STATE OF MINNESOTA TWENTY-FIRST MEETING
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES EIGHTY-FIFTH SESSION
JOINT HOUSE AND SENATE EARLY CHILDHOOD COMMITTEE
MINUTES
Representative Nora Slawik, Chair of the Early Childhood Learning Finance Division, and Senator Terri Bonoff, Chair of Early Childhood and Learning Readiness called the meeting to order at 10:05 AM, on October 9, 2007, at the Center for Families, 3333 4th Street North Minneapolis, Minnesota.
The Committee Legislative Assistant noted the roll.
House Members present:
Slawik (Chair)
Garofalo
Laine
E. Murphy
S. Peterson
Wardlow
Winkler
House Members Excused:
Bly (Vice-Chair)
Eastlund
Fritz
Gottwalt
Kranz
Nornes
Ward
Senate Members Present:
Bonoff (Chair)
Michel (Vice-Chair)
G. Olson
Robling
Saltzman
Wiger
Senate Members Excused:
Torres Ray
A quorum was not present.
Introduction of members.
Chair Slawik invited testimony as follows:
Commissioner Alice Seagren, Department of Education, provided an informational overview of the Department's work with Early Childhood.
Maggie Diebel, Director, Community & Family Health Division, Department of Health; and Mary Jo Chippendale, Supervisor, Family and Women's Health Unit, Maternal and Child Health Section, Community & Family Health Division, Department of Health, provided an informational overview of the Department's work with home visiting programs.
Rep. Carolyn Laine provided information on child brain development.
Elizabeth Fields, Director of Early Childhood Development, Way to Grow; and Sheana Green, Family Educator and previous parent/participant of Way to Grow, provided an informational overview of the organization.
Dr. Terrie Rose, Founder and President, Baby's Space, PhD, LP; Kim Aguilar, Director, Northside Child Development Center; and Michele Fallon, Clinical Director, Baby's Space Partnership and Circle of Women, University of Minnesota, provided an informational overview of the organization.
Alyce Dillon, Executive Director, Parents In Community Action, Inc. (PICA); Rico Alexander, Director of Operations, PICA; Candee Melin, Director of Education, PICA; and Aubrey Puckett Director of Parent and Community Relations, PICA, provided an informational overview of the organization.
The meeting adjourned at 12:10 PM
Representative Nora Slawik, CHAIR
Matthew M. Collie
Committee Legislative Assistant