Slawik Proposes Early Childhood ID Number

Rep. Nora Slawik introduced a bill last week that would give children an identification number shortly after birth to help provide information on everything from projected kindergarten enrollments to measles outbreaks among 4-year-olds, said Slawik (DFL-55B), of Maplewood.

“In order to know how kids are doing before they enter kindergarten,” Slawik said, “we need to be able to see what’s happening to them.”

The bill, HF319, would collect socioeconomic, demographic and assessment data from childcare and early childhood programs. Parents would be able to opt out of having an identification number assigned to their child, Slawik said.

Slawik said the tracking would be a big help to school districts, which currently don’t have a good way of predicting enrollment for future kindergarten classes, she said.

“You could predict on a much more concrete level where the 4-year-olds are,” she said.

 Here’s what’s happened this past week with other bills authored or co-authored by your legislators:

 Sen. Chuck Wiger—Introduced a bill that would make school attendance a requirement for obtaining instruction permits and driver’s licenses. SF255,  introduced Feb. 7.

 Sen. Chuck Wiger—Introduced a bill that would appropriate $3 million in bonding money toward a public safety training facility in Maplewood. SF212,  introduced Feb. 3.

Sen. Chuck Wiger—Introduced a resolution urging Congress to designate the Honor and Remember flag as state service and sacrifice emblem in honor of armed service members. SF211, introduced Feb. 3.

Sen. Chuck Wiger—Introduced a bill that would establish an alternative teacher preparation program and limited term teacher license. SF210, introduced Feb. 3.

Sen. Chuck Wiger—Co-sponsored a bill that repeals a requirement that the Department of Management and Budget reduce school district state-aid payments prior to the state of Minnesota borrowing for cash flow needs. SF242, introduced Feb. 7.

Sen. Chuck Wiger—Co-sponsored a bill that would restore funding for school district extended time programs. SF226, introduced Feb. 3.

Sen. Chuck Wiger—Co-sponsored a bill that would include employees of the Red Wing Port Authority in the Public Employees Retirement Association plan. SF176, introduced Feb. 2.

Rep. Nora Slawik—Introduced a bill that would adjust eligibility requirements so that charter schools serving fewer than 150 students where 90 percent of them qualify for special education could get accelerated state aid payments. HF318,  introduced Feb. 2.

Rep. Nora Slawik—Co-sponsored a bill that would appropriate bonding money for a regional public safety training facility in Maplewood. HF349, introduced Feb. 3.

Rep. Nora Slawik—Co-sponsored a bill that would adjust the fees for vehicle registration renewals, other vehicle transactions and driver’s licenses. HF347,  introduced Feb. 3.

Rep. Nora Slawik—Co-sponsored a bill that would appropriate $2 million in bonding money to renovate and equip the Harriet Tubman Center East in Maplewood. HF291,introduced Jan. 31.

Editor's Note: Capitol Review is a weekly look at what your state legislators are doing at the Minnesota Capitol—how they're voting, the bills they're writing and the issues they're getting behind. Come back to Oakdale Patch every Monday for a new Capitol Review.