This bill amends the Northstar Care for Children program in Minnesota, specifically addressing benefits for children under the age of six and those transferred into the program. It establishes that children entering components of Northstar Care while under six years old must receive 50% of the benefits they would otherwise be entitled to, unless they are in the care of a relative or placed according to specific preferences, in which case they will receive the full amount. The bill also modifies the state share of payments related to Northstar Care, ensuring that the costs associated with eliminating alternate rates for preschool entry into kinship or adoption assistance are included.

Additionally, the bill revises the language regarding the nonfederal share of maintenance payments, mandating that the commissioner must calculate shares based on historical expenditure trends and adjust them to reflect the costs of the program. The adjustments aim to ensure that state and local expenditures align with what they would have been without the implementation of Northstar Care for Children, while also accounting for the costs of eliminating alternate rates for preschool entry into kinship assistance or adoption assistance. Overall, the bill seeks to enhance the support provided to young children in the Northstar Care system.

Statutes affected:
Introduction: 142A.609, 142A.611