HF 924

as introduced - 87th Legislature (2011 - 2012) Posted on 03/07/2011 09:49am

A bill for an act
relating to state government; consolidating the Departments of Health and
Human Services; changing the name to Department of Health and Human
Services; requiring a report.

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

Section 1. new text begin DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH; DUTIES TRANSFERRED.
new text end

new text begin (a) The Department of Health and the position of the commissioner of health are
abolished as of June 1, 2012. Duties of the Department of Health and the commissioner of
health are transferred on or before June 1, 2012, to the commissioner of human services.
new text end

new text begin (b) The commissioner of health, in consultation with the commissioner of human
services, may specify one or more dates before June 1, 2012, on which any or all of the
transfers provided in paragraph (a) will occur.
new text end

new text begin (c) Transfer of duties under this section is subject to Minnesota Statutes, section
15.039.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin HEALTH DIVISION WITHIN DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES.
new text end

new text begin (a) On or before June 1, 2012, the commissioner of human services, in consultation
with the commissioner of health, shall create a health division within the Department of
Human Services. The health division of the Department of Human Services shall have all
the duties transferred under section 1, except as modified in paragraph (b).
new text end

new text begin (b) In creating the health division, the commissioners of health and human services
shall have, as their goal, the reduction of agency costs by maximizing efficiency and
providing for optimal coordination between the duties of the former Department of Health
and the new Department of Health and Human Services.
new text end

new text begin (c) By January 15, 2012, the commissioners of health and human services shall
report to the legislature with a plan to efficiently transfer the duties of the Department
of Health to the Department of Human Services health division. The plan must offer
strategies for reducing agency costs and streamlining agency duties and must include
proposed legislation making statutory changes necessary to implement this section.
new text end

Sec. 3. new text begin REVISOR'S INSTRUCTION; NAME CHANGE.
new text end

new text begin In Minnesota Statutes and Minnesota Rules, the revisor of statutes shall replace
references to "Department of Health" and "commissioner of health," and "Department of
Human Services" and "commissioner of human services," with references to "Department
of Health and Human Services" and "commissioner of health and human services" as
necessary. The revisor of statutes, in consultation with affected commissioners, must
prepare a bill for introduction in the 2012 legislative session making other statutory
changes needed to implement or conform with section 1.
new text end

Sec. 4. new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE.
new text end

new text begin Sections 1 to 3 are effective the day following final enactment.
new text end