HF 1362

1st Engrossment - 90th Legislature (2017 - 2018) Posted on 03/20/2017 04:23pm

A bill for an act
relating to family law; appropriating money for a grant for coparent services.

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

Section 1. new text begin APPROPRIATION; HEALTH AND WELLNESS CENTER.
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new text begin (a) $200,000 in fiscal year 2018 and $200,000 in fiscal year 2019 are appropriated from
the general fund to the commissioner of human services for a grant to a health and wellness
center located in North Minneapolis that is a federally qualified health center. The center
must use the grant money to offer coparent services to unmarried parents. The center must
develop a process to inform and educate unmarried parents about the center's coparent
services. The coparent services must include the following:
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new text begin (1) coparenting workshops for the unmarried parents;
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new text begin (2) assistance to the unmarried parents in developing a parenting plan that specifies a
schedule of the time each parent spends with the child, child support obligations, and a
designation of decision-making responsibilities regarding the child's education, medical
needs, and religious upbringing;
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new text begin (3) an assessment of social service needs for each parent; and
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new text begin (4) additional social service support, including support related to employment, education,
and housing.
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new text begin (b) The parenting plan assistance under paragraph (a) must include the option of using
private mediation.
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new text begin (c) The coparent workshops required under paragraph (a) must focus at a minimum on
(i) the benefits to the child of having both parents involved in a child's life, (ii) promoting
both parents' participation in a child's life, (iii) building coparenting and communication
skills, (iv) information on establishing paternity, (v) assisting parents in developing a
parenting plan, and (vi) educating participants on how to foster a nonresident parent's
continued involvement in a child's life.
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