HF 3714 Minnesota House · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Enrollment and eligibility priority modified for children in foster care for various children, youth, and families education and financial assistance programs; Northstar foster care child care allowance modified; and licensing agencies required to provide license holders with information about child care costs and early childhood education programs.

HF 3714 modifies enrollment priorities for children in foster care in Minnesota's education and child care programs. It requires school districts to give foster care children the highest priority for community education programs like after-school care, and updates the Northstar foster care child care allowance system to stop providing assistance when children turn 13 (previously age 7). The bill also mandates that licensing agencies provide foster care providers with information about child care costs and early childhood education programs. These changes directly affect foster care children, their caregivers, and child care providers across Minnesota.

Issues: ✓ Education

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Feb 25, 2026 Last action Mar 23, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

1st Engrossment → 2nd Engrossment · 3 edits · Mar 23, 2026

MINOR

This bill expands eligibility for priority enrollment and child care assistance to include children in voluntary or involuntary foster care placements under the Minnesota Indian Family Preservation Act, in addition to standard foster care children. It also extends the deadline for processing verification documents from 48 hours to five business days, providing more time for agencies to respond. Additionally, the bill adds a new priority tier for eligible individuals with whom an Indian child has been placed under specific tribal laws.

Scope change

The bill broadens the scope of protected children to include those under the Minnesota Indian Family Preservation Act and adds a new priority category for specific Indian child placements.

ELIGIBILITY

Expanded eligibility for priority enrollment and child care assistance to include children in voluntary or involuntary foster care placements under the Minnesota Indian Family Preservation Act.

Added a fourth priority tier for eligible individuals with whom an Indian child has been placed under section 260.773.

TIMELINE

Increased the deadline for processing foster care verification documents from 48 hours to five business days.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 23, 2026

Lower · Passed

Committee report, to adopt as amended and re-refer to Education Finance

lower

Mar 16, 2026

Lower · Passed

Committee report, to adopt as amended and re-refer to Education Policy

lower

Feb 25, 2026

Introduced

Introduction and first reading, referred to Children and Families Finance and Policy

lower

1 primary · 1 co-sponsor