1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to children; changing reimbursement rates for 
  1.3             child care assistance; providing for wage enhancement 
  1.4             for provider rates; amending Minnesota Statutes 1996, 
  1.5             section 119B.13, by adding a subdivision; Minnesota 
  1.6             Statutes 1997 Supplement, section 119B.13, subdivision 
  1.7             1. 
  1.8   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.9      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1997 Supplement, section 
  1.10  119B.13, subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
  1.11     Subdivision 1.  [SUBSIDY RESTRICTIONS.] Effective July 1, 
  1.12  1991, the maximum rate paid for child care assistance under the 
  1.13  child care fund is the maximum rate eligible for federal 
  1.14  reimbursement.  The rate may not exceed the 75th 85th percentile 
  1.15  rate for like-care arrangements in the county as surveyed by the 
  1.16  commissioner.  A rate which includes a provider bonus paid under 
  1.17  subdivision 2 or a special needs rate paid under subdivision 3 
  1.18  may be in excess of the maximum rate allowed under this 
  1.19  subdivision.  The department of children, families, and learning 
  1.20  shall monitor the effect of this paragraph on provider rates.  
  1.21  The county shall pay the provider's full charges for every child 
  1.22  in care up to the maximum established.  The commissioner shall 
  1.23  determine the maximum rate for each type of care, including 
  1.24  special needs and handicapped care.  Not less than once every 
  1.25  two years, the county shall evaluate rates for payment of absent 
  1.26  spaces and shall establish policies for payment of absent days 
  2.1   that reflect current market practice.  
  2.2      When the provider charge is greater than the maximum 
  2.3   provider rate allowed, the parent is responsible for payment of 
  2.4   the difference in the rates in addition to any family copayment 
  2.5   fee. 
  2.6      Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 119B.13, is 
  2.7   amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
  2.8      Subd. 7.  [PROVIDER RATES FOR WAGE ENHANCEMENT.] Child care 
  2.9   programs that pay wages at a level for aide, assistant teacher, 
  2.10  or teacher that are more than 110 percent of the median wages 
  2.11  for those positions of the county or region in which the program 
  2.12  is located are eligible for reimbursement at a rate not to 
  2.13  exceed the 95th percentile for like-care arrangements in the 
  2.14  county or region as surveyed by the commissioner.