1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to children; establishing a legislative task force on child protection.
1.3 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.4 	Section 1. LEGISLATIVE TASK FORCE; CHILD PROTECTION.
 1.5 	(a) A legislative task force is created to:
1.6 	(1) review the efforts being made to implement the recommendations of the 
1.7 	Governor's Task Force on the Protection of Children;
1.8 	(2) expand the efforts into related areas of the child welfare system; and
1.9 	(3) identify additional areas within the child welfare system that need to be addressed 
1.10 	by the legislature.
1.11 	(b) The four legislative members of the governor's task force shall be the members 
1.12 	of the legislative task force. They may appoint up to eight legislators as ex officio 
1.13 	members of the task force.
1.14 	(c) The task force may provide oversight and monitoring of:
1.15 	(1) the efforts by the Department of Human Services, counties, and tribes to 
1.16 	implement laws related to child protection;
1.17 	(2) efforts by the Department of Human Services, counties, and tribes to implement 
1.18 	the recommendations of the Governor's Task Force on the Protection of Children;
1.19 	(3) efforts by agencies, including but not limited to, the Minnesota Department 
1.20 	of Education, the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency, the Minnesota Department of 
1.21 	Corrections, and the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, to work with the Department 
1.22 	of Human Services to assure safety and well-being for children at risk of harm or children 
1.23 	in the child welfare system;
2.1 	(4) efforts by the Department of Human Services, other agencies, counties, and 
2.2 	tribes to implement best practices to ensure every child is protected from maltreatment 
2.3 	and neglect and to ensure every child has the opportunity for healthy development.
2.4 	(d) The task force, in cooperation with the commissioner of human services, shall 
2.5 	issue a report to the legislature and governor on February 1, 2016. The report must contain 
2.6 	information on the progress toward implementation of changes to the child protection 
2.7 	system, recommendations for additional legislative changes, and procedures affecting 
2.8 	child protection and child welfare; and funding needs to implement recommended changes.
2.9 	(e) The task force shall convene upon enactment of this act and shall continue until 
2.10 	the last day of the 2016 legislative session.