2.11     When the provider charge is greater than the maximum 
  2.12  provider rate allowed, the parent is responsible for payment of 
  2.13  the difference in the rates in addition to any family copayment 
  2.14  fee.