1997 Minnesota Statutes

     245.03 Department of human services established; 
  commissioner. 

    Subdivision 1.    Establishment.  There is created a 
 department of human services.  A commissioner of human services 
 shall be appointed by the governor under the provisions of 
 section 15.06.  The commissioner shall be selected on the basis 
 of ability and experience in welfare and without regard to 
 political affiliations.  The commissioner shall appoint a deputy 
 commissioner. 

    Subd. 2.    Mission; efficiency.  It is part of the 
 department's mission that within the department's resources the 
 commissioner shall endeavor to: 

    (1) prevent the waste or unnecessary spending of public 
 money; 

    (2) use innovative fiscal and human resource practices to 
 manage the state's resources and operate the department as 
 efficiently as possible, including the authority to consolidate 
 different nonentitlement grant programs, having similar 
 functions or serving similar populations, as may be determined 
 by the commissioner, while protecting the original purposes of 
 the programs.  Nonentitlement grant funds consolidated by the 
 commissioner shall be reflected in the department's biennial 
 budget.  With approval of the commissioner, vendors who are 
 eligible for funding from any of the commissioner's granting 
 authority under section 256.01, subdivision 2, paragraph (1), 
 clause (f), may submit a single application for a grant 
 agreement including multiple awards; 

    (3) coordinate the department's activities wherever 
 appropriate with the activities of other governmental agencies; 

    (4) use technology where appropriate to increase agency 
 productivity, improve customer service, increase public access 
 to information about government, and increase public 
 participation in the business of government; 

    (5) utilize constructive and cooperative labor-management 
 practices to the extent otherwise required by chapters 43A and 
 179A; 

    (6) include specific objectives in the performance report 
 required under section 15.91 to increase the efficiency of 
 agency operations, when appropriate; and 

    (7) recommend to the legislature, in the performance report 
 of the department required under section 15.91, appropriate 
 changes in law necessary to carry out the mission of the 
 department. 

    HIST: 1953 c 593 s 1; 1965 c 45 s 17; 1969 c 1129 art 8 s 6; 
 1977 c 305 s 30; 1984 c 654 art 5 s 58; 1995 c 248 art 11 s 18; 
 1997 c 203 art 9 s 2