Office of the Revisor of Statutes
HF 2967
Introduction - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026)
Posted on 04/01/2025 11:24 a.m.
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A bill for an act
relating to child protection; modifying reports for the African American Child
Well-Being Advisory Council; requiring reports; appropriating money for child
protection workers, child welfare technology improvements, and Family First
Prevention Services Act grants; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections
260.68, subdivision 2; 260.691, subdivision 2.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
Section 1.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 260.68, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2.
Case review.
(a) deleted text begin Each responsible social services agencydeleted text end new text begin The commissioner
of children, youth, and families new text end shall conduct a review of all child welfare cases for African
American and other disproportionately represented children handled by deleted text begin the agencydeleted text end new text begin social
services agencies. Social services agencies must provide the commissioner with any
information requested for the purposes of this subdivisionnew text end . deleted text begin Each responsible social services
agencydeleted text end new text begin The commissioner new text end shall create a summary report of trends identified under paragraphs
(b) and (c), a deleted text begin remediation plan as provided indeleted text end new text begin summary of remediation plans with social
services agencies undernew text end paragraph (d), and an update on implementation of any previous
remediation plans. The first report deleted text begin shalldeleted text end new text begin mustnew text end be provided to the African American Child
Well-Being Advisory Council, the deleted text begin commissionerdeleted text end new text begin social services agenciesnew text end , and the chairs
and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over child
welfare by October 1, deleted text begin 2029deleted text end new text begin 2031new text end , and annually thereafter. deleted text begin For purposes of determining
outcomes in this subdivision, responsible social services agencies shall use guidance from
the commissioner. The commissioner shall provide guidance starting on November 1, 2028,
and annually thereafter.
deleted text end
(b) The case review must include:
(1) the number of African American and disproportionately represented children
represented in the county child welfare system;
(2) the number and sources of maltreatment reports received and reports screened in for
investigation or referred for family assessment and the race of the children and parents or
custodians involved in each report;
(3) the number and race of children and parents or custodians who receive in-home
preventive case management services;
(4) the number and race of children whose parents or custodians are referred to
community-based, culturally appropriate, strength-based, or trauma-informed services;
(5) the number and race of children removed from their homes;
(6) the number and race of children reunified with their parents or custodians;
(7) the number and race of children whose parents or custodians are offered family group
decision-making services;
(8) the number and race of children whose parents or custodians are offered the parent
support outreach program;
(9) the number and race of children in foster care or out-of-home placement at the time
that the data is gathered;
(10) the number and race of children who achieve permanency through a transfer of
permanent legal and physical custody to a relative or an adoption; and
(11) the number and race of children who are under the guardianship of the commissioner
or awaiting a permanency disposition.
(c) The required case review must also:
(1) identify barriers to reunifying children with their families;
(2) identify the family conditions that led to the out-of-home placement;
(3) identify any barriers to accessing culturally informed mental health or substance use
disorder treatment services for the parents or children;
(4) document efforts to identify fathers and maternal and paternal relatives and to provide
services to custodial and noncustodial fathers, if appropriate; and
(5) document and summarize court reviews of active efforts.
(d) deleted text begin Any responsibledeleted text end new text begin For everynew text end social services agency that deleted text begin has adeleted text end new text begin the commissioner
identifies in anew text end case review new text begin as new text end showing disproportionality and disparities in child welfare
outcomes for African American and other disproportionately represented children and the
children's families, compared to the agency's overall outcomes,new text begin the commissionernew text end must
deleted text begin include in their case review summary reportdeleted text end new text begin developnew text end a remediation plannew text begin with the agencynew text end
with measurable outcomes to identify, address, and reduce the factors that led to the
disproportionality and disparities in the agency's child welfare outcomes. The remediation
plan shall also include information about how the responsible social services agency will
achieve and document trauma-informed, positive child well-being outcomes through
remediation efforts.
Sec. 2.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 260.691, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2.
deleted text begin Annual reportdeleted text end new text begin Reportsnew text end .
new text begin (a) new text end By January 1, 2026, and annually thereafter, the
council shall report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees
with jurisdiction over child protection on the council's activities under subdivision 1 and
other issues on which the council chooses to report. The report may include recommendations
for statutory changes to improve the child protection system and child welfare outcomes
for African American children and families.
new text begin
(b) By November 1, 2026, the council shall report to the chairs and ranking minority
members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over child protection on the capacity
for counties to implement sections 260.61 to 260.69 and the number of additional workers,
if any, each county would need to be able to implement sections 260.61 to 260.69. This
paragraph expires January 1, 2027.
new text end
new text begin
(c) By November 1, 2030, the council shall compile and review the reports issued under
paragraph (a) to assess the state of implementation of sections 260.61 to 260.69 and present
the compiled report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees
with jurisdiction over child protection. This paragraph expires January 1, 2031.
new text end
Sec. 3. new text begin APPROPRIATION; CHILD PROTECTION ALLOCATIONS.
new text end
new text begin
(a) $....... in fiscal year 2026 and $....... in fiscal year 2027 are appropriated from the
general fund to the commissioner of children, youth, and families for child protection
activities.
new text end
new text begin
(b) Of the amounts in paragraph (a), $....... in fiscal year 2026 and $....... in fiscal year
2027 must be distributed to counties for additional child protection workers to implement
the requirements of Minnesota Statutes, sections 260.61 to 260.693. Amounts distributed
to counties under this paragraph must be calculated using a formula based on local impact
notes, and no county may receive more than $....... in fiscal year 2026 and $....... in fiscal
year 2027.
new text end
Sec. 4. new text begin APPROPRIATION; DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN, YOUTH, AND
FAMILIES INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS IMPROVEMENTS.
new text end
new text begin
$40,000,000 in fiscal year 2026 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner
of children, youth, and families for improvements to the social services information system.
This is a onetime appropriation and is available until June 30, 2027.
new text end
Sec. 5. new text begin APPROPRIATION; FAMILY FIRST PREVENTION SERVICES ACT
GRANTS.
new text end
new text begin
$....... in fiscal year 2026 and $....... in fiscal year 2027 are from the general fund to the
commissioner of children, youth, and families for the purposes of Minnesota Statutes, section
142A.45. Of these amounts, $....... in fiscal year 2026 and $....... in fiscal year 2027 are to
prevent out-of-home placements.
new text end