Summary of HF 4654 (2025-2026) – Great Start Compensation Support Payments Grant Program Modified
Overview
HF 4654 proposes amendments to Minnesota Statutes, section 142D.21, subdivision 3, regarding the Great Start Compensation Support Payments Grant Program. The bill focuses on clarifying and expanding how programs qualify for and use compensation-related grants, with added emphasis on paid breaks, professional development, and vacation time for eligible full-time equivalent (FTE) staff, along with streamlined reporting and expenditure timelines.
- Jurisdiction: Minnesota
- Session: 2025-2026
- Bill Type: House File
- Status: Introduced 03/24/2026; referred to Children and Families Finance and Policy
- Primary sponsor: (Introduction indicates collaboration; co-sponsor listed as Carlie Kotyza-Witthuhn)
1) Purpose and Intent
The bill aims to modify the Great Start Compensation Support Payments Grant Program to:
- Improve the recognition and accounting of staff time and benefits within grant-funded child care programs.
- Ensure programs provide and report certain staff supports (e.g., paid break time, professional development, paid vacation) as eligible hours toward meeting grant reporting requirements.
- Specify data reporting, eligibility attestations, and compliance expectations for grant recipients.
- Clarify and tighten timelines for expenditure of grant funds.
2) Key Provisions
A. Application and Eligibility (Subd. 3(a))
A program seeking a grant payment must:
1) Complete an application developed by the commissioner for each payment period.
- New addition: For full-time equivalent staff who regularly care for children, the application must allow counting of:
- Required paid break time
- Professional development or training hours up to 24 hours annually
- Paid vacation time taken to count as qualifying hours toward a program’s reporting of eligible FTE staff
2) Submit data on child enrollment and attendance to the commissioner as specified.
3) Attest in writing that the program was open and operating and served a minimum number of children during the funding period, with exceptions:
- (i) Disruptions necessary to protect health and safety based on public health guidance from CDC, the commissioner of health, the commissioner of children, youth, and families, or local public health agencies.
- (ii) Planned temporary closures for provider vacations and holidays during each payment period, with the commissioner establishing the maximum allowed duration for vacations/holidays.
B. Expenditure Deadline (Subd. 3(b))
- Programs that receive a payment must spend the awarded funds no later than six months after receipt.
C. Compliance and Verification (Subd. 3(c))
- Programs must comply with all requirements listed in the application.
- The commissioner must establish methods to verify that application requirements have been met.
3) Who Is Affected
- Child care programs that participate in the Great Start Compensation Support Payments Grant Program.
- Program administrators must complete the enhanced application process and report enrollment/attendance data as required.
- Staff benefiting from included provisions (FTE staff who regularly care for children) will have paid break time, up to 24 hours of professional development annually, and paid vacation time counted toward qualifying hours.
- Minnesota Department of Human Services/commissioners with oversight of the program (the bill references the commissioner and related departments for data submission, guidance, and verification).
4) Timelines and Procedural Aspects
- Per-payment-period application: Required for each funding period.
- Data reporting: Enrollment and attendance data due in the form/manner determined by the commissioner.
- Attestation: Required for each funding period, with defined exceptions for health/safety disruptions or planned closures within limits.
- Expenditure: Funds must be spent within six months of receipt.
- Vacation/Holiday limits: The commissioner will establish maximum durations for vacations/holidays to be considered in eligibility.
5) Practical Impact
- Increased clarity on eligible staff time (breaks, PD, vacation) counted toward grant-qualifying hours.
- Potential improvement in staff compensation support accounting, aligning grant reporting with actual time staff are supported.
- Stronger emphasis on timely expenditure and compliance, with explicit health, safety, and planned closure exceptions.
- Administrative workload for programs may increase due to per-period applications and more detailed data reporting.
6) Notes
- The bill text uses standard legislative formatting indicators (stricken/added) but, in this version, highlights the added requirements for FTE-related supports.
- Status indicates the bill has been introduced and referred to the relevant committee for consideration.
