Human Services Systems Steering Committee and Legislative Commission on Human Services Systems establishment

A bill for an act

relating to human services; establishing a Human Services Systems Steering

Committee; establishing the Legislative Commission on Human Services Systems;

requiring reports; appropriating money; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota

Statutes, chapter 256.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

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[256.0141] HUMAN SERVICES SYSTEMS STEERING COMMITTEE.

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Subdivision 1.

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Establishment.

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The Human Services Systems Steering Committee is

established to provide recommendations to the commissioners of human services, information

technology services, and children, youth, and families on the development, administration,

and business operations of human services information technology systems. For the purposes

of this section, "human services systems" means any information technology system used

by counties or the commissioner of human services or children, youth, and families.

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Subd. 2.

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Membership; costs.

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(a) The steering committee must be composed of the

following members:

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(1) two members appointed by the commissioner of human services;

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(2) two members appointed by the commissioner of children, youth, and families;

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(3) six members appointed jointly by the Association of Minnesota Counties, the

Minnesota Inter-County Association, and the Minnesota Association of County Social

Service Administrators; and

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(4) two nonvoting members appointed by the commissioner of information technology

services.

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(b) One member appointed under paragraph (a), clause (3), and one member appointed

under paragraph (a), clause (4), must serve as co-chairpersons for the steering committee.

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(c) Steering committee costs must be paid from the budgets of the Department of Human

Services, the Department of Information Technology Services, and the Department of

Children, Youth, and Families.

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(d) The commissioner of information technology services must organize and administer

the steering committee.

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Subd. 3.

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Duties.

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(a) The steering committee must provide recommendations on the

administration and business operations of current human services systems and the

development of any new human services systems.

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(b) For each human services system, the steering committee must make recommendations

on setting system goals and priorities, allocating system resources, making major system

decisions, and tracking total system funding and expenditures from all sources.

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(c) The steering committee must provide monthly updates on the committee's duties

under this subdivision to the Legislative Commission on Human Services Systems under

section 256.0142.

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Subd. 4.

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Meetings.

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(a) The steering committee must meet at least quarterly.

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(b) As part of every steering committee meeting, the steering committee must provide

the opportunity for oral and written public testimony and comments on steering committee

recommendations.

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(c) All votes of the steering committee must be recorded, with each member's vote

identified.

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Subd. 5.

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Implementation of changes; new systems.

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(a) The commissioners of human

services and children, youth, and families must not implement any new major changes to

current human services systems, or implement a new human services system, prior to

receiving recommendations from the steering committee and consulting with counties on

the changes or development.

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(b) The commissioners of human services and children, youth, and families must

implement changes to human services systems recommended and passed by at least seven

members of the steering committee.

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Subd. 6.

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Report.

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(a) Beginning January 30, 2027, and each January 30 thereafter, the

steering committee must report to the Legislative Commission on Human Services Systems

under section 256.0142, and to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative

committees with jurisdiction over human services systems. The report must include:

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(1) for each human services system, system funding and expenditures, including amounts

received in the previous calendar year by funding source and expenditures made in the

previous calendar year by funding source;

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(2) recommendations made by the steering committee under subdivision 3; and

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(3) a list of projects needed to improve human services systems.

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(b) The legislative committees with jurisdiction over human services systems must hold

a public hearing on the report during the regular legislative session in the year in which the

report was submitted.

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Sec. 2.

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[256.0142] LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION ON HUMAN SERVICES

SYSTEMS.

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Subdivision 1.

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Establishment; duties.

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(a) The Legislative Commission on Human

Services Systems is created to:

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(1) provide oversight and monitoring of the efforts by the counties and the Departments

of Human Services; Information Technology Services; and Children, Youth, and Families

to manage, develop, update, and modernize information technology systems across human

services programs, including, but not limited to: MAXIS, METS, MMIS, SSIS, PRISM,

and MEC2;

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(2) evaluate Minnesota's state-supervised, county-administered human services system

and provide recommendations for changes, if applicable. This must include evaluating any

changes to roles and responsibilities for the administration and delivery of human services

programs and services, including program eligibility, case management functions, and use

of third-party and nongovernmental entities;

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(3) review how other states procure, administer, and deliver human services programs

and services and the information technology infrastructure utilized;

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(4) identify areas within the governance, procurement, and technology structures of the

human services system that need to be addressed by the legislature;

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(5) review reports provided to the legislature from state agencies on information

technology projects and human services system transformation; and

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(6) review reports and updates provided to the commission by the Human Services

Systems Steering Committee under section 256.0141.

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(b) The commission must work with Minnesota's Tribal Nations, counties, and the

Departments of Human Services; Information Technology Services; and Children, Youth,

and Families to:

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(1) evaluate proposals for any modifications to information technology systems utilized

by Minnesota's Tribal Nations, counties, or the Departments of Human Services and Children,

Youth, and Families; and

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(2) consider overall costs to the state, counties, and Tribal Nations for the implementation

of any systems changes, and assess whether proposed solutions deliver improved services

to Minnesotans and administrative responsibilities are efficiently delegated across

stakeholders.

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Subd. 2.

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Members; meetings.

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(a) Members of the legislative commission must include:

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(1) six members from the house of representatives, including three members appointed

by the speaker of the house and three members appointed by the minority leader; and

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(2) six members from the senate, including three members appointed by the senate

majority leader and three members appointed by the senate minority leader.

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(b) Members of the commission serve a term that expires on December 31 of the

even-numbered year following the year they are appointed. The speaker of the house and

the majority leader of the senate must each designate a chair and vice-chair from the

membership of the commission. The chair and vice-chair must rotate after each meeting.

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(c) The commission must meet at least quarterly.

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Subd. 3.

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Administrative support.

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The Legislative Coordinating Commission must

provide administrative support to the commission and arrange meeting space for commission

meetings.

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Subd. 4.

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Report.

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By February 15, 2027, and annually thereafter, the commission, in

cooperation with the commissioners of human services; information technology services;

and children, youth, and families, must provide a report to the chairs and ranking minority

members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over human services and children,

youth, and families. The report must contain information on the results of the commission's

evaluations, identifications, and reviews under subdivision 1; recommendations for any

legislative changes; and funding needs to implement any recommended changes.

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Subd. 5.

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Expiration.

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This commission expires December 31, 2033.

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EFFECTIVE DATE.

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This section is effective the day following final enactment.

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Sec. 3.
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LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION ON HUMAN SERVICES SYSTEMS; FIRST

APPOINTMENTS AND FIRST MEETING.
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Appointing authorities for the Legislative Commission on Human Services Systems

under Minnesota Statutes, section 256.0142, must make first appointments to, and designate

the chairs and vice-chairs of, the Legislative Commission on Human Services Systems by

August 15, 2026. The member designated as chair by the majority leader of the senate must

convene the first meeting of the commission by September 15, 2026.

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Sec. 4.
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APPROPRIATION; COUNTY INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS

UPDATES.
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Subdivision 1.

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Information technology changes; system focused.

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(a) $....... in fiscal

year 2027 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of information

technology systems to update county information technology systems. This appropriation

must be used, in collaboration with counties, to fund the following projects:

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(1) expand Data Depot to all interested Minnesota counties and Tribal Nations;

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(2) expand BlueZone Scripting Collaborative to all interested Minnesota counties and

Tribal Nations;

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(3) expand piloted artificial intelligence tools for human services to all interested

Minnesota counties and Tribal Nations;

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(4) develop new user interfaces to replace character-based green screens for the MAXIS

and PRISM computer systems through the integration layer;

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(5) complete the renewal self-service portal in the Minnesota Eligibility Technology

System (METS);

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(6) copy all state human services systems policies and procedures into the data warehouse

and keep the policies and procedures regularly updated;

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(7) develop the ability for METS to note when a recipient has a second pregnancy;

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(8) determine, in collaboration with Minnesota Management and Budget, the dollar

amount needed to fund the integration layer tool and the amount needed to allow full

implementation for both the MAXIS and PRISM computer systems; and

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(9) other projects decided by the Human Services Systems Steering Committee under

Minnesota Statutes, section 256.0141.

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(b) Of the amount appropriated under paragraph (a), $....... is for fully funding the work

verification vendor system for child support, health care, and public assistance programs.

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(c) This is a onetime appropriation.

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Subd. 2.

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Information technology changes; policy focused.

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(a) $....... in fiscal year

2027 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of information technology

systems to update county information technology systems to conform with legislative

changes. This appropriation must be used, in collaboration with counties, to fund the

following projects:

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(1) develop an automated process in the MAXIS computer system to confirm the

eligibility for health care program enrollees;

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(2) eliminate the duplicative data entry by county eligibility workers, including integrating

MNBenefits with the MAXIS computer system and developing a solution to allow recipients

to provide updated information through electronic means;

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(3) update the MAXIS computer system to require a county eligibility worker to update

the shelter and utility panels in MAXIS every time the address panel is updated for

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) applications;

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(4) update the MAXIS computer system to allow the state to move to a simplified

reporting method for SNAP so that all recipients will report changes on a six-month timeline;

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(5) update the MAXIS computer system with correct coding for time-limited recipients

receiving SNAP benefits and integrate the coding with other panels in MAXIS;

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(6) update the MAXIS computer system eligibility results to reflect the most recent

noncitizen eligibility policy for health care programs and SNAP;

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(7) update the MAXIS computer system to eliminate the need for county eligibility

workers to enter and approve general assistance and SNAP applications separately within

the same system, including the ability for MAXIS to translate information between general

assistance and SNAP;

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(8) initiate a review and modernization of client notices generated by the MAXIS

computer system and METS to ensure the notices are clear, accurate, and compliant with

all current federal and state requirements and enhance system functionality so the notices

automatically populate correct and complete information based on case actions;

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(9) update the MAXIS computer system to allow automatic case noting; and

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(10) other projects decided by the Human Services Systems Steering Committee under

Minnesota Statutes, section 256.0141.

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(b) This is a onetime appropriation.

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