1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to human services; establishing the Department of Human Services home 
1.3 	and community-based services early and often licensor and compliance team;
1.4 	amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 245A.042, by adding a subdivision.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 245A.042, is amended by adding a subdivision 
1.7 	to read:
1.8 		Subd. 7.Department of Human Services home and community-based services early 
1.9 	and often licensor and compliance team. (a) The commissioner must establish and maintain 
1.10 	a home and community-based services early and often licensor and compliance team to 
1.11 	deliver proactive and coordinated support to applicants through the application process and 
1.12 	to license holders during the first year of operation of the licensed home and 
1.13 	community-based program. The commissioner must ensure that the home and 
1.14 	community-based services early and often licensor and compliance team has sufficient staff 
1.15 	and resources to perform the functions required under this subdivision. The commissioner 
1.16 	must ensure that the licensor and compliance team has members with expertise in licensing 
1.17 	requirements and members with expertise in medical assistance enrollment requirements, 
1.18 	medical assistance service delivery requirements, and medical assistance billing requirements.
1.19 	(b) The home and community-based services early and often licensor and compliance 
1.20 	team must provide technical assistance to applicants regarding completing and submitting 
1.21 	license applications under this chapter and chapter 256D and medical assistance provider 
1.22 	enrollment applications under section 256B.04, subdivision 21.
2.1 	(c) The home and community-based services early and often licensor and compliance 
2.2 	team must conduct an initial scheduled technical assistance visit three months after the 
2.3 	effective date of an initial license for the purpose of providing technical assistance to the 
2.4 	license holder. The team must provide technical assistance related to achieving and 
2.5 	maintaining compliance with the applicable laws, rules, and regulations governing the 
2.6 	provision of and reimbursement for home and community-based services under this chapter 
2.7 	and chapters 245D, 256B, and 256S and waiver plans.
2.8 	(d) The home and community-based services early and often licensor and compliance 
2.9 	team must conduct three unscheduled visits after the beginning of the sixth calendar month 
2.10 	following the effective date of an initial license and before the end of the eighteenth month 
2.11 	following the effective date of an initial license.
2.12 	(e) If during the technical assistance visit or during the following three unannounced 
2.13 	visits, the team finds that the license holder has failed to achieve compliance with an 
2.14 	applicable law, rule, or regulation, and the failure does not imminently endanger the health, 
2.15 	safety, or rights of persons served by the program, the team may issue a licensing and 
2.16 	compliance review report with recommendations for achieving and maintaining compliance.
2.17 	(f) Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to limit the commissioner's authority 
2.18 	to:
2.19 	(1) suspend or revoke a license or issue a fine at any time under section 245A.07 or issue 
2.20 	correction orders and make a license conditional for failure to comply with applicable laws, 
2.21 	rules, or regulations under section 245A.06 based on the nature, chronicity, or severity of 
2.22 	the violation of a law, rule, or regulation and the effect of the violation on the health, safety, 
2.23 	or rights of persons served by the program; or
2.24 	(2) impose a sanction under section 256B.064 based on the nature, chronicity, or severity 
2.25 	of the violation of law, rule, or regulation.