1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to human services; authorizing the commissioner of human services to 
1.3 	develop a plan to increase the minimum hourly pay for direct service staff; requiring 
1.4 	a report.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. DIRECTION TO COMMISSIONER.
 1.7 	(a) The commissioner of human services shall develop a plan to increase the minimum 
1.8 	hourly pay for direct service staff to $15 per hour with proportionate pay increases for direct 
1.9 	service staff who currently earn more than $15 per hour.
1.10 	(b) The commissioner shall (1) make recommendations on how to increase the minimum 
1.11 	hourly pay, by July 1, 2020, for direct service staff to $15 per hour, with proportionate pay 
1.12 	increases for direct service staff who currently earn more than $15 per hour, and (2) complete 
1.13 	a fiscal analysis report in consultation with the Department of Revenue of increasing the 
1.14 	sales tax rate under Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.62, subdivision 1, to pay for the direct 
1.15 	service staff pay increase. The commissioner shall submit the fiscal analysis report and 
1.16 	recommendations to the governor and the senate and house of representatives committees 
1.17 	with jurisdiction over human services policy and finance by January 1, 2018.
1.18 	(c) For purposes of this section, "direct service staff" means an employee who spends 
1.19 	80 percent or more of the employee's time providing one-on-one or small group services to 
1.20 	a recipient of medical assistance waiver services. For the purposes of this section, "small 
1.21 	group" means a group of five or less individuals.