1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to human services; creating an Office of Eligibility Services; proposing 
1.3 	coding for new law as Minnesota Statutes, chapter 256S.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. [256S.01] OFFICE OF ELIGIBILITY SERVICES.
1.6 		Subdivision 1.Creation. A state Office of Eligibility Services is created.
1.7 		Subd. 2.Director. (a) The office shall be under the direction of a director who shall be 
1.8 	appointed by the governor, with the advice and consent of the senate, for a term ending on 
1.9 	June 30 of the sixth calendar year after appointment. Senate confirmation of the director 
1.10 	shall be as provided by section 15.066. The director shall appoint deputies to serve in the 
1.11 	office as necessary to fulfill the duties of the office. The director may delegate to a 
1.12 	subordinate employee the exercise of a specified statutory power or duty, subject to the 
1.13 	control of the director. Every delegation must be by written order filed with the secretary 
1.14 	of state.
1.15 	(b) The director shall be in the unclassified service, but may be removed only for cause.
1.16 		Subd. 3.Duties. (a) The director of eligibility services shall determine initial and ongoing 
1.17 	client eligibility for:
1.18 	(1) social service and income assistance programs administered under chapters 256, 
1.19 	256D, 256E, 256F, 256I, 256J, 256K, 256N, and 256P;
1.20 	(2) mental health and chemical dependency programs administered under chapters 245, 
1.21 	253C, 254A, and 254B;
2.1 	(3) health care programs administered under chapters 256, 256B, and 256L;
2.2 	(4) programs for persons with disabilities administered under chapters 245D, 248, 252, 
2.3 	256C, and 256Q;
2.4 	(5) student higher education grant, loan, and assistance programs administered under 
2.5 	chapter 136A;
2.6 	(6) student prekindergarten through grade 12 scholarship, nutrition, and assistance 
2.7 	programs administered under chapters 119A to 127A; and
2.8 	(7) housing assistance programs administered under chapters 462A and 462C.
2.9 	(b) The director of eligibility services shall work with the commissioners of the relevant 
2.10 	state agencies and directors of relevant local agencies to coordinate eligibility determination 
2.11 	for the programs listed in paragraph (a) with program operations, and to streamline, simplify, 
2.12 	and consolidate the application and renewal process for persons seeking or receiving 
2.13 	assistance through the programs.

2.14 	Sec. 2. TRANSFER OF DUTIES.
 2.15 	(a) Minnesota Statutes, section 15.039, applies to the transfer of duties required by 
2.16 	Minnesota Statutes, chapter 256S.
2.17 	(b) The commissioner of administration, with approval of the governor, may issue 
2.18 	reorganization orders under Minnesota Statutes, section 16B.37, as necessary to carry out 
2.19 	the transfer of duties required by Minnesota Statutes, chapter 256S. The provision of 
2.20 	Minnesota Statutes, section 16B.37, subdivision 1, stating that transfers under that section 
2.21 	may be made only to an agency that has been in existence for at least one year does not 
2.22 	apply to transfers to an agency created by Minnesota Statutes, chapter 256S.

2.23 	Sec. 3. CONFORMING STATUTORY CHANGES.
 2.24 	The revisor of statutes, in consultation with the house of representatives and senate staff 
2.25 	and representatives of relevant state and local agencies, shall prepare a bill for introduction 
2.26 	in the 2018 legislative session proposing the statutory changes needed to implement the 
2.27 	transfers of duties required by Minnesota Statutes, chapter 256S.

2.28 	Sec. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE.
 2.29 	Sections 1 to 3 are effective July 1, 2018.