| | | May 15, 2007 - This week @ the Capitol
Ready 4 K @ the Capitol
May 15, 2007
A weekly update from Ready4K on what’s happening at the State Capitol on early childhood issues.
This week @ the Capitol
With less than a week before the scheduled end of the 2007 legislative session, there is little clear movement on early childhood legislation. The E-12 Education Conference Committee hasn't met in about three weeks, as Co-Chair Rep. Mindy Greiling wants to have a budget target first. Last week, the Governor met with legislative leaders to discuss the budget and his recent vetoes, but there’s still no word about a “global agreement” on the overall budget. That global agreement is a first step toward setting budget targets for the conference committees.
Obviously, budget targets will need to be set in the next week, and will likely be part of the negotiations with the Governor. For early education, the debate is over early childhood scholarships versus funding for current early childhood programs versus all day K.
The Human Services bill, which was vetoed last week, included about $30 million over two years for many of Ready 4 K’s original proposals, including:
* $5.4 million for Child Care “School Readiness Service Agreements,” where the state would pay higher rates to a limited number of high quality child care providers who meet certain criteria
* $5.5 million to reduce parent co-pays for child care
* $6 million to reduce the child care Basic Sliding Fee waiting list
* $2 million for child care service grants to improve quality
* $2 million for the design of a professional development system
* $302,000 for child care absent day modifications
* $210,000 to reduce licensing and background check fees for family child care
* $1.5 million for grants to work with Family, Friend and Neighbor providers
* $8.8 million for home visits to help parents get their children ready for school
It was a balanced package, despite the lack of any money to increase child care provider reimbursement rates, and also included some significant policy changes. Now it's back to the drawing board, but fortunately the governor's veto message didn't mention child care.
The HHS conference committee reconvened last night (May 14) as a "working group" to make adjustments to the bill in hopes the Governor will sign this version. The new proposal addresses many of the Governor's policy concerns outlined in his veto message, and cuts about $50 million from various pieces, including the $6 million towards the BSF waiting list. This new bill is expected to pass both the House and the Senate today after some quick stops in various committees of both bodies, and will land on the Governor's desk tomorrow, when he is expected to veto it again. The Governor has indicated that he will veto spending bills until there is a global agreement on the budget.
Coming Up @ the Capitol
A coalition of anti-poverty, health care, mental health, social justice and faith-based groups is holding a “Invest in a Healthier Minnesota” rally outside the Governor’s office in the State Capitol building, tomorrow, Wednesday May 16, from 11:30 – 1:30. Please join them if you are able to raise your voice.
In this last week of the session, it’s obvious that the legislature’s work is unfinished. We assume that there are a number of conversations happening behind the scenes to resolve the budget impasse. In the meantime, we are continuing to communicate with legislators and the Governor that investing in high quality early care and education brings the best return.
Ready 4 K is sending a letter to all 201 legislators and the Governor today, urging them to seize this opportunity to do what is best for Minnesota – our children, our families and our communities. We are also placing an ad in the May 16 issue of the Star Tribune and Pioneer Press, signed by leaders from business, law enforcement and the faith community in support of investments in early care and education.
Please take this opportunity to cut out the ad and mail it to your legislator, write a letter to the editor echoing the message, and call your legislators and the Governor to tell them to act. The ad will also be available to download from the Ready 4 K web site beginning tomorrow.
We’ll keep you posted as soon as we know more. Thanks again for all your work on behalf of the youngest Minnesotans.
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