 The Minnesota Senate has passed a handful of measures aimed at loosening restrictions on childcare providers. The push comes following lawmakers' concerns that certain regulations are leading to a shortage of childcare facilities, especially in rural areas. A handful of measures relaxing restrictions on training and licensing requirements overwhelmingly cleared the Senate today. According to the Department of Human Services, the number of family providers dropped from nearly 11,000 in 2011 to less than 9,000 in 2016. Senator Bill Weber, a Republican from Laverne, says onerous requirements are causing many providers to close. The bill would tweak several licensing requirements for providers, including the ability for regulators to license more childcare workers with outside experience. Similar measures have been introduced in the House. If you enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to Lakeland PBS.