Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Minnesota House Bill HF2359 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 health; establishing an advisory task force to assess the impacts of
3	3	1.3 climate change on mental health; appropriating money; amending Minnesota
4	4	1.4 Statutes 2024, section 144.9981.
5	5	1.5BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
6	6	1.6 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 144.9981, is amended to read:
7	7	1.7 144.9981 CLIMATE RESILIENCY.
8	8	1.8 Subdivision 1.Climate resiliency program.The commissioner of health shall implement
9	9	1.9a climate resiliency program to:
10	10	1.10 (1) increase awareness of climate change;
11	11	1.11 (2) track the public health impacts of climate change and extreme weather events;
12	12	1.12 (3) provide technical assistance and tools that support climate resiliency to local public
13	13	1.13health departments, Tribal health departments, soil and water conservation districts, and
14	14	1.14other local governmental and nongovernmental organizations; and
15	15	1.15 (4) coordinate with the commissioners of the Pollution Control Agency, natural resources,
16	16	1.16and agriculture and other state agencies in climate resiliency related planning and
17	17	1.17implementation.
18	18	1.18 Subd. 2.Climate and Mental Health Advisory Task Force.(a) As part of the climate
19	19	1.19resiliency program, the commissioner of health must establish and appoint a Climate and
20	20	1.20Mental Health Advisory Task Force.
21	21	1Section 1.
22	22	REVISOR SGS/RC 25-0056711/15/24
23	23	State of Minnesota
24	24	This Document can be made available
25	25	in alternative formats upon request
26	26	HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
27	27	H. F. No. 2359
28	28	NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
29	29	Authored by Cha, Lillie, Greene, Jones and Hussein03/13/2025
30	30	The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Health Finance and Policy 2.1 (b) The Climate and Mental Health Advisory Task Force shall consist of 16 members
31	31	2.2as follows:
32	32	2.3 (1) two members of the senate, one appointed by the majority leader and one appointed
33	33	2.4by the minority leader;
34	34	2.5 (2) two members of the house of representatives, one appointed by the speaker of the
35	35	2.6house and one appointed by the minority leader; and
36	36	2.7 (3) 12 members appointed by the commissioner of health which must include two
37	37	2.8individuals who are from, or an executive of an organization advocating for, each of the
38	38	2.9following:
39	39	2.10 (i) a community at risk during extreme weather events, including but not limited to
40	40	2.11extreme heat, caused by climate change;
41	41	2.12 (ii) a community dependent on stable weather conditions for the community members'
42	42	2.13livelihood, including but not limited to emerging farmers;
43	43	2.14 (iii) a community dependent on healthy ecosystems for the community members' diets
44	44	2.15and cultural identities, including but not limited to Indigenous people;
45	45	2.16 (iv) a community dependent on healthy ecosystems to maintain the community members'
46	46	2.17mental well-being, including but not limited to those seeking time in nature through
47	47	2.18recreational activities;
48	48	2.19 (v) a community exposed to increased air and water pollutants as the result of climate
49	49	2.20change; and
50	50	2.21 (vi) a community comprised of youth, elders, or people with disabilities that have
51	51	2.22experienced negative mental health effects as the result of climate change.
52	52	2.23 (c) The advisory task force must meet on a regular basis to perform the following duties:
53	53	2.24 (1) identify the effects of climate change and related extreme weather events on mental
54	54	2.25health in Minnesota;
55	55	2.26 (2) analyze the current and likely future severity of the effects identified in clause (1):
56	56	2.27 (i) in the aggregate across all Minnesota residents; and
57	57	2.28 (ii) as disaggregated across gender, race, ethnicity, occupation, geography, income, and
58	58	2.29any other factor which the task force identifies as being significantly affected by any climate
59	59	2.30change and related extreme weather events;
60	60	2Section 1.
61	61	REVISOR SGS/RC 25-0056711/15/24 3.1 (3) identify those Minnesota communities currently experiencing the most negative
62	62	3.2effects of climate change on mental health and those Minnesota communities likely to
63	63	3.3experience the most negative effects in the future;
64	64	3.4 (4) assess strategies to mitigate the effects identified in clause (1), particularly with
65	65	3.5respect to those communities identified in clause (3);
66	66	3.6 (5) obtain public comment on the task force's activities and findings;
67	67	3.7 (6) report the task force's findings and analyses under clauses (1) to (5) to the
68	68	3.8commissioner of health; and
69	69	3.9 (7) make recommendations to the commissioner of health for implementing measures
70	70	3.10to best mitigate the effects of climate change and related extreme weather events on mental
71	71	3.11health in Minnesota. The recommendations must include but are not limited to a targeted
72	72	3.12implementation schedule for the strategies assessed in clause (4) which the task force
73	73	3.13recommends implementing. The implementation schedule must describe measurable goals,
74	74	3.14actions, locations, timelines, estimated costs, methods of evaluation, and identification of
75	75	3.15roles and responsible government units.
76	76	3.16 (d) Section 15.059, subdivision 6, governs the terms, expenses, and removal of members
77	77	3.17of the advisory task force. Notwithstanding section 15.059, the advisory task force shall
78	78	3.18continue until it is terminated by the commissioner of health.
79	79	3.19 Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION.
80	80	3.20 $....... in fiscal year 2026 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of
81	81	3.21health for the advisory task force described in Minnesota Statutes, section 144.9981. This
82	82	3.22is a onetime appropriation and is available until June 30, 2031.
83	83	3Sec. 2.
84	84	REVISOR SGS/RC 25-0056711/15/24