LAST SESSION ACCOMPLISHED ALMOST EVERYTHING ON THEIR WISH LIST, BUT AS MARY LAHAMMER REPORTS, MAKING CHILDCARE MORE AFFORDABLE REMAINS A TOP ISSUE FOR THE SESSION AHEAD.

IT COST COST $500 MILLION IN THE COMING -- IT COULD COST $500 MILLION IN THE COMING SESSION.

>> Mary: FULLY FUNDING CHILD CARE LOOKS LIKE A LEADING ISSUE HEADING INTO THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

>> EVERY LEGISLATOR ACROSS THE STATE IS HEARING FROM OUR CONSTITUENTS THAT CHILD CARE AFFORDABILITY IS A HUGE ISSUE.

>> PAYING FOR CHILD CARE AND GOING -- YOU KNOW, AND WORKING AND GOING TO SCHOOL IS A VERY BIG BURDEN, AND THAT'S WHY I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, I'M VERY PRIVILEGED TO HAVE MY PARENTS THAT HELP ME OUT.

>> Mary: THIS YOUNG MOM IS LUCKY TO HAVE HER FAMILY PROVIDE CARE FOR HER DAUGHTER SO SHE CAN PURSUE FURTHER HIGHER EDUCATION.

>> I WILL GO TO LAW SCHOOL IF I CAN GET A SCHOLARSHIP.

I WOULD LOVE TO BE A LAWYER OR A JUDGE IN THE FUTURE OR A POLITICAL ADVISOR IF I CAN GO TO LAW SCHOOL.

>> HEN I THINK ABOUT THE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE IN MINNESOTA, I THINK ABOUT IT FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF OUR MOST RURAL AND SMALL TOWNS.

I CAN SAY WITHOUT A DOUBT WHEN TRAVELING FROM HERMANTOWN TO ELY, FROM BIG FORK TO GRAND MARAIS, THAT ONE OF THE TOP ISSUES I HEAR ABOUT IN OUR RURAL COMMUNITIES IS THE LACK OF AFFORDABLE CHILD CARE.

>> Mary: THE SENATOR, WHO HAS A YOUNG FAMILY, ONE IN PERHAPS THE MOST COMPETITIVE RURAL DISTRICT -- WON -- AND SAYS CHILD CARE IS NOT JUST RARE BUT DOESN'T EVEN EXIST IN SOME PARTS OF HIS IN THIS CASE OF THE WOODS.

>> WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT MIDDLE-CLASS FAMILIES CAN AFFORD CHILD CARE TOO.

OUR GOAL IS TO ENSURE THAT EVERY FAMILY DOESN'T SPEND MORE THAN 7% OF THEIR INCOME ON CHILD CARE.

>> Mary: ANOTHER LAWMAKER, WHO ALSO HAS YOUNG KIDS, SAYS DAY CARE IN MINNESOTA IS AMONG THE MOST EXPENSIVE IN THE COUNTRY, AT ABOUT 17,000 A YEAR, IT CAN OUTPACE THE COST OF COLLEGE TUITION.

>> AS A MOM TO FOUR KIDS, 9 AND UNDER, I KNOW THAT THE STRUGGLE IS REAL.

THEY'RE CONSTANTLY EATING, THEY GROW OUT OF CLOTHES AND SHOES, IN WHAT FEELS LIKE EVERY OTHER WEEK, BUT THESE COSTS ARE RELATIVELY SMALL COMPARED TO THE COSTS OF EARLY CARE AND LEARNING IN MINNESOTA.

CHILD CARE IS, BY FAR, THE SINGLE LARGEST EXPENSE THAT FAMILIES OF YOUNG CHILDREN HAVE.

>> Mary: CHILD CARE PROVIDERS ACROSS THE STATE ARE SEEING THE SAME LABOR SHORTAGES THAT ARE CREATING A CRISIS IN MANY CARE INDUSTRIES.

>> RETENTION IS MY BIGGEST PROBLEM.

BECAUSE I CAN'T TAKE MORE CHILDREN IF I DON'T HAVE MORE STAFF.

SO IF THERE'S NOT ENOUGH STAFF, YOU CAN'T TAKE THE KIDS.

SO THAT CREATES A VACUUM RIGHT THERE.

>> Mary: HER St. PAUL CHILD ARE CENTER IS ONLY HALF FULL AND AFFORDABILITY IS THE ISSUE.

>> I BELIEVE IT'S GOING TO IMPACT OUR SOCIETY ON A VERY NEGATIVE NOTE.

THAT THERE IS NO WAY THAT WE CAN COMPETE AND KEEP UP ON THE WORLD STAGE IF WE'RE NOT HAVING OUR KIDS BEING SCHOOLED EARLY.

EARLIER.

BECAUSE THEY'RE SMART ENOUGH.

IT IS THE UTMOST SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT THING BECAUSE SOMEBODY HAS TO WATCH THE CHILDREN.

AND YOU CAN'T LEAVE THEM BY THEMSELVES, SO THEY HAVE TO HAVE A SAFE PLACE TO GO, ND YOU WANT THEM TO HAVE QUALITY CARE, YOU WANT HEM O BE IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THEY'RE SOCIALIZING WITH OTHER KIDS, THEY'RE LEARNING HOW TO TAKE INSTRUCTIONS, THEY'RE LEARNING HOW TO, YOU KNOW, TALK AND WALK AND DO ALL KINDS OF THINGS, AND I KNOW THAT PEER PRESSURE, WHICH I THINK IS WONDERFUL FOR THE YOUNG ONES, BECAUSE THEY LEARN SO MUCH FROM EACH OTHER.

>> Mary: DFL LAWMAKERS SAY A LOT GOT DONE LAST SESSION, BUT A TOP PRIORITY NEXT SESSION WILL BE PROVIDING CHILD CARE ASSISTANCE TO FAMILIES MAKING AS MUCH AS $175,000 A YEAR.

>> FAMILIES, REGARDLESS OF INCOME, REGARDLESS OF RACE, GEOGRAPHIC SHOULD HAVE AVAILABILITY -- ACCESSIBILITY CHILD CARE THAT WORKS FOR ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA.

>> WE ARE HEARING THIS LIKE CRAZY, HEARING THIS FROM THE SENATE MAJORITY LEADER, HEARING THIS FROM THE SPEAKER, HEARING THIS FROM THE GOVERNOR, HEARING THIS FROM MINNESOTANS.

SO WE HAD A HEARING, THIS WAS AL LIEUD TO EARLIER IN THE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES COMMITTEE, FROM MINNESOTANS SAYING, THIS IS A HUGE NEED AND HUGE CONCERN.

ALLUDED TO.

AND FROM SO MANY DIFFERENT ANGLES, FROM PARENTS WHO ARE TRYING TO WORK, TAKE CARE OF THEIR FAMILIES, CRUSHED BY COSTS, BUT ALSO EMPLOYERS.

THIS IS ONE OF THE TOP WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ISSUES