1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to housing; establishing a grant program for modifications or 
1.3 	improvements to homes of people with disabilities; appropriating money;
1.4 	proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 462A.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. [462A.50] GRANTS FOR ACCESSIBILITY HOME 
1.7 	MODIFICATIONS.
1.8 		Subdivision 1.Definitions. (a) For purposes of this section, the following terms 
1.9 	have the meanings given, unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
1.10 	(b) "Federal poverty guidelines" means the federal poverty guidelines published by 
1.11 	the United States Department of Health and Human Services most recently before the day 
1.12 	on which each grant is awarded under this section.
1.13 	(c) "Internal Revenue Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
1.14 	(d) "Medical provider" means a physician, licensed under Minnesota Statutes, 
1.15 	chapter 147, or a primary care provider as defined in Minnesota Statutes, section 148.171, 
1.16 	subdivision 17a.
1.17 	(e) "Qualified modifications or improvements" means modifications or improvements 
1.18 	to accommodate a qualified person that are made to a homeowner's principal residence, as 
1.19 	defined in section 121 of the Internal Revenue Code. The residence must be located in 
1.20 	Minnesota. A qualified modification or improvement must:
1.21 	(1) consist of one or more of the following:
1.22 	(i) no-step exterior entrances;
1.23 	(ii) exterior or interior ramps;
1.24 	(iii) stairway lifts;
2.1 	(iv) elevators;
2.2 	(v) lifts;
2.3 	(vi) handrails;
2.4 	(vii) grab bars or reinforcement of grab bars;
2.5 	(viii) door hardware;
2.6 	(ix) widening exterior doors to more than 36 inches;
2.7 	(x) widening interior doors to more than 32 inches;
2.8 	(xi) widening hallways to more than 36 inches;
2.9 	(xii) fire or smoke alarms;
2.10 	(xiii) alerting devices;
2.11 	(xiv) moving electrical service including, but not limited to, outlets and switches;
2.12 	(xv) environmental controls including, but not limited to, heating and cooling 
2.13 	equipment;
2.14 	(xvi) bathroom modifications including, but not limited to, accessible toilets, 
2.15 	bathtubs, showers, plumbing, and fixtures;
2.16 	(xvii) kitchen modifications including, but not limited to, accessible countertops, 
2.17 	cabinets, appliances, plumbing, and fixtures; and
2.18 	(xviii) bedroom modifications including, but not limited to, relocation to an 
2.19 	accessible space in the home;
2.20 	(2) be certified by a medical provider as necessary to accommodate the qualified 
2.21 	person's use of the residence;
2.22 	(3) consist of improvements to real property following their installation; and
2.23 	(4) not be the construction of a new residence or an addition to a residence that 
2.24 	expands its living area beyond the items in clause (1).
2.25 	(f) "Qualified person" means a homeowner, the homeowner's spouse, or the 
2.26 	homeowner's dependent, as defined in section 152 of the Internal Revenue Code, who has 
2.27 	attained the age of 65 before the close of the taxable year or who has a disability, as 
2.28 	defined under section 363A.03, subdivision 12.
2.29 		Subd. 2.Grants; eligibility. The commissioner of the Minnesota Housing Finance 
2.30 	Agency shall provide grants to homeowners for qualified modifications and improvements 
2.31 	to accommodate qualified persons. The grants shall be available to homeowners 
2.32 	whose annual income is less than 450 percent of the federal poverty guidelines. The 
2.33 	homeowner must provide documentation from a medical provider that modifications and 
2.34 	improvements are necessary to accommodate the qualified person. 

2.35 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION.
 3.1 	$2,000,000 in fiscal year 2016 and $2,000,000 in fiscal year 2017 are appropriated 
3.2 	from the general fund to the commissioner of the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency for 
3.3 	grants to homeowners to accommodate qualified persons who need qualified modifications 
3.4 	or improvements to their homes due to age or disability.