Minnesota Agencies

The task force is created to review the loss of child care providers in the state, assess affordability issues for providers and parents, and identify areas that need to be addressed by the legislature.

The task force, in cooperation with the commissioner of human services, shall issue a report to the legislative committees with jurisdiction over child care issues and the governor by January 15, 2017. The report must contain summary information obtained during the task force meetings and recommendations for additional legislative changes and procedures affecting access to affordable child care.

The Task Force held its first meeting on Tuesday, August 30, 2016 and met three other times throughout the fall of 2016. The Task Force sunset on January 15, 2017.

In the executive summary of the Task Force's final report, they advised legislators, the Department of Human Services, and Minnesota counties to:
1. Develop consistency and uniformity in regulatory enforcement; improve relationships and communication between the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS), county licensors, and child care providers; and improve fairness in compliance measures.
2. Ensure training is accessible, relevant, and affordable; and broaden and deepen the trainer pool.
3. Reform and invest in the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP).
4. Determine ways to address costs for middle income families, whether through targeted funding, tax policy, or community/business investments in child care.
5. Consider the creation of an independent board for child care providers.
6. Encourage more people to enter and stay in the child care provider workforce.
7. Consider ways to address emergency child care assistance for families fleeing abuse.

Task force members shall include: four members from the house of representatives: two members appointed by July 1, 2016 by the speaker of the house and two members appointed by the house minority leader; and four members from the senate: two members appointed by July 1, 2016, by the senate majority leader and two members appointed by the senate minority leader.

The speaker and the majority leader shall each appoint a chair from the membership of the task force. The chair shall rotate after each meeting.

The following legislators were selected to serve on this task force: Representative Mary Franson, Co-Chair; Senator Melissa Wiklund, Co-Chair; Representative Tony Albright; Senator Alice Johnson; Representative John Persell; Senator Carla Nelson; Representative Peggy Flanagan; Senator David Senjem.