HF 4601

as introduced - 93rd Legislature (2023 - 2024) Posted on 03/07/2024 02:43pm

A bill for an act
relating to health; establishing a program to provide grants to women's pregnancy
centers and maternity homes; reducing an appropriation; appropriating money;
proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 145.

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

Section 1. new text begin TITLE.
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new text begin This act shall be known as the "Supporting Women Act."
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Sec. 2.

new text begin [145.9235] GRANT PROGRAM FOR WOMEN'S PREGNANCY CENTERS
AND MATERNITY HOMES.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Definitions. new text end

new text begin (a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have
the meanings given.
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new text begin (b) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of health.
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new text begin (c) "Maternity home" means a community-based, supervised group housing setting that
provides housing, information, referrals, and support to pregnant women who are in crisis
or facing homelessness and to women after giving birth and their children.
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new text begin (d) "Women's pregnancy center" means an organization that provides information,
referrals, and support to encourage and assist pregnant women in carrying their pregnancies
to term and in caring for their children after birth.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Grant program established. new text end

new text begin The commissioner shall administer a program
to provide grants to maternity homes and to women's pregnancy centers to fund housing,
services, and assistance to help pregnant women in carrying their pregnancies to term and
in caring for their children after birth.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Eligibility for grants. new text end

new text begin (a) To be eligible for a grant under this section, a women's
pregnancy center or maternity home must:
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new text begin (1) be a nonprofit organization;
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new text begin (2) offer programs and services, or referrals for programs and services, to pregnant
women and women who recently gave birth to support, encourage, and assist them in carrying
their pregnancies to term and in caring for their children after birth;
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new text begin (3) if housing is provided, provide housing free of charge;
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new text begin (4) provide any programs or services free of charge or at reduced cost; and
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new text begin (5) not use any grant funds to:
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new text begin (i) encourage or counsel women to have an abortion not necessary to prevent her death;
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new text begin (ii) provide abortions; or
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new text begin (iii) directly refer women to an abortion provider for an abortion.
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new text begin (b) The following organizations are not eligible for a grant under this section:
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new text begin (1) an organization that provides abortions, promotes abortions, or directly refers women
to an abortion provider for an abortion; and
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new text begin (2) an organization that is an affiliate of an organization described in clause (1), unless
the two organizations are separately incorporated and independent of each other.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Uses of grant funds. new text end

new text begin (a) A women's pregnancy center receiving a grant under
this section must use the grant funds for programs and services to support, encourage, and
assist pregnant women in carrying their pregnancies to term and in caring for their children
after birth.
new text end

new text begin (b) A maternity home receiving a grant under this section must use the grant funds for
housing, supervision, and programs and services to support, encourage, and assist pregnant
women in carrying their pregnancies to term and in caring for their children after birth.
new text end

new text begin (c) A women's pregnancy center or maternity home may provide programs and services
directly or may refer women to other organizations for programs and services. Programs
and services to support, encourage, and assist pregnant women and women who recently
gave birth may address medical care, information about the developmental characteristics
of babies and unborn children, nutrition services, mental health care and treatment, substance
use disorder treatment, housing assistance, adoption services, education and employment
assistance, financial literacy, communications skills, child care assistance, and parenting
education and support services.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Privacy protections. new text end

new text begin (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b), a women's
pregnancy center or maternity home receiving a grant under this section must have a privacy
policy and procedures in place to ensure that the name, address, telephone number, or other
information that might identify a woman seeking the services of the women's pregnancy
center or maternity home is not made public or shared with any other agency or organization
without the written consent of the woman. All communications between the women's
pregnancy center or maternity home and the woman must remain confidential. For purposes
of any medical care provided by the women's pregnancy center or maternity home, including
but not limited to pregnancy tests or ultrasonic scanning, the women's pregnancy center or
maternity home must adhere to the requirements in sections 144.291 to 144.298 that apply
to providers before releasing any information relating to the medical care provided.
new text end

new text begin (b) A grant recipient must provide the commissioner with any information requested by
the commissioner for purposes of subdivision 6.
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new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Monitoring and review. new text end

new text begin The commissioner must:
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new text begin (1) collect from grant recipients information necessary to evaluate and administer the
grant program; and
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new text begin (2) monitor and review each grant recipient's program to ensure compliance with this
section.
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Sec. 3. new text begin REDUCTION IN APPROPRIATION.
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new text begin The general fund appropriation in Laws 2023, chapter 70, article 20, section 3, subdivision
2, for sexual and reproductive health services grants under Minnesota Statutes, section
145.925, is reduced by $4,500,000 in fiscal year 2025, and that amount is canceled to the
general fund on June 30, 2024. The general fund base for this appropriation is reduced by
$4,500,000 in fiscal year 2026 and $4,500,000 in fiscal year 2027.
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new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
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Sec. 4. new text begin APPROPRIATION.
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new text begin $4,500,000 in fiscal year 2025 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner
of health for the grant program for women's pregnancy centers and maternity homes under
Minnesota Statutes, section 145.9235. Of this appropriation:
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new text begin (1) $3,000,000 is for grants to women's pregnancy centers and administration of those
grants; and
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new text begin (2) $1,500,000 is for grants to maternity homes and administration of those grants.
new text end