1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to human services; appropriating money to the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing 
1.3 	Services Division; appropriating money for services for people who are deaf, 
1.4 	deafblind, or hard-of-hearing.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. APPROPRIATION; DEAF AND HARD-OF-HEARING SERVICES 
1.7 	DIVISION.
 1.8 	$750,000 in fiscal year 2016 and $750,000 in fiscal year 2017 are appropriated from 
1.9 	the general fund to the commissioner of human services for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing 
1.10 	Services Division under Minnesota Statutes, section 256C.233. This appropriation is 
1.11 	added to the base. The funds must be used for the following purposes:
1.12 	(1) to provide linguistically and culturally appropriate mental health services for 
1.13 	persons who are deaf, deafblind, or hard-of-hearing;
1.14 	(2) to ensure that each regional advisory committee meets at least quarterly;
1.15 	(3) to increase the number of deafblind Minnesotans receiving services;
1.16 	(4) in consultation with the Commission of Deaf, Deafblind, and Hard-of-Hearing 
1.17 	Minnesotans, to conduct an analysis of how the regional offices and staff are distributed, 
1.18 	operated, and funded in order to determine if the current distribution best serves the needs 
1.19 	of the deaf, deafblind, and hard-of-hearing community throughout Minnesota;
1.20 	(5) to report on the analysis in clause (4) and make recommendations by January 
1.21 	15, 2016, to the chairs and ranking minority members of the senate and the house of 
1.22 	representatives committees with primary jurisdiction over health and human services;
1.23 	(6) during fiscal year 2016, to provide direct services and purchase additional 
1.24 	technology for the technology labs; and
2.1 	(7) to conduct an analysis of whether deafblind services are being provided in the best 
2.2 	and most efficient way possible, with input from deafblind Minnesotans receiving services.

2.3 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION; SERVICES FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE DEAF, 
2.4 	DEAFBLIND, AND HARD-OF-HEARING.
 2.5 	$250,000 in fiscal year 2016 and $250,000 in fiscal year 2017 are appropriated from 
2.6 	the general fund to the commissioner of human services for deaf and hard-of-hearing 
2.7 	grants under Minnesota Statutes, section 256C.261. The funds must be used to increase 
2.8 	the number of deafblind Minnesotans receiving services. This appropriation is added to 
2.9 	the base.