1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to human services; providing vocational services for individuals with 
1.3 	disabilities; requiring reports.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. DIRECTION TO THE COMMISSIONERS OF HUMAN SERVICES, 
1.6 	EDUCATION, AND EMPLOYMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT; PLANS 
1.7 	TO PROMOTE EMPLOYMENT OF INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES.
 1.8 		Subdivision 1.Plan for supported employment of transition-age youth and 
1.9 	individuals with significant support needs. (a) The commissioners of human services, 
1.10 	education, and employment and economic development, in consultation with local education 
1.11 	agencies, shall develop and implement a plan to assist transition-age youth with disabilities 
1.12 	between the ages of 14 and 24 to maximize opportunities to achieve competitive integrated 
1.13 	employment, including by use of customized employment strategies and other individualized 
1.14 	options, via services provided by vocational rehabilitation services and by local education 
1.15 	agencies and funded under Title I and Title VI, Part B of the Rehabilitation Act.
1.16 	(b) The commissioners shall jointly develop a coordinated plan to expand employment 
1.17 	options for individuals with significant disabilities, including mental illness, for whom 
1.18 	competitive integrated employment has not traditionally occurred, for whom competitive 
1.19 	employment has been interrupted or intermittent as a result of the individual's disability, or 
1.20 	who selected competitive integrated employment in their most recent career counseling and 
1.21 	referral assessment, and who have:
1.22 	(1) the ability or potential to engage in a training or postsecondary program leading to 
1.23 	employment with or without supports; or
2.1 	(2) a demonstrated need for intensive ongoing support services or extended services in 
2.2 	order to perform competitive integrated work.
2.3 		Subd. 2.Plan for expansion of competitive integrated employment. (a) In consultation 
2.4 	with stakeholders, including disability advocacy organizations, employment service providers, 
2.5 	lead agencies in the seven-county metropolitan area and greater Minnesota, private 
2.6 	businesses, individuals with disabilities, and other interested parties, the commissioners 
2.7 	shall develop a plan to prioritize and create incentives for competitive integrated employment 
2.8 	of individuals with disabilities at minimum wage or higher, including through the use of 
2.9 	customized employment strategies and other individualized supports, and to reduce 
2.10 	dependence on less integrated service models.
2.11 	(b) The plan must include recommendations to:
2.12 	(1) align funding to support informed decision-making and individualized employment 
2.13 	outcomes;
2.14 	(2) create incentives for competitive integrated employment services for people with 
2.15 	disabilities;
2.16 	(3) build capacity for increased demand on competitive integrated employment services 
2.17 	and supports, including customized employment and other individualized options;
2.18 	(4) ensure equitable access to competitive integrated employment and employment 
2.19 	services for individuals with disabilities who experience unique barriers, including but not 
2.20 	limited to:
2.21 	(i) people of color and American Indians;
2.22 	(ii) residents of Greater Minnesota;
2.23 	(iii) individuals with disabilities and mental illness who are not eligible for Medicaid 
2.24 	waivers; and
2.25 	(iv) other populations as identified by the commissioner and stakeholders;
2.26 	(5) create partnership initiatives and establish hiring incentives for private businesses 
2.27 	to employ individuals with disabilities and to help address labor shortages across industry 
2.28 	segments;
2.29 	(6) educate employers about accommodations in the workplace and supports available 
2.30 	in implementing these accommodations;
2.31 	(7) support small businesses owned and actively operated by individuals with disabilities;
3.1 	(8) expand microgrants to support the employment of individuals with disabilities at 
3.2 	minimum wage or higher;
3.3 	(9) provide training and technical assistance for disability service providers transitioning 
3.4 	to support competitive integrated employment; and
3.5 	(10) identify best practice standards in community integration for day services that 
3.6 	support individuals with disabilities who do not choose paid employment.
3.7 		Subd. 3.Reports. By August 1, 2021, the commissioners shall jointly submit a report 
3.8 	outlining the plans described in subdivisions 1 and 2 to the chairs and ranking minority 
3.9 	members of legislative committees with jurisdiction over employment services for individuals 
3.10 	with disabilities and to stakeholders engaged in the process of developing the report. The 
3.11 	report must include legislative recommendations for implementing each plan. The report 
3.12 	must also include summary data as defined in Minnesota Statutes, section 13.02, subdivision 
3.13 	19, including:
3.14 	(1) the number of individuals with disabilities who have completed either career 
3.15 	counseling information and referrals or MnCHOICES assessments and indicated a preference 
3.16 	for competitive integrated employment:
3.17 	(i) by age;
3.18 	(ii) by county of residence;
3.19 	(iii) by type of home and community-based services or vocational rehabilitation services 
3.20 	accessed;
3.21 	(2) the number of individuals with disabilities who have secured customized competitive 
3.22 	integrated employment:
3.23 	(i) by duration of employment in an integrated setting;
3.24 	(ii) by the number of hours per week worked in an integrated setting;
3.25 	(iii) by types of employer;
3.26 	(iv) by hourly wage;
3.27 	(3) range, distribution, median, and average earnings of individuals with disabilities 
3.28 	prior to moving into competitive integrated employment;
3.29 	(4) the ability or inability of service providers to meet individuals' demand for competitive 
3.30 	integrated employment supports statewide, including through the use of customized 
3.31 	employment;
4.1 	(5) data from states that have phased out the use of 14c certificates and a subminimum 
4.2 	wage, showing the number of adults with disabilities employed, average hours worked, and 
4.3 	average hourly wages earned before and after subminimum wage was eliminated; and
4.4 	(6) other summary data as identified and agreed upon by the commissioners.