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HF 2701

3rd Engrossment - 88th Legislature (2013 - 2014) Posted on 04/04/2014 05:51pm

KEY: stricken = removed, old language.
underscored = added, new language.

Current Version - 3rd Engrossment

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A bill for an act
relating to disaster relief; creating a disaster assistance contingency account;
requiring transfer of unused disaster relief appropriations to the disaster
assistance contingency account; establishing a disaster relief cost-share
relationship between the state, local governments, and American Indian tribes
and bands; authorizing state public disaster assistance in the absence of federal
public disaster assistance; appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes
2012, sections 12.03, by adding subdivisions; 12.221, subdivision 4, by adding a
subdivision; 12A.02, subdivision 2, by adding subdivisions; 12A.03, subdivision
3; 12A.15, subdivision 1; 16A.28, by adding a subdivision; proposing coding for
new law as Minnesota Statutes, chapter 12B.

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

ARTICLE 1

DISASTER ASSISTANCE FOR PUBLIC ENTITIES; FEDERAL AID GRANTED

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 12.03, is amended by adding a subdivision
to read:


new text begin Subd. 5d. new text end

new text begin Local government. new text end

new text begin "Local government" has the meaning given in Code
of Federal Regulations, title 44, section 206.2 (2012).
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 12.03, is amended by adding a subdivision to
read:


new text begin Subd. 6b. new text end

new text begin Nonfederal share. new text end

new text begin "Nonfederal share" has the meaning given in section
12A.02, subdivision 7.
new text end

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 12.221, subdivision 4, is amended to read:


Subd. 4.

Subgrant agreementsnew text begin ; state sharenew text end .

new text begin (a) new text end The state director, serving as the
governor's authorized representative, may enter into subgrant agreements with eligible
applicants to provide federal and state financial assistance made available as a result
of a disaster declaration.

new text begin (b) When state funds are used to provide the FEMA Public Assistance Program
cost-share requirement for a local government, the state director must award a local
government 100 percent of the nonfederal share of the local government's FEMA Public
Assistance Program costs.
new text end

Sec. 4.

Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 12.221, is amended by adding a subdivision
to read:


new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Disaster assistance contingency account; appropriation. new text end

new text begin (a) A disaster
assistance contingency account is created in the general fund in the state treasury. Money
in the disaster assistance contingency account is appropriated to the commissioner of
public safety to provide:
new text end

new text begin (1) cost-share for federal assistance under section 12A.15, subdivision 1; and
new text end

new text begin (2) state public disaster assistance to eligible applicants under chapter 12B.
new text end

new text begin (b) For appropriations under paragraph (a), clause (1), the amount appropriated is
100 percent of any nonfederal share for state agencies and local governments. Money
appropriated under paragraph (a), clause (1), may be used to pay all or a portion of the
nonfederal share for publicly owned capital improvement projects.
new text end

new text begin (c) For appropriations under paragraph (a), clause (2), the amount appropriated
is the amount required to pay eligible claims under chapter 12B, as certified by the
commissioner of public safety.
new text end

new text begin (d) If the amount appropriated is insufficient to cover costs for paragraph (a), clauses
(1) and (2), the commissioner of public safety shall pay up to an additional $4,000,000
from the general fund appropriation provided under this paragraph. No payment shall be
made under this paragraph until:
new text end

new text begin (1) the commissioner of public safety has given the commissioner of management
and budget an estimate of the additional funds required;
new text end

new text begin (2) the commissioner of management and budget has reported the estimate to the
chairs of the house of representatives Ways and Means Committee and the senate Finance
Committee; and
new text end

new text begin (3) the commissioner of management and budget has approved the payments.
new text end

new text begin (e) Amounts approved by the commissioner of management and budget, up to
$4,000,000 per fiscal year, are appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner
of public safety. By January 15 of each year, the commissioner of management and
budget shall submit a report to the chairs of the house of representatives Ways and
Means Committee and the senate Finance Committee detailing state disaster assistance
appropriations and expenditures under this subdivision during the previous calendar year.
new text end

new text begin (f) The governor's budget proposal submitted to the legislature under section 16A.11
must include recommended appropriations to the disaster assistance contingency account.
The governor's appropriation recommendations must be informed by the commissioner of
public safety's estimate of the amount of money that will be necessary to:
new text end

new text begin (1) provide 100 percent of the nonfederal share for state agencies and local
governments that will receive federal financial assistance from FEMA during the next
biennium; and
new text end

new text begin (2) fully pay all eligible claims under chapter 12B.
new text end

new text begin (g) Notwithstanding section 16A.28:
new text end

new text begin (1) funds appropriated or transferred to the disaster assistance contingency account
do not lapse but remain in the account until appropriated; and
new text end

new text begin (2) funds appropriated from the disaster assistance contingency account do not lapse
and are available until expended.
new text end

Sec. 5.

Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 12A.02, subdivision 2, is amended to read:


Subd. 2.

Appropriation.

"Appropriation" means an appropriation provided in law
specifically to implement this chapternew text begin , including but not limited to a statutory appropriation
to provide the required cost-share for federal disaster assistance under section 12.221
new text end .

Sec. 6.

Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 12A.02, is amended by adding a subdivision
to read:


new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Local government. new text end

new text begin "Local government" has the meaning given in section
12.03, subdivision 5d.
new text end

Sec. 7.

Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 12A.02, is amended by adding a subdivision
to read:


new text begin Subd. 7. new text end

new text begin Nonfederal share. new text end

new text begin "Nonfederal share" means that portion of total FEMA
Public Assistance Program costs that is no more than 25 percent and is not eligible for
FEMA reimbursement.
new text end

Sec. 8.

Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 12A.03, subdivision 3, is amended to read:


Subd. 3.

Nonduplication of federal assistance.

State assistance may not duplicate
or supplement eligible FEMA Public Assistance Program assistance. For eligible Public
Assistance Program costs, any state deleted text begin matchingdeleted text end new text begin cost-sharenew text end money made available for
that assistance must be disbursed by the Department of Public Safety to a state agency,
local deleted text begin political subdivision, Indian tribedeleted text end new text begin governmentnew text end , or other applicant. State assistance
distributed by a state agency, other than the Department of Public Safety, to a deleted text begin political
subdivision
deleted text end new text begin local governmentnew text end or other applicant for disaster costs that are eligible for
FEMA Public Assistance Program assistance constitutes an advance of funds. Such
advances must be repaid to the applicable state agency when the applicant has received
the FEMA Public Assistance Program assistance, and whatever state deleted text begin matchingdeleted text end new text begin cost-share
new text end money may be made available for that assistance, from the Department of Public Safety.

Sec. 9.

Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 12A.15, subdivision 1, is amended to read:


Subdivision 1.

State deleted text begin matchdeleted text end new text begin cost-sharenew text end for federal assistance.

State appropriations
may be used deleted text begin for payment of the state match for federal disaster assistancedeleted text end to new text begin pay 100
percent of the nonfederal share for
new text end state agenciesdeleted text begin . If authorized in law, state appropriations
may be used to pay all or a portion of the local share of the match for federal funds for
political subdivisions
deleted text end new text begin and local governmentsnew text end under section 12.221. An appropriation from
the bond proceeds fund may be used deleted text begin to fund federal match obligationsdeleted text end new text begin as cost-share for
federal disaster assistance
new text end for publicly owned capital improvement projects deleted text begin resulting from
the receipt of federal disaster assistance
deleted text end .

Sec. 10.

Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 16A.28, is amended by adding a subdivision
to read:


new text begin Subd. 9. new text end

new text begin Disaster assistance. new text end

new text begin (a) The commissioner of management and budget
must transfer the unexpended and unencumbered balance of a general fund disaster
assistance appropriation that expires as provided under this section or as otherwise provided
by law to the disaster assistance contingency account in section 12.221, subdivision 6.
new text end

new text begin (b) Expired disaster assistance transferred to the disaster assistance contingency
account is appropriated as provided under section 12.221, subdivision 6, regardless of the
specific disaster event or purpose for which the expired disaster assistance was originally
appropriated.
new text end

new text begin (c) The commissioner must report each transfer to the chairs of the house of
representatives Ways and Means Committee and the senate Finance Committee.
new text end

new text begin (d) For the purposes of this subdivision, "disaster assistance appropriation" means
an appropriation from the general fund to provide cost-share required for federal disaster
assistance or to provide other state disaster assistance under chapter 12A or 12B.
new text end

Sec. 11. new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE.
new text end

new text begin This article is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end

ARTICLE 2

DISASTER ASSISTANCE FOR PUBLIC ENTITIES; ABSENT FEDERAL AID

Section 1.

new text begin [12B.10] PUBLIC DISASTER ASSISTANCE; ABSENT FEDERAL
AID.
new text end

new text begin This chapter establishes a state public assistance program to provide cost-share
assistance to local governments that sustain significant damage on a per capita basis but
are not eligible for federal disaster assistance or corresponding state assistance under
chapter 12A.
new text end

Sec. 2.

new text begin [12B.15] DEFINITIONS.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Application. new text end

new text begin The definitions in this section apply to this chapter.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Applicant. new text end

new text begin "Applicant" means a local government that applies for state
disaster assistance under this chapter.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Commissioner. new text end

new text begin "Commissioner" means the commissioner of public safety.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Director. new text end

new text begin "Director" means the director of the Division of Homeland
Security and Emergency Management in the Department of Public Safety.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Disaster. new text end

new text begin "Disaster" means any catastrophe, including but not limited
to a tornado, storm, high water, wind-driven water, tidal wave, earthquake, volcanic
eruption, landslide, mudslide, snowstorm, or drought or, regardless of cause, any fire,
flood, or explosion.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin FEMA. new text end

new text begin "FEMA" means the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 7. new text end

new text begin Incident period. new text end

new text begin "Incident period" means the time interval of a disaster as
delineated by specific start and end dates.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 8. new text end

new text begin Local government. new text end

new text begin "Local government" has the meaning given in section
12A.03, subdivision 5d.
new text end

Sec. 3.

new text begin [12B.25] ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA; CONSIDERATIONS.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Payment required; eligibility criteria. new text end

new text begin The director, serving as
the governor's authorized representative, may enter into grant agreements with eligible
applicants to provide state financial assistance made available as a result of a disaster
that satisfies all of the following criteria:
new text end

new text begin (1) the state and applicable local government declare a disaster or emergency during
the incident period;
new text end

new text begin (2) damages suffered and eligible costs incurred are the direct result of the disaster;
new text end

new text begin (3) federal disaster assistance is not available to the applicant because the governor
did not request a presidential declaration of major disaster, the president denied the
governor's request, or the applicant is not eligible for federal disaster assistance because
the state or county did not meet the per capita impact indicator under FEMA's Public
Assistance Program;
new text end

new text begin (4) the applicant incurred eligible damages that, on a per capita basis, equal or
exceed 50 percent of the countywide per capita impact indicator under FEMA's Public
Assistance Program;
new text end

new text begin (5) the applicant assumes responsibility for 25 percent of the applicant's total
eligible costs; and
new text end

new text begin (6) the applicant satisfies all requirements in this chapter.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Considerations; other resources available. new text end

new text begin When evaluating applicant
eligibility under subdivision 1, the director must consider:
new text end

new text begin (1) the availability of other resources from federal, state, local, private, or other
sources; and
new text end

new text begin (2) the availability or existence of insurance.
new text end

Sec. 4.

new text begin [12B.30] ELIGIBLE COSTS.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Eligible costs. new text end

new text begin Costs eligible for payment under this chapter are
those costs that would be eligible for federal financial assistance under FEMA's Public
Assistance Program.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Ineligible costs. new text end

new text begin Ineligible costs are all costs not included in subdivision
1, including but not limited to:
new text end

new text begin (1) ordinary operating expenses, including salaries and expenses of employees and
public officials that are not directly related to the disaster response;
new text end

new text begin (2) costs for which payment has been or will be received from any other funding
source;
new text end

new text begin (3) disaster-related costs that should, in the determination of the director, be covered
and compensated by insurance; and
new text end

new text begin (4) projects and claims totaling less than the minimum FEMA project threshold.
new text end

Sec. 5.

new text begin [12B.35] APPLICANT'S SHARE.
new text end

new text begin An applicant's share of eligible costs incurred must not be less than 25 percent. The
substantiated value of donated materials, equipment, services, and labor may be used as
all or part of the applicant's share of eligible costs, subject to the following:
new text end

new text begin (1) all items and sources of donation must be indicated on the application and any
supporting documentation submitted to the commissioner;
new text end

new text begin (2) the rate for calculating the value of donated, nonprofessional labor is the
prevailing federal minimum wage;
new text end

new text begin (3) the value of donated equipment may not exceed the highway equipment rates
approved by the commissioner of transportation; and
new text end

new text begin (4) the value of donated materials and professional services must conform to market
rates and be established by invoice.
new text end

Sec. 6.

new text begin [12B.40] APPLICATION PROCESS.
new text end

new text begin (a) The director must develop application materials and may update the materials as
needed. Application materials must include instructions and requirements for assistance
under this chapter.
new text end

new text begin (b) An applicant has 30 days from the end of the incident period or the president's
official denial of the governor's request for a declaration of a major disaster to provide the
director with written notice of intent to apply. The director may deny an application due to
a late notice of intent to apply.
new text end

new text begin (c) Within 60 days after the end of the incident period or the president's official denial
of the governor's request for a declaration of a major disaster, the applicant must submit a
complete application to the director. A complete application includes the following:
new text end

new text begin (1) the cause, location of damage, and incident period;
new text end

new text begin (2) documentation of a local, tribal, or county, and a state disaster or emergency
declaration in response to the disaster;
new text end

new text begin (3) a description of damages, an initial damage assessment, and the amount of
eligible costs incurred by the applicant;
new text end

new text begin (4) a statement or evidence that the applicant has the ability to pay for at least 25
percent of total eligible costs incurred from the disaster; and
new text end

new text begin (5) a statement or evidence that the local government has incurred damages equal to
or exceeding 50 percent of the federal countywide threshold in effect during the incident
period.
new text end

new text begin (d) The director must review the application and supporting documentation for
completeness and may return the application with a request for more detailed information.
The director may consult with local public officials to ensure the application reflects the
extent and magnitude of the damage and to reconcile any differences. The application is
not complete until the director receives all requested information.
new text end

new text begin (e) If the director returns an application with a request for more detailed information
or for correction of deficiencies, the applicant must submit all required information within
30 days of the applicant's receipt of the director's request. The applicant's failure to
provide the requested information in a timely manner without a reasonable explanation
may be cause for denial of the application.
new text end

new text begin (f) The director has no more than 60 days from the receipt of a complete application
to approve or deny the application, or the application is deemed approved. If the director
denies an application, the director must send a denial letter. If the director approves an
application or the application is automatically deemed approved after 60 days, the director
must notify the applicant of the steps necessary to obtain reimbursement of eligible
costs, including submission of invoices or other documentation substantiating the costs
submitted for reimbursement.
new text end

Sec. 7.

new text begin [12B.45] CLAIMS PROCESS.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Claims; appeal. new text end

new text begin (a) An applicant must submit to the director
completed claims for payment of actual and eligible costs on forms provided by the
director. All eligible costs claimed for payment must be documented and consistent with
the eligibility provisions of this chapter.
new text end

new text begin (b) If the director denies an applicant's claim for payment, the applicant has 30 days
from receipt of the director's determination to appeal in writing to the commissioner. The
appeal must include the applicant's rationale for reversing the director's determination. The
commissioner has 30 days from receipt of the appeal to uphold or modify the director's
determination and formally respond to the applicant. If, within 30 days of receiving
the commissioner's decision, the applicant notifies the commissioner that the applicant
intends to contest the commissioner's decision, the Office of Administrative Hearings shall
conduct a hearing under the contested case provisions of chapter 14.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Final inspection. new text end

new text begin Upon completion of all work by an applicant, the
director may inspect all work claimed by the applicant. The applicant must provide the
director with access to records pertaining to all claimed work and must permit the director
to review all records relating to the work.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Closeout. new text end

new text begin The director must close out an applicant's disaster assistance
application after all of the following occur:
new text end

new text begin (1) eligible work is complete;
new text end

new text begin (2) the applicant receives the final amount due or pays any amount owed under
section 12B.50; and
new text end

new text begin (3) any extant or scheduled audits are complete.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Audit. new text end

new text begin (a) An applicant must account for all funds received under this
chapter in conformance with generally accepted accounting principles and practices. The
applicant must maintain detailed records of expenditures to show that grants received under
this chapter were used for the purpose for which the payment was made. The applicant
must maintain records for five years and make the records available for inspection and
audit by the director or the legislative auditor. The applicant must keep all financial
records for five years after the final payment, including but not limited to all invoices and
canceled checks or bank statements that support all eligible costs claimed by the applicant.
new text end

new text begin (b) The director or state auditor may audit all applicant records pertaining to an
application or payment under this chapter.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Reporting payments. new text end

new text begin The director must post on the division Web site a
list of the recipients and amounts of the payments made under this chapter.
new text end

Sec. 8.

new text begin [12B.50] FUNDING FROM OTHER SOURCES; REPAYMENT
REQUIRED.
new text end

new text begin If an applicant subsequently recovers eligible costs from another source after
receiving payment under this chapter, the applicant must pay the commissioner an amount
equal to the corresponding state funds received within 30 days. The commissioner must
deposit any repayment in the disaster response contingency account in section 12.221,
subdivision 6.
new text end

Sec. 9. new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE.
new text end

new text begin This article is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end