SAINT PAUL, MN – Legislation aimed at addressing the problem of inadequate, expensive child care passed the Minnesota Senate on Monday. The bills, which passed with bipartisan support, encourage existing child care providers to stay in business and lower the barriers of entry for new providers.

“Child care providers face a nightmare scenario of overregulation. It’s really no wonder so many family child care providers have been dropping out of the business at an alarming rate, leaving families without options and desperate for care,” said Senator Bill Weber (R-Luverne), the author of a portion of the legislation. “The situation is quickly becoming a crisis in Greater Minnesota. The reforms we’ve proposed are a preliminary first step toward increasing choices for parents who want to work.”

The legislation passed by the Senate includes:

• Senate File 3310, authored by Senator Bill Weber (R-Luverne) – Makes staffing requirements more flexible, reduces unnecessary paperwork for child care providers, makes it easier to hire caretakers, provides more transparency for providers and the public, and requires the Department of Human Services to identify onerous regulatory burdens and take steps to reduce them.
• Senate File 2683, authored by Senator Mary Kiffmeyer (R-Big Lake) – Exempts most minor children of in-home child care providers from providing fingerprints and photographs for background study purposes. Child care providers found this new requirement intrusive and degrading to their children.
• Senate File 2685, authored by Senator Andrew Lang (R-Olivia) – Exempts child care providers from a burdensome and unnecessary training mandate meant for caretakers of people with disabilities.

The legislation currently awaits action by the House of Representatives.

A new subcommittee on child care availability will also be established to study the regulatory and administrative barriers that exist for child care providers and develop recommendations to reduce the burden.

“The rules and regulations imposed on the child care industry by state government are confusing, punitive, and in the face of the thousands of hardworking providers providing care for children in our communities,” continued Senator Weber. “Make no mistake: Minnesota is facing a child care crisis. If we do not act now, it is our rural communities that will feel the strain. While these bills are a good starting point, over the next several months we will continue to examine Minnesota’s regulations and look for ways to move forward in ensuring affordable, accessible, safe child care for Minnesota families.”

Senator Bill Weber, of Luverne, is in his second term representing District 22, which includes communities in Cottonwood, Jackson, Lincoln, Lyon, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, and Rock counties. He serves as chair of the Agriculture, Rural Development, and Housing Policy Committee.