SAINT PAUL — A Republican-authored bill in the Minnesota House aims to change the qualifications required to work or volunteer in licensed childcare centers, a move supporters say could help address childcare issues in the state.
Hanska Representative Paul Torkelson, who introduced the bill, acknowledges the complexity of current regulations.
“We have kind of a complicated situation in existence because a lot of the language that governs child care is in rules and other parts of it are in statute, and that’s a bit of a mess,” Torkelson said.
Supporters argue that reducing certain regulations could lower childcare costs. Maria Harms, owner of Snug as a Bug Child Care in Redwood Falls, believes regulatory standards should focus on safety rather than strict education requirements.
“Leaders with appropriate education and experience should have the ability to hire quality people and train them,” Harms said. “We need people that are willing to learn and positively pour into children’s hearts and minds, not just someone who is willing to and could afford an education.”
However, some lawmakers question whether deregulation would improve affordability. Minneapolis DFL Representative Samantha Sencer-Mura expressed concerns about its potential impact on wages.
“I believe that we need to be paying childcare workers more, so I’m concerned about if the affordability in this bill comes from paying the people that are doing the most important work of caring for children less,” she said. “I just fundamentally don’t think that’s a solution.”
The bill was laid over for possible inclusion in a later piece of legislation.
