Minnesota House Bill HF3681

Minnesota 2023-2024 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/13/24
• Refer: 2/13/24

Caption

Child care tax data; program to assist families with cost of child care established, disclosure of tax return information for purposes of verifying eligibility for early child care and learning benefits programs authorized, and money appropriated.

Impact

The proposed legislation is expected to significantly impact state laws related to child care assistance by allowing for the disclosure of tax return information to verify eligibility for the early child care and learning benefits programs. This move aims to streamline processes and ensure that only qualifying families receive financial assistance. Additionally, the creation of this scholarship program is anticipated to strengthen early care and learning capacity across Minnesota, particularly in response to local needs.

Summary

House File 3681 establishes a program aimed at assisting families with the cost of child care through the introduction of Great Start Affordability Scholarships. This initiative is specifically designed to enhance the affordability and accessibility of high-quality early care and learning programs for families with children from birth to kindergarten entry. The bill sets a financial target for families, aiming to limit their child care expenses to no more than seven percent of their annual income, making it easier for low to moderate-income families to access necessary early education services.

Contention

While the bill garners support for its intent to make child care more affordable, there are concerns about the funding mechanisms and the sustainable implementation of the program. Stakeholders may debate the appropriations allocated to the Department of Education for managing the scholarships and whether they will adequately meet the growing demand. Furthermore, there are potential discussions around data-sharing practices between state agencies regarding tax information, which some may view as a privacy concern.