1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to human services; establishing the Minnesota Fatherhood Task Force; 
1.3 	creating duties; providing for membership and staff; requiring a report.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. MINNESOTA FATHERHOOD TASK FORCE.
 1.6 		Subdivision 1.Establishment. The Minnesota Fatherhood Task Force is established 
1.7 	to review and evaluate programs throughout the state which provide services to fathers, 
1.8 	children, and families. The task force shall make a report to the chairs and ranking 
1.9 	minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over health and human 
1.10 	services policy and finance with a recommendation for changes in policy and funding to 
1.11 	positively engage fathers in the healthy development of their children.
1.12 		Subd. 2.Membership; meetings; staff. (a) The task force shall be composed of the 
1.13 	following members who serve at the pleasure of their appointing authority:
1.14 	(1) two members of the house of representatives, each representing different political 
1.15 	parties, appointed by the speaker of the house. One shall represent the seven-county 
1.16 	metropolitan area and the other represent greater Minnesota;
1.17 	(2) two members of the senate, each representing different political parties, 
1.18 	appointed by the Subcommittee on Committees of the Committee on Rules and 
1.19 	Administration. One shall represent the seven-county metropolitan area and the other 
1.20 	represent greater Minnesota;
1.21 	(3) the governor, or the governor's designee;
1.22 	(4) one representative of the judicial branch, appointed by the chief justice of the 
1.23 	Supreme Court;
2.1 	(5) two representatives of county government appointed by the Association of 
2.2 	Minnesota Counties, one representing counties in the seven-county metropolitan area 
2.3 	and one representing all other counties;
2.4 	(6) the commissioners, or the commissioners' designees, of health, human services, 
2.5 	education, corrections, employment and economic development, and veterans affairs;
2.6 	(7) six representatives of programs providing direct services to fathers and families. 
2.7 	Three shall be from the seven-county metropolitan area and three from greater Minnesota;
2.8 	(8) two representatives who have received direct services from fatherhood-inclusive 
2.9 	programs, one from the seven-county metropolitan area and one from greater Minnesota; 
2.10 	and
2.11 	(9) two representatives who are researchers or educators with experience with 
2.12 	research on fatherhood and families.
2.13 	(b) The commissioner of human services must convene the first meeting of the 
2.14 	Minnesota Fatherhood Task Force on or before July 31, 2015. The task force must meet at 
2.15 	least quarterly.
2.16 	(c) Staffing and technical assistance shall be provided within available resources by 
2.17 	the Department of Human Services.
2.18 		Subd. 3.Duties. The Minnesota Fatherhood Task Force shall do all of the following:
2.19 	(1) review and evaluate state and federal programs that provide services to fathers, 
2.20 	children, and families;
2.21 	(2) explore the role of state government and current state programs in incentivizing 
2.22 	or disincentivizing father involvement with children;
2.23 	(3) make recommendations regarding changes to policy and administration to 
2.24 	increase positive father involvement with children; and
2.25 	(4) identify potential cost savings and evaluate return on investment resulting from 
2.26 	positive father engagement.
2.27 		Subd. 4.Report. (a) The task force must submit an initial report to the chairs and 
2.28 	ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdictions over health 
2.29 	and human services policy and finance on or before November 30, 2015. The report 
2.30 	must address:
2.31 	(1) the ability of fatherhood programs in Minnesota to improve economic stability 
2.32 	and healthy relationships within the families served;
2.33 	(2) the ability of fatherhood programs in Minnesota to foster responsible parenting 
2.34 	among the fathers served; and
2.35 	(3) the effects of future state funding on program sustainability and expansion.
3.1 	(b) The task force must submit a final report by February 1, 2016, reviewing and 
3.2 	evaluating programs throughout the state that provide services to fathers, children, 
3.3 	and families and making recommendations for legislation providing state funding to 
3.4 	community-based programs, including any phase-in period and draft legislation necessary 
3.5 	for implementation, to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative 
3.6 	committees with jurisdiction over health and human services policy and finance.
3.7 		Subd. 5.Expiration. This section expires February 2, 2016.