SF 4912

1st Engrossment - 93rd Legislature (2023 - 2024) Posted on 04/09/2024 09:31am

A bill for an act
relating to higher education; requiring submission of information to the legislature
prior to the introduction of a bill appropriating money to the Board of Regents of
the University Minnesota; requiring annual reporting; directing the commissioner
of health to provide recommendations for a health professions workforce advisory
council; appropriating money for the academic health system at the University of
Minnesota; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 137.

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

Section 1.

new text begin [137.095] EVIDENCE IN SUPPORT OF APPROPRIATION.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Written report. new text end

new text begin Prior to the introduction of a bill proposing to appropriate
money to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota to benefit the University of
Minnesota's health sciences programs, the proponents of the bill must submit a written
report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with
jurisdiction over higher education and health and human services policy and finance setting
out the information required by this section. The University of Minnesota's health sciences
programs include the schools of medicine, nursing, public health, pharmacy, dentistry, and
veterinary medicine.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Contents of report. new text end

new text begin The report required under this section must include the
following information as specifically as possible:
new text end

new text begin (1) the dollar amount requested;
new text end

new text begin (2) how the requested dollar amount was calculated;
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new text begin (3) the necessity for the appropriation's purpose to be funded by public funds;
new text end

new text begin (4) a funds flow analysis supporting the necessity analysis required by clause (3);
new text end

new text begin (5) University of Minnesota budgeting considerations and decisions impacting the
necessity analysis required by clause (3);
new text end

new text begin (6) all goals, outcomes, and purposes of the appropriation;
new text end

new text begin (7) performance measures the University of Minnesota will utilize to ensure the funds
are dedicated to the successful achievement of the goals, outcomes, and purposes identified
in clause (6); and
new text end

new text begin (8) the extent to which the appropriation advances recruitment from, and training for,
health professionals in greater Minnesota and from underserved communities in metropolitan
areas.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Certifications for academic health. new text end

new text begin A report submitted under this section
must include, in addition to the information listed in subdivision 2, a certification, by a duly
authorized agent of the University of Minnesota who is anticipated to exercise control over
the appropriation, that:
new text end

new text begin (1) the appropriation will not be used to cover academic health clinical revenue deficits;
new text end

new text begin (2) the goals, outcomes, and purposes of the appropriation are aligned with state goals
for population health improvement; and
new text end

new text begin (3) the appropriation is aligned with the University of Minnesota's strategic plan for its
health sciences programs, including but not limited to shared goals and strategies for the
health professional schools.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Right to request. new text end

new text begin The chair of a standing committee in either house of the
legislature may request and obtain the reports required under this section from the chair of
a legislative committee with jurisdiction over higher education or health and human services
policy and finance.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2024.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin ANNUAL REPORT TO LEGISLATURE; USE OF APPROPRIATION
FUNDS.
new text end

new text begin By December 15, 2025, and every year thereafter, the Board of Regents of the University
of Minnesota must submit a report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the
legislative committees with primary jurisdiction over higher education and health and human
services policy and finance on the use of all appropriations for the benefit of the University
of Minnesota's health sciences programs, including:
new text end

new text begin (1) material changes to the funds flow analysis required by Minnesota Statutes, section
137.095, subdivision 2, clause (4);
new text end

new text begin (2) changes to the University of Minnesota's anticipated uses of each appropriation;
new text end

new text begin (3) the results of the performance measures required by Minnesota Statutes, section
137.095, subdivision 2, clause (7); and
new text end

new text begin (4) current and anticipated achievement of the goals, outcomes, and purposes of each
appropriation.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2024.
new text end

Sec. 3. new text begin DIRECTION TO COMMISSIONER OF HEALTH; HEALTH PROFESSIONS
WORKFORCE ADVISORY COUNCIL.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Health professions workforce advisory council. new text end

new text begin (a) The commissioner
of health, in consultation with the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota State
HealthForce Center of Excellence, shall provide recommendations to the legislature for the
creation of a health professions workforce advisory council to:
new text end

new text begin (1) research and advise the legislature and Minnesota Office of Higher Education on the
status and needs of the health workforce who are in training;
new text end

new text begin (2) provide information and analysis on health workforce issues, upon request, to the
legislature, any state department, or any other entity the advisory council deems appropriate;
new text end

new text begin (3) review and comment on legislation relevant to Minnesota's health workforce; and
new text end

new text begin (4) study and provide recommendations regarding the following:
new text end

new text begin (i) health workforce supply, including:
new text end

new text begin (A) employment trends and demand;
new text end

new text begin (B) strategies that entities in Minnesota are using or may use to address health workforce
shortages, recruitment, and retention; and
new text end

new text begin (C) future investments to increase the supply of health care professionals, with particular
focus on critical areas of need within Minnesota;
new text end

new text begin (ii) options for training and educating the health workforce, including:
new text end

new text begin (A) increasing the diversity of health professions workers to reflect Minnesota's
communities;
new text end

new text begin (B) addressing the maldistribution of primary, mental health, nursing, and dental providers
in greater Minnesota and in underserved communities in metropolitan areas;
new text end

new text begin (C) increasing interprofessional training and clinical practice; and
new text end

new text begin (D) addressing the need for increased quality faculty to train an increased workforce;
new text end

new text begin (iii) increasing funding for strategies to diversify and address gaps in the health workforce,
including:
new text end

new text begin (A) increasing access to financing for graduate medical education;
new text end

new text begin (B) expanding pathway programs to increase awareness of the health care professions
among high school, undergraduate, and community college students, and engaging the
current health workforce in those programs;
new text end

new text begin (C) reducing or eliminating tuition for entry-level health care positions that offer
opportunities for future advancement in high-demand settings, and expanding other existing
financial support programs such as loan forgiveness and scholarship programs;
new text end

new text begin (D) incentivizing recruitment from greater Minnesota, and recruitment and retention for
providers practicing in greater Minnesota and in underserved communities in metropolitan
areas; and
new text end

new text begin (E) expanding existing programs, or investing in new programs, that provide wraparound
support services to existing health care workforce, especially people of color and
professionals from other underrepresented identities, to acquire training and advance within
the health care workforce; and
new text end

new text begin (iv) other Minnesota health workforce priorities as determined by the advisory council.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Report to the legislature. new text end

new text begin On or before December 31, 2024, the commissioner
of health shall submit a report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative
committees with jurisdiction over health and human services and higher education finance
and policy with recommendations for the creation of a health professions workforce advisory
council as described in subdivision 1. The report must include recommendations regarding:
new text end

new text begin (1) membership of the advisory council;
new text end

new text begin (2) funding sources and estimated costs for the advisory council;
new text end

new text begin (3) existing sources of workforce data for the advisory council to perform its duties;
new text end

new text begin (4) necessity for and options to obtain new data for the advisory council to perform its
duties;
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new text begin (5) additional duties of the advisory council;
new text end

new text begin (6) proposed legislation to establish the advisory council;
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new text begin (7) similar health workforce advisory councils in other states; and
new text end

new text begin (8) advisory council reporting requirements.
new text end

Sec. 4. new text begin APPROPRIATION; HEALTH PROFESSIONS WORKFORCE ADVISORY
COUNCIL.
new text end

new text begin $....... in fiscal year 2025 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of
health to study and provide recommendations to the legislature for a health professions
workforce advisory council. This is a onetime appropriation and is available until December
31, 2024.
new text end

Sec. 5. new text begin APPROPRIATIONS; UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA; ACADEMIC
HEALTH SYSTEM; REPORT.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Medical discovery teams. new text end

new text begin $25,000,000 is appropriated in fiscal year
2025 from the general fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota to
establish up to four new medical discovery teams. The medical discovery teams should:
new text end

new text begin (1) encourage multidisciplinary faculty and discovery in critical areas impacting health
care in Minnesota, including mental health, infectious disease, cancer, cardiovascular
programs, and population health;
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new text begin (2) promote faculty, physician, and interdisciplinary recruitments;
new text end

new text begin (3) achieve significant impacts, including new cures and treatments delivered by
world-class providers; and
new text end

new text begin (4) provide new training and research opportunities for Minnesota students.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Underserved communities. new text end

new text begin $20,000,000 is appropriated in fiscal year 2025
from the general fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota to maintain
and expand health care in underserved communities. This expansion of health care should
include:
new text end

new text begin (1) investments in the Community University Hospital Clinic, mobile health partnership
with Hennepin County, and University of Minnesota Physicians primary care clinics;
new text end

new text begin (2) serving more patients in underserved areas in culturally appropriate ways; and
new text end

new text begin (3) training more students in primary care and health equity.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Workforce development. new text end

new text begin $15,000,000 is appropriated in fiscal year 2025 from
the general fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota to expand education
and workforce development opportunities, including through the development of new career
pathways for health care professionals. This expansion should seek to train more health
care professionals, and to identify Minnesota-specific needs and targets. The University of
Minnesota's six academic health science programs should be utilized to provide unique
opportunities to:
new text end

new text begin (1) develop and expand workforce development opportunities to create additional
openings for medical students;
new text end

new text begin (2) promote new programming in high-need areas such as mental health, respiratory
therapy, and advanced dental therapy programs;
new text end

new text begin (3) expand addiction fellowships, and addiction and mental health tracks in residencies;
and
new text end

new text begin (4) design pathways and partnerships for high-need professions with Minnesota state
colleges and private colleges in Minnesota.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Primary care transformation. new text end

new text begin $10,000,000 is appropriated in fiscal year 2025
from the general fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota to transform
primary care. The transformation should improve access to primary care and specialists
around Minnesota, and increase support for physicians in rural and underserved communities.
Such access may be achieved through:
new text end

new text begin (1) increasing and improving electronic consultations between providers and patients;
new text end

new text begin (2) increasing and improving online medical consultations for primary care providers
to seek a specialist's opinion regarding a patient's diagnosis and treatment;
new text end

new text begin (3) building physician networks;
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new text begin (4) promoting continuing medical education; and
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new text begin (5) providing advanced telehealth.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin New care model design. new text end

new text begin $5,000,000 is appropriated in fiscal year 2025 from
the general fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota to support the
Center for Learning Health Systems Sciences. Such support should be utilized to achieve
better outcomes, cost efficiencies, and the ability to share best practices in health care
delivery across health systems.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin All systems innovation. new text end

new text begin $4,750,000 is appropriated in fiscal year 2025 from
the general fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota to develop and
implement solutions to common health care challenges across health care systems that
include partnership with one or more health care systems. This may be achieved by:
new text end

new text begin (1) a prehospital care network;
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new text begin (2) a rural health clinical trials network;
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new text begin (3) strategies to address clinician burnout; or
new text end

new text begin (4) addressing other areas identified in consultation with the Minnesota Department of
Health.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 7. new text end

new text begin Public health care collaboration; report. new text end

new text begin (a) $250,000 is appropriated in
fiscal year 2025 from the general fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota
to support an analysis of opportunities for partnership between the state's public health care
delivery entities: the University of Minnesota; Hennepin Health; and the Veterans Affairs
hospitals. The purpose of this work is to determine the feasibility of shared facilities, common
ancillary services, shared research infrastructure, clinical collaboration, and other
interventions that drive cost efficiencies and enhance access for Minnesotans. The state
requests that the University of Minnesota convene all three organizations to determine the
scope of the work, select a vendor for the analysis, and oversee the project.
new text end

new text begin (b) On or before December 31, 2024, the University of Minnesota must submit a report
to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction
over health and human services finance and policy outlining the findings, the next steps,
and the resources necessary to achieve the goals set forth in the report.
new text end