HF 2646

Introduction - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026)

Posted on 04/10/2025 04:24 p.m.

A bill for an act
relating to human services; converting the Governor's Council on an Age-Friendly
Minnesota into the Age-Friendly Minnesota Council; codifying existing grants;
appropriating money; amending Laws 2021, chapter 30, article 12, section 5, as
amended; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 256.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

new text begin [256.9746] AGE-FRIENDLY MINNESOTA COUNCIL.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Establishment. new text end

new text begin The Age-Friendly Minnesota Council is established to
coordinate work across sectors, including state government, nonprofits, communities,
businesses, and others, to ensure the state is an age-friendly state.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Membership. new text end

new text begin (a) The council consists of 15 voting members.
new text end

new text begin (b) Each of the following commissioners and multimember state agencies must designate
an Age-Friendly Minnesota lead and appoint that designee to serve as a council member:
new text end

new text begin (1) the Minnesota Board on Aging;
new text end

new text begin (2) the commissioner of commerce;
new text end

new text begin (3) the commissioner of employment and economic development;
new text end

new text begin (4) the commissioner of health;
new text end

new text begin (5) the commissioner of housing;
new text end

new text begin (6) the commissioner of human services;
new text end

new text begin (7) the commissioner of transportation;
new text end

new text begin (8) the commissioner of veterans affairs; and
new text end

new text begin (9) the Metropolitan Council.
new text end

new text begin (c) The governor shall appoint six additional public members to represent older adults
in communities experiencing disparities, direct service caregivers, businesses, experts on
aging, local governments, and Tribal communities. The appointment, terms, compensation,
and removal of public members shall be as provided in section 15.059.
new text end

new text begin (d) Other state agencies and boards may participate on the council in a nonvoting capacity.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Chairperson; executive committee. new text end

new text begin (a) The council shall elect a chairperson
and other officers as it deems necessary and in accordance with the council's operating
procedures.
new text end

new text begin (b) The council shall be governed by an executive committee elected by the members
of the council. One member of the executive committee must be the council chairperson.
new text end

new text begin (c) The executive committee may appoint additional subcommittees and work groups
as necessary to fulfill the duties of the council.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Meetings. new text end

new text begin (a) The council shall meet at the call of the chairperson or at the
request of a majority of council members. The council must meet at least quarterly. Meetings
of the council are subject to section 13D.01, and notice of its meetings is governed by section
13D.04.
new text end

new text begin (b) Notwithstanding section 13D.01, the council may conduct a meeting of its members
by telephone or other electronic means so long as:
new text end

new text begin (1) all members of the council participating in the meeting, wherever their physical
location, can hear one another and can hear all discussion and testimony;
new text end

new text begin (2) members of the public present at the regular meeting location of the council can hear
all discussion and all votes of members of the council and participate in testimony;
new text end

new text begin (3) at least one member of the council is physically present at the regular meeting location;
and
new text end

new text begin (4) each member's vote on each issue is identified and recorded by a roll call.
new text end

new text begin Each member of the council participating in a meeting by telephone or other electronic
means is considered present at the meeting for the purposes of determining a quorum and
participating in all proceedings. If telephone or another electronic means is used to conduct
a meeting, the council, to the extent practicable, shall allow a person to monitor the meeting
from a remote location. If telephone or another electronic means is used to conduct a regular,
special, or emergency meeting, the council shall provide notice of the regular meeting
location, that some members may participate by electronic means, and of the option to
monitor the meeting electronically from a remote location.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Duties. new text end

new text begin (a) The council's duties may include but are not limited to:
new text end

new text begin (1) elevating the voice of older adults in developing the vision and action plan for an
age-friendly state;
new text end

new text begin (2) engaging with the community, including older adults, caregivers, businesses, experts,
advocacy organizations, and other interested parties, to inform recommendations and provide
interested parties with updates on the council's recommendations;
new text end

new text begin (3) identifying opportunities for and barriers to collaboration and coordination among
services and state agencies responsible for funding and administering programs and
public-private partnerships;
new text end

new text begin (4) promoting equity and making progress toward equitable outcomes by examining
programs, policies, and practices to ensure they address disparities experienced by older
adults in greater Minnesota, older adults of color, and indigenous older adults;
new text end

new text begin (5) catalyzing age-friendly work at the local level, engaging with and empowering older
adults, local constituents, elected officials, and other interested parties to create change in
every community;
new text end

new text begin (6) establishing a statewide framework that allows for local flexibility to tap into the
potential presented by our aging communities and elevates aging across all of Minnesota;
new text end

new text begin (7) reviewing, awarding, and monitoring grants under section 256.9747;
new text end

new text begin (8) assessing and examining relevant programs, policies, practices, and services to make
budget and policy recommendations to establish age-friendly policies in law with appropriate
financial support to ensure Minnesota continues to lead on age-friendly initiatives; and
new text end

new text begin (9) making budget and policy recommendations to the governor, commissioners, boards,
other state agencies, and the legislature to further the council's mission to ensure the state
is an age-friendly state.
new text end

new text begin (b) The council may accept technical assistance and in-kind services from outside
organizations for purposes consistent with the council's role and authority.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Administration. new text end

new text begin The Minnesota Board on Aging and Department of Human
Services shall provide staffing and administrative support to the council.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 7. new text end

new text begin Annual report. new text end

new text begin Beginning January 1, 2026, and every two years thereafter,
the council shall publish a public report on the council's activities, the uses and measurable
outcomes of the grant activities funded under section 256.9747, the council's
recommendations, proposed changes to statutes or rules, and other issues the council may
choose to report.
new text end

Sec. 2.

new text begin [256.9747] AGE-FRIENDLY MINNESOTA GRANTS.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Age-friendly community grants. new text end

new text begin The commissioner of human services,
in collaboration with the Minnesota Board on Aging and the Age-Friendly Minnesota
Council, shall develop the age-friendly community grant program to help communities,
including cities, counties, other municipalities, Tribes, and collaborative efforts, become
age-friendly communities, with an emphasis on structures, services, and community features
necessary to support older adult residents, including but not limited to:
new text end

new text begin (1) coordination of health and social services;
new text end

new text begin (2) transportation access;
new text end

new text begin (3) safe, affordable places to live;
new text end

new text begin (4) reducing social isolation and improving wellness;
new text end

new text begin (5) combating ageism and racism against older adults;
new text end

new text begin (6) accessible outdoor space and buildings;
new text end

new text begin (7) communication and information technology access; and
new text end

new text begin (8) opportunities to stay engaged and economically productive.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Age-friendly technical assistance grants. new text end

new text begin The commissioner of human services,
in collaboration with the Minnesota Board on Aging and the Age-Friendly Minnesota
Council, shall develop the age-friendly technical assistance grant program to support
communities and organizations who need assistance in applying for age-friendly community
grants and implementing various aspects of their grant-funded projects.
new text end

Sec. 3.

Laws 2021, chapter 30, article 12, section 5, as amended by Laws 2021, First
Special Session chapter 7, article 17, section 2, and Laws 2023, chapter 61, article 2, section
35, is amended to read:

Sec. 5. GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL ON AN AGE-FRIENDLY MINNESOTA.

The Governor's Council on an Age-Friendly Minnesota, established in Executive Order
19-38, shall: (1) work to advance age-friendly policies; and (2) coordinate state, local, and
private partners' collaborative work on emergency preparedness, with a focus on older
adults, communities, and persons in zip codes most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Governor's Council on an Age-Friendly Minnesota is extended and expires June 30,
deleted text begin 2027 deleted text end new text begin 2025 new text end .

Sec. 4. new text begin AGE-FRIENDLY MINNESOTA COUNCIL; CONTINUATION OF
APPOINTMENTS AND DESIGNATION OF INITIAL TERMS.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Continuation of appointments. new text end

new text begin Each member of the Governor's Council
on an Age-Friendly Minnesota, established in Executive Order 19-38, serving on June 30,
2025, shall be deemed appointed to the Age-Friendly Minnesota Council by the applicable
appointing authority under Minnesota Statutes, section 256.9746, effective July 1, 2025.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin First meeting. new text end

new text begin The individual who was serving as chairperson of the Governor's
Council on an Age-Friendly Minnesota, established in Executive Order 19-38, as of June
30, 2025, must convene the first meeting of the Age-Friendly Minnesota Council no later
than July 9, 2025. The former chairperson of the Governor's Council on an Age-Friendly
Minnesota shall preside over the first meeting until the Age-Friendly Minnesota Council
elects a chairperson.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Designation of initial terms. new text end

new text begin The governor must notify the secretary of state
which initial public members of the Age-Friendly Minnesota Council will have terms
coterminous with that of the governor or request that the secretary of state randomly
determine which initial public members will have terms coterminous with the governor's
term.
new text end

Sec. 5. new text begin APPROPRIATION; AGE-FRIENDLY COMMUNITY GRANTS.
new text end

new text begin $1,500,000 in fiscal year 2026 and $1,500,000 in fiscal year 2027 are appropriated from
the general fund to the commissioner of human services for age-friendly community grants
under Minnesota Statutes, section 256.9747, subdivision 1.
new text end

Sec. 6. new text begin APPROPRIATION; AGE-FRIENDLY TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
GRANTS.
new text end

new text begin $863,000 in fiscal year 2026 and $863,000 in fiscal year 2027 are appropriated from the
general fund to the commissioner of human services for age-friendly technical assistance
grants under Minnesota Statutes, section 256.9747, subdivision 2.
new text end