2011 Minnesota Statutes

611A.34 ADVISORY COUNCIL ON BATTERED WOMEN.

Subdivision 1.Generally.

The commissioner shall appoint a 12-member advisory council to advise the commissioner on the implementation and continued operation of sections 611A.31 to 611A.36. The Advisory Council on Battered Women and Domestic Abuse shall also serve as a liaison between the commissioner and organizations that provide services to battered women and domestic abuse victims. Section 15.059 governs the filling of vacancies and removal of members of the advisory council. The terms of the members of the advisory council shall be two years. No member may serve on the advisory council for more than two consecutive terms. Notwithstanding section 15.059, the council shall not expire. Council members shall not receive per diem, but shall receive expenses in the same manner and amount as state employees.

Subd. 2.Membership.

Persons appointed shall be knowledgeable about and have experience or interest in issues concerning battered women and domestic abuse victims, including the need for effective advocacy services. The membership of the council shall broadly represent the interests of battered women and domestic abuse victims in Minnesota. No more than six of the members of the Advisory Council on Battered Women and Domestic Abuse may be representatives of community or governmental organizations that provide services to battered women and domestic abuse victims. One-half of the council's members shall reside in the metropolitan area, composed of Hennepin, Ramsey, Anoka, Dakota, Scott, Washington, and Carver Counties, and one-half of the members shall reside in the nonmetropolitan area. To the extent possible, nonmetropolitan members must be representative of all nonmetropolitan regions of the state.

Subd. 3.Duties.

The advisory council shall:

(1) advise the commissioner on all planning, development, data collection, rulemaking, funding, and evaluation of programs and services for battered women and domestic abuse victims that are funded under section 611A.32, other than matters of a purely administrative nature;

(2) advise the commissioner on the adoption of rules under chapter 14 governing the award of grants to ensure that funded programs are consistent with section 611A.32, subdivision 1;

(3) recommend to the commissioner the names of five applicants for the position of domestic abuse program director;

(4) advise the commissioner on the rules adopted under chapter 14 pursuant to section 611A.33;

(5) review applications received by the commissioner for grants under section 611A.32 and make recommendations on the awarding of grants;

(6) advise the program director in the performance of duties in the administration and coordination of the programs funded under section 611A.32; and

(7) advise the director of domestic violence and sexual assault prevention in matters related to preventing these occurrences of these types of violence.

Subd. 4.Conflicts of interest.

A member of the advisory council shall be excluded from participating in review and recommendations concerning a grant application if the member:

(1) serves or has served at any time during the past three years as an employee, volunteer, or governing board member of an organization whose application is being reviewed; or

(2) has a financial interest in the funding of the applicant organization.

History:

1977 c 428 s 4; 1983 c 260 s 50; 1983 c 262 art 1 s 6; 1984 c 655 art 1 s 36,37; 1Sp1985 c 9 art 2 s 97; 1986 c 444; 1988 c 629 s 60; 1991 c 272 s 12; 2000 c 368 s 4; 2000 c 445 art 2 s 15-17