Bill would let child‑care providers seek CCAP absent‑day exemptions after extraordinary events

Sen. Umu introduced Senate File 45‑81, a proposal to allow child‑care providers that accept CCAP (Child Care Assistance Program) to apply for an exemption to the program’s 25‑day absent‑day reimbursement cap when extraordinary events substantially reduce attendance or force closures. The bill defines extraordinary events to include natural disasters, facility mechanical failures, extreme weather, epidemics, and commissioner‑determined exceptional circumstances.

Direct testimony from providers described cases where centers exhausted families’ 25 allowed absent days after multi‑day disruptions; one provider recounted a Duluth center that closed more than a week because of a burst pipe, and witnesses recounted wide attendance drops tied to recent ICE activity. Amanda Schillinger, a Burnsville childcare director, said providers operate on thin margins and risk closure when families on CCAP use their absent‑day banks during community disruptions. Claire Sanford of the Minnesota Child Care Association and John Fanning of the Education Partnerships Coalition urged statutory flexibility so the department can develop application processes and end‑dates for extraordinary events.

DCYF’s legislative director for early childhood, Sheena Morris, was present and said some actions could require federal approval and that the department would need to follow federal rules in some cases. Members asked about fraud risk, fiscal notes and whether a commissioner‑driven process would create inconsistent outcomes. The bill was laid over for further work.