HF 264

2nd Engrossment - 89th Legislature (2015 - 2016) Posted on 03/25/2015 02:32pm

A bill for an act
relating to financing and operation of state government; providing deficiency
funding for food assistance, the Minnesota Security Hospital, natural resources
enforcement activities, Ebola-related costs, and the Zoological Board;
appropriating money.

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

Section 1. DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES; APPROPRIATION.

(a) $10,683,000 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of
human services in fiscal year 2015 for the purposes specified by and to supplement the
appropriations in Laws 2013, chapter 108, article 14, as amended by Laws 2014, chapter
312, article 30, and Laws 2013, chapter 108, article 15. This is a onetime appropriation.

(b) The commissioner of human services shall expend the appropriation in paragraph
(a) as follows:

(1) $246,000 for the Minnesota Food Assistance program under Minnesota Statutes,
section 256D.053; and

(2) $10,437,000 for the Minnesota Security Hospital under Minnesota Statutes,
section 253.20.

(c) The appropriation in paragraph (b), clause (2), must be spent only on increased
staffing levels, renovations, and improvements at the Minnesota Security Hospital in St.
Peter as required by the conditional licenses issued to the facility.

Sec. 2. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH; APPROPRIATION.

(a) $891,000 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of health in
fiscal year 2015 for costs of statewide planning, coordination, preparation, and response
activities related to Ebola. The commissioner shall use federal funds awarded to the state
for Ebola-related costs on or after December 19, 2014, to the extent permitted under
federal law, before spending any of this appropriation. This appropriation is available for
expenditures between July 1, 2014, and June 30, 2016. Any unspent funds shall cancel.

(b) $2,000,000 is appropriated in fiscal year 2015 from the general fund to the
commissioner of health to provide grants to eligible hospitals and the Emergency
Medical Services Regulatory Board for Ebola-related expenditures. The grants under this
paragraph must only be awarded to the following hospitals and the Emergency Medical
Services Regulatory Board for the amounts shown:

(1) Unity Hospital in Fridley, $221,000;

(2) Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota, St. Paul Campus, $710,000;

(3) Mayo Clinic Hospital, St. Mary's Campus, $413,000;

(4) the University of Minnesota Medical Center, $508,000; and

(5) $148,000 to the Emergency Medical Services Regulatory Board for service
providers who can demonstrate extraordinary costs directly attributable to maintaining a
state of readiness with respect to the public health threat posed by Ebola. The Emergency
Medical Services Regulatory Board shall proportionally allocate this grant to these service
providers.

The commissioner shall make no payments under this paragraph for expenses that are
reimbursable with federal funds.

(c) The appropriations in this section are onetime.

Sec. 3. DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES; APPROPRIATION.

(a) $568,000 is appropriated to the commissioner of natural resources in fiscal
year 2015 for enforcement activities under Laws 2013, chapter 114, article 3, section 4,
subdivision 7.

(b) The appropriation under paragraph (a) shall consist of the following:

(1) $69,000 from the general fund;

(2) $128,000 from the natural resources fund; and

(3) $371,000 from the game and fish fund.

(c) This is a onetime appropriation.

Sec. 4. ZOOLOGICAL BOARD; APPROPRIATION.

(a) $1,350,000 is appropriated from the general fund to the Zoological Board in
fiscal year 2015 to supplement the appropriation in Laws 2013, chapter 114, article 3,
section 8. This is a onetime appropriation.

(b) By December 15, 2015, the Zoological Board shall submit a report to the chairs
and ranking minority members of the house of representatives and senate committees and
divisions with jurisdiction over the Minnesota Zoological Garden that details the board's
financial plan to ensure the long-term financial stability and success of the zoo. The board
shall submit an interim report to the chairs and ranking minority members by April 1, 2015.

Sec. 5. BUDGET REDUCTIONS.

The commissioner of management and budget must reduce previously enacted
general fund appropriations for fiscal year 2015 to the Departments of Health, Human
Services, and Natural Resources as follows:

(1) $16,000 for the Department of Health;

(2) $6,000 for the Department of Human Services; and

(3) $18,000 for the Department of Natural Resources.

To the extent possible, the commissioner of management and budget must allocate
each reduction to the agency appropriation that supports that agency's commissioner's
salary. These are onetime reductions.

Sec. 6. EFFECTIVE DATE.

Sections 1 to 5 are effective the day following final enactment.