1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to human services; creating regional service centers;proposing coding 
1.3 	for new law as Minnesota Statutes, chapter 402B.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. [402B.01] REGIONAL SERVICE CENTER CREATION AND 
1.6 	TRANSFER.
1.7 	The commissioner of human services shall design and implement a plan to transfer 
1.8 	all county-based human services administrative and delivery functions from the state's 87 
1.9 	counties into ten newly created regional service centers.

1.10 	Sec. 2. [402B.05] REGIONAL SERVICE  CENTER JURISDICTION.
1.11 	(a) The new regional service center framework shall operate as a division within the 
1.12 	Department of Human Services. County human services employees shall be eligible for 
1.13 	employment in the regional service center division.
1.14 	(b) Each regional service center shall align with the corresponding district court 
1.15 	jurisdiction of Minnesota's ten judicial districts.

1.16 	Sec. 3. [402B.10] DESIGNATION OF AUTHORITY.
1.17 		Subdivision 1.Duties. (a) Each regional service center shall:
1.18 	(1) carry out the responsibilities required of local agencies under chapter 393 and 
1.19 	human service boards under chapter 402;
1.20 	(2) manage the public resources devoted to human services and other public services 
1.21 	delivered or purchased by the counties that are subsidized or regulated by the Department 
1.22 	of Human Services under chapters 245 to 261;
2.1 	(3) employ staff to assist in carrying out the transfer plan;
2.2 	(4) develop and maintain a continuity of operations plan to ensure the continued 
2.3 	operation or resumption of essential human services functions in the event of any business 
2.4 	interruption according to local, state, and federal emergency planning requirements;
2.5 	(5) receive and expend funds received for the transfer plan;
2.6 	(6) rent, purchase, sell, and otherwise dispose of real and personal property as 
2.7 	necessary to carry out the transfer plan; and
2.8 	(7) carry out any other service designated as a responsibility of a county.
2.9 	(b) Each regional service center shall designate a single administrative structure 
2.10 	that has the powers and duties assigned to the regional service center effective January 
2.11 	1, 2015, and annually thereafter.
2.12 		Subd. 2.Local government unit exemptions. Nothing in this chapter precludes 
2.13 	local governments from utilizing sections 465.81 and 465.82 to establish procedures 
2.14 	for local governments to merge, with the consent of the voters. The county boards 
2.15 	of commissioners shall approve the agreement and shall determine the proportional 
2.16 	financial responsibility of each county to support the programs and services of the regional 
2.17 	service center. Nothing in this chapter limits the authority of a county board to enter into 
2.18 	contractual agreements for services not covered by the provisions of the transfer plan with 
2.19 	other agencies or with other units of government.
2.20 		Subd. 3.Transfer plan requirements. The regional service center plan for service 
2.21 	delivery must include the following binding agreements:
2.22 	(1) a governance agreement that defines the respective authority, powers, roles, and 
2.23 	responsibilities of the state and regional service centers under the transfer plan. As part 
2.24 	of the governance agreement, the regional service center shall be held accountable for 
2.25 	achieving measurable goals as defined in the performance agreement under clause (2). 
2.26 	The regional service center must be granted waivers, as necessary, to ensure greater local 
2.27 	control and flexibility to determine the most cost-effective means of achieving specified 
2.28 	measurable goals;
2.29 	(2) a performance agreement that defines measurable goals in key operational areas 
2.30 	that the regional service center is expected to achieve. This agreement must identify 
2.31 	dependencies and other requirements necessary for the regional service center to achieve 
2.32 	the measurable goals as defined in the performance agreement. The dependencies and 
2.33 	requirements may include, but are not limited to:
2.34 	(i) specific resource commitments of the state and the regional service center; and
2.35 	(ii) funding or expenditure flexibility, which may include, but is not limited to, 
2.36 	exemptions to the requirements in sections 245.4835 and 245.714; and
3.1 	(3) a service level agreement that specifies the expectations and responsibilities 
3.2 	of the state and the regional service center regarding administrative and information 
3.3 	technology support necessary to achieve the measurable goals specified in the performance 
3.4 	agreement under clause (2).