Video footage could be required to verify child care attendance

To ensure accurate attendance reporting, Rep. Nolan West (R-Blaine) wants child care providers to make video surveillance of facility entrances and exits available to state inspectors. 

“We have to do something about this. The fraud epidemic has gotten so bad that it’s no longer just Republicans pointing to fraud,” West said.

He sponsors HF3819 that, as amended, would modify multiple child care provider inspection requirements for providers who receive $500,000 or more from Minnesota's Child Care Assistance Program or early learning scholarship.

Rep. Nolan West

Due to time constraints, the bill was laid over Tuesday by the House Children and Families Finance and Policy Committee.

While the bill would clarify that inspections must be conducted in person with no advance notice to providers, the bulk of public testimony addressed the bill’s requirement that child care providers install cameras and collect video footage that could be requested during inspections by the Department of Children, Youth, and Families.

Failure to produce requested footage, according to the bill, could be used as evidence that the provider cares for zero children during the times and dates requested.

Many child care providers expressed fear that they would be punished for technology errors.

“We’re not IT departments, we’re educators,” said Marie Schneider, a child care worker. “Technology fails, systems glitch, humans make mistakes, and to treat that as proof of fraud is unreasonable and overly punitive.”

Parent Amanda Ashton called the bill “inappropriate” due to privacy concerns. “The risk is that footage of young children could be accessed and weaponized.”  

No one testified in support of the bill.

Rep. Jessica Hanson (DFL-Burnsville) unsuccessfully offered an amendment that would create a task force to advise on cybersecurity around the policy requiring footage of children.