Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Minnesota House Bill HF1182 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1.1 A bill for an act
2	2	1.2 relating to employment; establishing an ombudsperson for safety, health, and
3	3	1.3 well-being of agricultural and food processing workers; requiring reports;
4	4	1.4 appropriating money; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter
5	5	1.5 116J.
6	6	1.6BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
7	7	1.7 Section 1. [116J.9651] OMBUDSPERSON FOR SAFETY, HEALTH, AND
8	8	1.8WELL-BEING OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD PROCESSING WORKERS.
9	9	1.9 Subdivision 1.Definitions.(a) For the purposes of this section, the following terms have
10	10	1.10the meanings given.
11	11	1.11 (b) "Agricultural worker" has the same meaning as section 181.85, subdivision 2.
12	12	1.12 (c) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of the Department of Employment and
13	13	1.13Economic Development.
14	14	1.14 (d) "Food processing" has the meaning given in section 181.635, subdivision 1, paragraph
15	15	1.15(d), and also includes meatpacking and poultry processing.
16	16	1.16 Subd. 2.Ombudsperson established; purpose.The ombudsperson for safety, health,
17	17	1.17and well-being of agricultural and food processing workers is established within the
18	18	1.18Department of Employment and Economic Development to assist agricultural and food
19	19	1.19processing workers with issues, including but not limited to housing, workplace safety, and
20	20	1.20fair labor standards in Minnesota.
21	21	1.21 Subd. 3.Appointment.The governor shall appoint an ombudsperson for safety, health,
22	22	1.22and well-being of agricultural and food processing workers. The ombudsperson shall serve
23	23	1Section 1.
24	24	REVISOR SS/LJ 25-0154301/21/25
25	25	State of Minnesota
26	26	This Document can be made available
27	27	in alternative formats upon request
28	28	HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
29	29	H. F. No. 1182
30	30	NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
31	31	Authored by Greenman02/19/2025
32	32	The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy 2.1in the unclassified service. No individual may serve as the ombudsperson for safety, health,
33	33	2.2and well-being of agricultural and food processing workers while running for or holding
34	34	2.3any other public office or while employed by, consulting with, or in any way affiliated with
35	35	2.4a person or entity that employs agricultural or food processing workers. The ombudsperson
36	36	2.5shall serve a term of four years, which may be renewed. The ombudsperson may be removed
37	37	2.6prior to the end of the term for just cause.
38	38	2.7 Subd. 4.Qualifications.(a) The ombudsperson must:
39	39	2.8 (1) be highly competent and qualified to analyze questions of law, administration, and
40	40	2.9public policy regarding the safety, health, and well-being of agricultural and food processing
41	41	2.10workers;
42	42	2.11 (2) have knowledge and experience in the fields of workplace safety, housing, and fair
43	43	2.12labor standards;
44	44	2.13 (3) be familiar with governmental entities and their roles, interpretation of laws and
45	45	2.14regulations, record keeping, report writing, public speaking, and management;
46	46	2.15 (4) have experience working with agricultural and food processing workers; and
47	47	2.16 (5) be knowledgeable about the needs and experiences of agricultural and food processing
48	48	2.17worker communities.
49	49	2.18 (b) The ombudsperson must speak fluently in a language in addition to English that is
50	50	2.19commonly used by agricultural and food processing workers.
51	51	2.20 Subd. 5.Duties.The ombudsperson must carry out the following activities:
52	52	2.21 (1) offer accessible methods of contact, including telephone, text, and virtual
53	53	2.22communication platforms, to answer questions, receive complaints, and discuss department
54	54	2.23actions with agricultural stakeholders;
55	55	2.24 (2) respond to requests for assistance, documenting complaints, and connecting workers
56	56	2.25to relevant agencies and service providers; and
57	57	2.26 (3) analyze complaints regarding agricultural and food processing workers' protections,
58	58	2.27identifying policies and practices in other states and countries, and making recommendations
59	59	2.28for legislative and other policy changes to improve the safety, health, and well-being of
60	60	2.29agricultural and food processing workers.
61	61	2.30 (b) In addition to the duties under paragraph (a), the ombudsperson must:
62	62	2.31 (1) provide intrastate agency coordination, policy reviews, and guidance that assist in
63	63	2.32supporting the safety, health, and well-being of agricultural and food processing workers;
64	64	2Section 1.
65	65	REVISOR SS/LJ 25-0154301/21/25 3.1 (2) participate as a member of the Minnesota Migrant Services Consortium and participate
66	66	3.2in any work group or task force engaged in work related to agricultural and food processing
67	67	3.3workers; and
68	68	3.4 (3) participate in any interagency committee focusing on the safety, health, and well-being
69	69	3.5of agricultural and food processing workers to develop strategies to better assist agricultural
70	70	3.6and food processing workers.
71	71	3.7 (c) Capacity permitting, the ombudsperson shall:
72	72	3.8 (1) conduct outreach to interested and affected stakeholders, including but not limited
73	73	3.9to workers, employers, service providers, community organizations, legal advocates, and
74	74	3.10other advocates for agricultural and food processing workers, to inform them of the services
75	75	3.11of the ombudsperson and identify issues of concern;
76	76	3.12 (2) create, collect, and distribute educational materials in relevant languages to agricultural
77	77	3.13and food processing workers about their rights under Minnesota laws and rules, and inform
78	78	3.14agricultural and food processing workers about state services available to them. Materials
79	79	3.15must be made available in both physical and digital formats;
80	80	3.16 (3) educate and provide available resources to employers, workers, service providers,
81	81	3.17and advocates about workers' rights, employer responsibilities, and other relevant topics;
82	82	3.18and
83	83	3.19 (4) conduct other activities the ombudsperson deems necessary.
84	84	3.20 Subd. 6.Posting of complaints.The ombudsperson must make any verified and
85	85	3.21unresolved complaints visible and accessible to the public by posting the complaints on the
86	86	3.22ombudsperson's website.
87	87	3.23 Subd. 7.Reporting.By December 31 of each year, the ombudsperson must report to
88	88	3.24the commissioner and chairs of the relevant committees in the house of representatives and
89	89	3.25senate the agricultural and food processing worker activities conducted by the ombudsperson
90	90	3.26during the previous year. The report must include, at a minimum:
91	91	3.27 (1) a summary of the ombudsperson's activities, detailing the services provided to
92	92	3.28agricultural and food processing workers, including the number of stakeholders served;
93	93	3.29 (2) the number, a summary, and an analysis of complaints received during the previous
94	94	3.30year;
95	95	3.31 (3) any recommendations for legislative or other policy changes; and
96	96	3.32 (4) any other information specified by the commissioner.
97	97	3Section 1.
98	98	REVISOR SS/LJ 25-0154301/21/25 4.1 Subd. 8.Access to records.(a) The ombudsperson for safety, health, and well-being of
99	99	4.2agricultural and food processing workers or the ombudsperson's designee, excluding
100	100	4.3volunteers, may have access to any data of a state agency necessary for the discharge of the
101	101	4.4ombudsperson's duties, including records classified as confidential data on individuals or
102	102	4.5private data on individuals under chapter 13 or any other law. The ombudsperson's data
103	103	4.6request must relate to a specific case and is subject to section 13.03, subdivision 4. If the
104	104	4.7data concerns an individual, the ombudsperson or designee shall first obtain the individual's
105	105	4.8consent. If the individual is unable to consent and has no parent or legal guardian, the
106	106	4.9ombudsperson's or designee's access to the data is authorized by this section.
107	107	4.10 (b) The ombudsperson and designee must adhere to chapter 13 and must not disseminate
108	108	4.11any private or confidential data on individuals unless specifically authorized by state, local,
109	109	4.12or federal law or pursuant to a court order.
110	110	4.13 Subd. 9.Staff support.The ombudsperson may select, appoint, and compensate from
111	111	4.14available funds a program manager, confidential secretary, and any other staff members
112	112	4.15necessary to carry out the duties under this section. The ombudsperson may delegate to staff
113	113	4.16members any authority or duties, except the duty to provide reports to the governor,
114	114	4.17commissioner, or legislature.
115	115	4.18 Subd. 10.Independence of action.In carrying out the duties required under this section,
116	116	4.19the ombudsperson may provide testimony to the legislature and make periodic reports to
117	117	4.20the legislature on areas of concern to agricultural and food processing workers.
118	118	4.21 Subd. 11.Civil actions.The ombudsperson and designee are not civilly liable for any
119	119	4.22action taken under this section if the action was taken in good faith, was within the scope
120	120	4.23of the duties of the ombudsperson for safety, health, and well-being of agricultural and food
121	121	4.24processing workers' authority, and did not constitute willful or reckless misconduct.
122	122	4.25 Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION.
123	123	4.26 $....... in fiscal year 2026 and $....... in fiscal year 2027 are appropriated from the general
124	124	4.27fund to the commissioner of employment and economic development for the establishment
125	125	4.28and operations of the ombudsperson for safety, health, and well-being of agricultural and
126	126	4.29food processing workers under Minnesota Statutes, section 116J.9651.
127	127	4Sec. 2.
128	128	REVISOR SS/LJ 25-0154301/21/25