HF 8

as introduced - 91st Legislature, 2020 7th Special Session (2020 - 2020) Posted on 12/14/2020 03:02pm

A bill for an act
relating to human services; appropriating money for emergency services, isolation
spaces, and housing support.

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

Section 1. new text begin APPROPRIATION; EMERGENCY SERVICES.
new text end

new text begin (a) $9,000,000 in fiscal year 2021 is appropriated from the general fund to the
commissioner of human services for emergency services grants under Minnesota Statutes,
section 256E.36. Grant money may be used as follows:
new text end

new text begin (1) to provide additional shelter space; to purchase vouchers for the cost of a motel or
hotel room; or to fund other housing options, in order to provide housing that promotes
health and safety, or to isolate homeless individuals exposed to COVID-19 or who are
experiencing respiratory illness. Vouchers for the cost of a motel or hotel room may not be
issued to motels or hotels that receive funding from another source for the cost of the same
motel or hotel room for the same date;
new text end

new text begin (2) to purchase hygiene, sanitation, and cleaning supplies to support compliance with
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance on sanitation and personal protective
equipment; and
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new text begin (3) to hire staff necessary to protect the health and wellness of program recipients, to
increase the number of persons served, or to provide staffing when workers are quarantined
or cannot work because they are caring for someone with COVID-19.
new text end

new text begin (b) Notwithstanding any other law or rule to the contrary, the commissioner of human
services may allocate money to programs, providers, and organizations providing or seeking
to provide services to individuals experiencing homelessness through a single fiscal agent
chosen by the commissioner of human services.
new text end

new text begin (c) Grant applicants must describe how the applicants intend to use grant money for the
purposes listed in paragraph (a), clauses (1) to (3). Grant money may be used by grant
recipients for the activities listed in paragraph (a), clauses (1) to (3).
new text end

new text begin (d) If the commissioner of human services receives money from a nonstate source other
than a local unit of government or a tribe for activities listed in paragraph (a), clauses (1)
to (3), the commissioner of human services must notify the commissioner of management
and budget of the amount received from the nonstate source. The commissioner of human
services shall supplant state funding with funding from the nonstate source up to the amount
of funding provided under this section, to the extent permitted. All state funding replaced
with nonstate funding must be deposited in the general fund.
new text end

new text begin (e) If a grant recipient receives money from a nonstate source other than a local unit of
government or a tribe for activities listed in paragraph (a), clauses (1) to (3), the grant
recipient must notify the commissioner of human services of the amount received from the
nonstate source. If the commissioner of human services determines that the total amount
that the grant recipient received under this section and from the nonstate source exceeds
the grant recipient's costs for the activities in paragraph (a), clauses (1) to (3), the grant
recipient must pay the commissioner of human services the amount that exceeds the costs,
up to the amount of funding provided under this section. All money paid to the commissioner
of human services under this section must be deposited in the general fund.
new text end

new text begin (f) This is a onetime appropriation and is available until June 30, 2021, or until 60 days
after expiration of the peacetime emergency declared by the governor in an executive order
that relates to the infectious disease known as COVID-19, whichever occurs earlier. Any
unexpended amounts that are not obligated by that date shall cancel to the general fund.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin APPROPRIATION; ISOLATION SPACES.
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new text begin (a) $4,306,000 in fiscal year 2021 is appropriated from the general fund to the
commissioner of human services to establish and maintain isolation spaces from January
1, 2021, to February 28, 2021, for suspected or confirmed COVID-positive individuals who
are experiencing homelessness or who cannot safely isolate at home and who do not require
a hospital level of care.
new text end

new text begin (b) The commissioner of human services may enter into contracts with local units of
government as defined in Minnesota Statutes, section 4A.07, subdivision 1, paragraph (a);
tribal governments; and nonprofit organizations or directly purchase goods or services
necessary to provide isolation spaces or services related to establishing or maintaining such
spaces.
new text end

new text begin (c) Notwithstanding any other law or rule to the contrary, the commissioner of human
services may allocate funding to maintain and extend existing contracts for isolation spaces
entered into with Coronavirus Relief Funds awarded as a result of 2020 Legislative Advisory
Commission order number 48. The commissioner of human services may also enter into
new contracts with eligible entities under Minnesota Statutes, section 12.36.
new text end

new text begin (d) If the commissioner of human services receives money from a nonstate source other
than a local unit of government or a tribe for activities under this section, the commissioner
of human services must notify the commissioner of management and budget of the amount
received from the nonstate source. The commissioner of human services shall supplant state
funding with funding from the nonstate source up to the amount of funding provided under
this section, to the extent permitted. All state funding replaced with nonstate funding must
be deposited in the general fund.
new text end

new text begin (e) If an organization under contract to provide isolation spaces under this section receives
money from a nonstate source other than a local unit of government or a tribe for activities
under this section, the organization must notify the commissioner of human services of the
amount received from the nonstate source. If the commissioner of human services determines
that the total amount that the organization received under this section and from the nonstate
source exceeds the organization's costs for the activities under this section, the organization
must pay the commissioner of human services the amount that exceeds the costs, up to the
amount of funding provided under this section. All money paid to the commissioner of
human services under this section must be deposited in the general fund.
new text end

new text begin (f) This is a onetime appropriation and is available until June 30, 2021, or until 60 days
after expiration of the peacetime emergency declared by the governor in an executive order
that relates to the infectious disease known as COVID-19, whichever occurs earlier. Any
unexpended amounts that are not obligated by that date shall cancel to the general fund.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end

Sec. 3. new text begin APPROPRIATION; HOUSING SUPPORT.
new text end

new text begin (a) $4,235,000 in fiscal year 2021 is appropriated from the general fund to the
commissioner of human services to increase room and board rates under Minnesota Statutes,
chapter 256I, by 10.7 percent for purposes of maintaining access to room and board, including
activities necessary to comply with federal and state health and safety guidance in response
to the COVID-19 pandemic, from January 1, 2021, to February 28, 2021. This is a onetime
appropriation.
new text end

new text begin (b) Prior to July 1, 2021, providers must submit documentation demonstrating increased
funding was used for needs related to COVID-19 for the time period during which the
money appropriated under this section was expended.
new text end

new text begin (c) If the commissioner of human services receives money from a nonstate source other
than a local unit of government or a tribe for activities under paragraph (a), the commissioner
of human services must notify the commissioner of management and budget of the amount
received from the nonstate source. The commissioner of human services shall supplant state
funding with funding from the nonstate source up to the amount of funding provided under
this section, to the extent permitted. All state funding replaced with nonstate funding must
be deposited in the general fund.
new text end

new text begin (d) If a housing support provider receives money from a nonstate source other than a
local unit of government or a tribe for activities under paragraph (a), the housing support
provider must notify the commissioner of human services of the amount received from the
nonstate source. If the commissioner of human services determines that the total amount
that the housing support provider received under this section and from the nonstate source
exceeds the housing support provider's costs for the activities under paragraph (a), the
housing support provider must pay the commissioner of human services the amount that
exceeds the costs, up to the amount of funding provided under this section. All money paid
to the commissioner of human services under this section must be deposited in the general
fund.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end