HF 1445

as introduced - 88th Legislature (2013 - 2014) Posted on 03/14/2013 04:36pm

A bill for an act
relating to public health; establishing a health housing grant program;
appropriating money for health housing grants and lead poisoning prevention
activities; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 144.

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

Section 1.

new text begin [144.9513] HEALTHY HOUSING GRANTS.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Definitions. new text end

new text begin For purposes of this section and sections 144.9501 to
144.9512, the following terms have the meanings given.
new text end

new text begin (a) "Housing" means a room or group of rooms located within a dwelling forming
a single habitable unit with facilities used or intended to be used for living, sleeping,
cooking, and eating.
new text end

new text begin (b) "Healthy housing" means housing that is sited, designed, built, renovated, and
maintained in ways that supports the health of residents.
new text end

new text begin (c) "Housing-based health threat" means a chemical, biologic, or physical agent in
the immediate housing environment which constitutes a potential or actual hazard to
human health at acute or chronic exposure levels.
new text end

new text begin (d) "Primary prevention" means preventing exposure to housing-based health threats
before seeing clinical symptoms or a diagnosis.
new text end

new text begin (e) "Secondary prevention" means intervention to mitigate health effects on people
with housing-based health threats.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Grants; administration. new text end

new text begin Grant applicants shall submit applications to
the commissioner as directed by a request for proposals. Grants must be competitively
awarded and recipients of a grant under this section must prepare and submit a quarterly
progress report to the commissioner beginning three months after receipt of the grant. The
commissioner shall provide technical assistance and program support as needed to ensure
that housing-based health threats are effectively identified, mitigated, and evaluated by
grantees.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Education and training grant; eligible activities. new text end

new text begin (a) Within the limits of
available appropriations, the commissioner shall make a grant to a nonprofit organization
with expertise in providing outreach, education, and training on healthy homes subjects
and in providing comprehensive healthy homes assessments and interventions to provide
healthy housing education, training, and technical assistance services for persons
engaged in addressing housing-based health threats and other individuals impacted by
housing-based health threats.
new text end

new text begin (b) The grantee must conduct the following activities:
new text end

new text begin (1) implement and maintain primary prevention programs to reduce housing-based
health threats that include the following:
new text end

new text begin (i) providing education materials to the general public and to property owners,
contractors, code officials, health care providers, public health professionals, health
educators, nonprofit organizations, and other persons and organizations engaged in
housing and health issues;
new text end

new text begin (ii) promoting awareness of community, legal, and housing resources; and
new text end

new text begin (iii) promoting the use of hazard reduction measures in new housing construction
and housing rehabilitation programs;
new text end

new text begin (2) provide training on identifying and addressing housing-based health threats;
new text end

new text begin (3) provide technical assistance on the implementation of mitigation measures;
new text end

new text begin (4) promote adoption of evidence-based best practices for mitigation of
housing-based health threats; and
new text end

new text begin (5) develop work practices for addressing specific housing-based health threats.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Healthy homes implementation grant; eligible activities. new text end

new text begin Within the
limits of available appropriations, the commissioner shall make grants to local boards of
health to support implementation of healthy housing programs in local jurisdictions for
the following activities:
new text end

new text begin (1) identify, characterize, and mitigate hazards in housing that contribute to adverse
health outcomes;
new text end

new text begin (2) ensure screening services and other secondary prevention measures are provided
to populations at high risk for housing-based health threats;
new text end

new text begin (3) promote compliance with Department of Health guidelines and other best
practices, as identified by the commissioner, for preventing or reducing housing-based
health threats;
new text end

new text begin (4) establish local or regional collaborative groups to ensure that resources for
addressing housing-based health threats are coordinated; and
new text end

new text begin (5) develop model programs for addressing housing-based health threats.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin APPROPRIATIONS.
new text end

new text begin (a) $400,000 in fiscal year 2014 and $400,000 in fiscal year 2015 are appropriated
from the general fund to the commissioner of health for education and training grants
under Minnesota Statutes, section 144.9513, subdivision 3, and are added to the program's
base funding.
new text end

new text begin (b) $800,000 in fiscal year 2014 and $800,000 in fiscal year 2015 are appropriated
from the general fund to the commissioner of health for healthy homes implementation
grants under Minnesota Statutes, section 144.9513, subdivision 4, and are added to the
program's base funding.
new text end

new text begin (c) $450,000 in fiscal year 2014 and $450,000 in fiscal year 2015 are appropriated
from the general fund to the commissioner of health for lead poisoning prevention
activities under Minnesota Statutes, sections 144.9501 to 144.9512, and are added to the
program's base funding.
new text end