Minnesota Session Laws - 2022, Regular Session

CHAPTER 47--H.F.No. 3217

An act

relating to agriculture; protecting data about individuals who seek mental or behavioral health assistance or who contact the Minnesota Farm and Rural Helpline; appropriating money for avian influenza;

amending Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 13.643, by adding a subdivision.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 13.643, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:

Subd. 8.

Mental or behavioral health data.

(a) The following data collected and maintained by the Department of Agriculture, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, and any other pass-through recipients about any individual who seeks assistance with a mental or behavioral health issue or who contacts the Minnesota Farm and Rural Helpline are private or nonpublic:

(1) data that identify the individual; and

(2) data provided by the individual identifying another person.

(b) The Department of Agriculture, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, and any other pass-through recipients may release data collected under this subdivision to appropriate parties in connection with an emergency if knowledge of the data is necessary to protect the health or safety of any person.

EFFECTIVE DATE.

This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 2.

APPROPRIATION; AGRICULTURAL EMERGENCY ACCOUNT.

(a) $1,000,000 in fiscal year 2022 is transferred from the general fund to the agricultural emergency account in the agricultural fund under Minnesota Statutes, section 17.041. This is a onetime transfer.

(b) Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 17.041, the commissioner may spend money from the agricultural emergency account for the purposes of responding to highly pathogenic avian influenza, including but not limited to testing supplies. The commissioner may transfer funds from this account to the Minnesota Board of Animal Health for emergency response activities related to highly pathogenic avian influenza, including surveillance. This paragraph expires on December 31, 2022.

EFFECTIVE DATE.

This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Presented to the governor April 8, 2022

Signed by the governor April 8, 2022, 12:57 p.m.