SF 4500

as introduced - 91st Legislature (2019 - 2020) Posted on 05/16/2020 09:25am

A bill for an act
relating to public health; establishing a grant program to advance the development
of a serological test for COVID-19; appropriating money.

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

Section 1. new text begin GRANT PROGRAM FOR SEROLOGICAL TESTING.
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new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Definitions. new text end

new text begin (a) The definitions in this subdivision have the meanings
given them.
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new text begin (b) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of health.
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new text begin (c) "COVID-19" means the SARS-CoV-2 virus and coronavirus disease 2019.
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new text begin (d) "Eligible employee" means an employee of a health care facility, including a hospital,
health care clinic, nursing facility, or assisted living facility who provides direct care to
patients or to residents of the facility.
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new text begin (e) "Serological test" means a test to determine whether a person has developed a
detectable antibody response to COVID-19.
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new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Grants for development of serological testing for COVID-19. new text end

new text begin (a) The
commissioner shall award grants for the research and development of serological testing
for COVID-19. The commissioner shall develop a grant application and process to issue
grant funds to eligible grantees.
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new text begin (b) To be eligible for grant funds under this section, an applicant must either be a
Minnesota-based:
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new text begin (1) clinical research institution that is a national referral center engaged in providing
patient care, medical research, and medical education; or
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new text begin (2) academic and clinical research institution.
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new text begin An applicant must also agree to share the results of any data collected as a result of the grant
funds including the results of any testing conducted under paragraph (c).
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new text begin (c) Grant funds received by a grantee under this section must be used to further the
grantee's research in developing a serological test for COVID-19. Grant funds may be used
by the grantee to conduct serological testing on eligible employees. If grant funds are used
to conduct testing on eligible employees, the following requirements must be met:
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new text begin (1) the employee must agree in writing to be tested;
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new text begin (2) the results of the test must be provided to the employee; and
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new text begin (3) no test results may be provided to an employer without the consent of the employee.
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new text begin (d) Each grantee must submit a report to the commissioner of health providing the
following information:
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new text begin (1) a listing of the facilities where the grantee conducted serological testing on eligible
employees;
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new text begin (2) the number of employees who were tested at each facility;
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new text begin (3) tests that were conducted if an employee was tested more than once; and
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new text begin (4) the percentage of positive test results within each facility.
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new text begin Notwithstanding paragraph (c), each facility where employees were tested shall also be
provided a copy of this report.
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new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Data. new text end

new text begin Any data on eligible employees collected by a grantee in connection with
a grant issued under this section, including any data shared between grantees pursuant to
subdivision 2, are private data on individuals, as defined in Minnesota Statutes, section
13.02, subdivision 12.
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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. 2. new text begin APPROPRIATION.
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new text begin $5,000,000 is appropriated in fiscal year 2020 from the general fund to the commissioner
of health to award as grants for serological testing for COVID-19 pursuant to section 1.
This is a onetime appropriation and is available until June 30, 2021.
new text end