| 1 | 1 | | 1.1 A bill for an act |
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| 2 | 2 | | 1.2 relating to human services; converting the Governor's Council on an Age-Friendly |
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| 3 | 3 | | 1.3 Minnesota into the Age-Friendly Minnesota Council; codifying existing grants; |
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| 4 | 4 | | 1.4 appropriating money; amending Laws 2021, chapter 30, article 12, section 5, as |
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| 5 | 5 | | 1.5 amended; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 256. |
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| 6 | 6 | | 1.6BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: |
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| 7 | 7 | | 1.7 Section 1. [256.9746] AGE-FRIENDLY MINNESOTA COUNCIL. |
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| 8 | 8 | | 1.8 Subdivision 1.Establishment.The Age-Friendly Minnesota Council is established to |
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| 9 | 9 | | 1.9coordinate work across sectors, including state government, nonprofits, communities, |
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| 10 | 10 | | 1.10businesses, and others, to ensure the state is an age-friendly state. |
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| 11 | 11 | | 1.11 Subd. 2.Membership.(a) The council consists of 15 voting members. |
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| 12 | 12 | | 1.12 (b) Each of the following commissioners and multimember state agencies must designate |
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| 13 | 13 | | 1.13an Age-Friendly Minnesota lead and appoint that designee to serve as a council member: |
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| 14 | 14 | | 1.14 (1) the Minnesota Board on Aging; |
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| 15 | 15 | | 1.15 (2) the commissioner of commerce; |
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| 16 | 16 | | 1.16 (3) the commissioner of employment and economic development; |
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| 17 | 17 | | 1.17 (4) the commissioner of health; |
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| 18 | 18 | | 1.18 (5) the commissioner of housing; |
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| 19 | 19 | | 1.19 (6) the commissioner of human services; |
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| 20 | 20 | | 1.20 (7) the commissioner of transportation; |
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| 21 | 21 | | 1.21 (8) the commissioner of veterans affairs; and |
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| 22 | 22 | | 1Section 1. |
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| 23 | 23 | | REVISOR DTT/EN 25-0439203/05/25 |
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| 24 | 24 | | State of Minnesota |
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| 25 | 25 | | This Document can be made available |
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| 26 | 26 | | in alternative formats upon request |
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| 27 | 27 | | HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
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| 28 | 28 | | H. F. No. 2646 |
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| 29 | 29 | | NINETY-FOURTH SESSION |
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| 30 | 30 | | Authored by Schomacker03/24/2025 |
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| 31 | 31 | | The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Human Services Finance and Policy 2.1 (9) the Metropolitan Council. |
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| 32 | 32 | | 2.2 (c) The governor shall appoint six additional public members to represent older adults |
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| 33 | 33 | | 2.3in communities experiencing disparities, direct service caregivers, businesses, experts on |
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| 34 | 34 | | 2.4aging, local governments, and Tribal communities. The appointment, terms, compensation, |
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| 35 | 35 | | 2.5and removal of public members shall be as provided in section 15.059. |
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| 36 | 36 | | 2.6 (d) Other state agencies and boards may participate on the council in a nonvoting capacity. |
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| 37 | 37 | | 2.7 Subd. 3.Chairperson; executive committee.(a) The council shall elect a chairperson |
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| 38 | 38 | | 2.8and other officers as it deems necessary and in accordance with the council's operating |
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| 39 | 39 | | 2.9procedures. |
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| 40 | 40 | | 2.10 (b) The council shall be governed by an executive committee elected by the members |
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| 41 | 41 | | 2.11of the council. One member of the executive committee must be the council chairperson. |
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| 42 | 42 | | 2.12 (c) The executive committee may appoint additional subcommittees and work groups |
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| 43 | 43 | | 2.13as necessary to fulfill the duties of the council. |
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| 44 | 44 | | 2.14 Subd. 4.Meetings.(a) The council shall meet at the call of the chairperson or at the |
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| 45 | 45 | | 2.15request of a majority of council members. The council must meet at least quarterly. Meetings |
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| 46 | 46 | | 2.16of the council are subject to section 13D.01, and notice of its meetings is governed by section |
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| 47 | 47 | | 2.1713D.04. |
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| 48 | 48 | | 2.18 (b) Notwithstanding section 13D.01, the council may conduct a meeting of its members |
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| 49 | 49 | | 2.19by telephone or other electronic means so long as: |
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| 50 | 50 | | 2.20 (1) all members of the council participating in the meeting, wherever their physical |
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| 51 | 51 | | 2.21location, can hear one another and can hear all discussion and testimony; |
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| 52 | 52 | | 2.22 (2) members of the public present at the regular meeting location of the council can hear |
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| 53 | 53 | | 2.23all discussion and all votes of members of the council and participate in testimony; |
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| 54 | 54 | | 2.24 (3) at least one member of the council is physically present at the regular meeting location; |
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| 55 | 55 | | 2.25and |
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| 56 | 56 | | 2.26 (4) each member's vote on each issue is identified and recorded by a roll call. |
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| 57 | 57 | | 2.27Each member of the council participating in a meeting by telephone or other electronic |
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| 58 | 58 | | 2.28means is considered present at the meeting for the purposes of determining a quorum and |
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| 59 | 59 | | 2.29participating in all proceedings. If telephone or another electronic means is used to conduct |
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| 60 | 60 | | 2.30a meeting, the council, to the extent practicable, shall allow a person to monitor the meeting |
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| 61 | 61 | | 2.31from a remote location. If telephone or another electronic means is used to conduct a regular, |
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| 62 | 62 | | 2.32special, or emergency meeting, the council shall provide notice of the regular meeting |
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| 63 | 63 | | 2Section 1. |
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| 64 | 64 | | REVISOR DTT/EN 25-0439203/05/25 3.1location, that some members may participate by electronic means, and of the option to |
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| 65 | 65 | | 3.2monitor the meeting electronically from a remote location. |
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| 66 | 66 | | 3.3 Subd. 5.Duties.(a) The council's duties may include but are not limited to: |
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| 67 | 67 | | 3.4 (1) elevating the voice of older adults in developing the vision and action plan for an |
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| 68 | 68 | | 3.5age-friendly state; |
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| 69 | 69 | | 3.6 (2) engaging with the community, including older adults, caregivers, businesses, experts, |
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| 70 | 70 | | 3.7advocacy organizations, and other interested parties, to inform recommendations and provide |
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| 71 | 71 | | 3.8interested parties with updates on the council's recommendations; |
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| 72 | 72 | | 3.9 (3) identifying opportunities for and barriers to collaboration and coordination among |
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| 73 | 73 | | 3.10services and state agencies responsible for funding and administering programs and |
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| 74 | 74 | | 3.11public-private partnerships; |
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| 75 | 75 | | 3.12 (4) promoting equity and making progress toward equitable outcomes by examining |
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| 76 | 76 | | 3.13programs, policies, and practices to ensure they address disparities experienced by older |
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| 77 | 77 | | 3.14adults in greater Minnesota, older adults of color, and indigenous older adults; |
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| 78 | 78 | | 3.15 (5) catalyzing age-friendly work at the local level, engaging with and empowering older |
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| 79 | 79 | | 3.16adults, local constituents, elected officials, and other interested parties to create change in |
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| 80 | 80 | | 3.17every community; |
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| 81 | 81 | | 3.18 (6) establishing a statewide framework that allows for local flexibility to tap into the |
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| 82 | 82 | | 3.19potential presented by our aging communities and elevates aging across all of Minnesota; |
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| 83 | 83 | | 3.20 (7) reviewing, awarding, and monitoring grants under section 256.9747; |
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| 84 | 84 | | 3.21 (8) assessing and examining relevant programs, policies, practices, and services to make |
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| 85 | 85 | | 3.22budget and policy recommendations to establish age-friendly policies in law with appropriate |
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| 86 | 86 | | 3.23financial support to ensure Minnesota continues to lead on age-friendly initiatives; and |
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| 87 | 87 | | 3.24 (9) making budget and policy recommendations to the governor, commissioners, boards, |
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| 88 | 88 | | 3.25other state agencies, and the legislature to further the council's mission to ensure the state |
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| 89 | 89 | | 3.26is an age-friendly state. |
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| 90 | 90 | | 3.27 (b) The council may accept technical assistance and in-kind services from outside |
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| 91 | 91 | | 3.28organizations for purposes consistent with the council's role and authority. |
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| 92 | 92 | | 3.29 Subd. 6.Administration.The Minnesota Board on Aging and Department of Human |
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| 93 | 93 | | 3.30Services shall provide staffing and administrative support to the council. |
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| 94 | 94 | | 3.31 Subd. 7.Annual report.Beginning January 1, 2026, and every two years thereafter, |
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| 95 | 95 | | 3.32the council shall publish a public report on the council's activities, the uses and measurable |
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| 96 | 96 | | 3Section 1. |
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| 97 | 97 | | REVISOR DTT/EN 25-0439203/05/25 4.1outcomes of the grant activities funded under section 256.9747, the council's |
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| 98 | 98 | | 4.2recommendations, proposed changes to statutes or rules, and other issues the council may |
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| 99 | 99 | | 4.3choose to report. |
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| 100 | 100 | | 4.4 Sec. 2. [256.9747] AGE-FRIENDLY MINNESOTA GRANTS. |
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| 101 | 101 | | 4.5 Subdivision 1.Age-friendly community grants.The commissioner of human services, |
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| 102 | 102 | | 4.6in collaboration with the Minnesota Board on Aging and the Age-Friendly Minnesota |
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| 103 | 103 | | 4.7Council, shall develop the age-friendly community grant program to help communities, |
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| 104 | 104 | | 4.8including cities, counties, other municipalities, Tribes, and collaborative efforts, become |
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| 105 | 105 | | 4.9age-friendly communities, with an emphasis on structures, services, and community features |
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| 106 | 106 | | 4.10necessary to support older adult residents, including but not limited to: |
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| 107 | 107 | | 4.11 (1) coordination of health and social services; |
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| 108 | 108 | | 4.12 (2) transportation access; |
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| 109 | 109 | | 4.13 (3) safe, affordable places to live; |
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| 110 | 110 | | 4.14 (4) reducing social isolation and improving wellness; |
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| 111 | 111 | | 4.15 (5) combating ageism and racism against older adults; |
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| 112 | 112 | | 4.16 (6) accessible outdoor space and buildings; |
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| 113 | 113 | | 4.17 (7) communication and information technology access; and |
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| 114 | 114 | | 4.18 (8) opportunities to stay engaged and economically productive. |
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| 115 | 115 | | 4.19 Subd. 2.Age-friendly technical assistance grants.The commissioner of human services, |
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| 116 | 116 | | 4.20in collaboration with the Minnesota Board on Aging and the Age-Friendly Minnesota |
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| 117 | 117 | | 4.21Council, shall develop the age-friendly technical assistance grant program to support |
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| 118 | 118 | | 4.22communities and organizations who need assistance in applying for age-friendly community |
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| 119 | 119 | | 4.23grants and implementing various aspects of their grant-funded projects. |
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| 120 | 120 | | 4.24 Sec. 3. Laws 2021, chapter 30, article 12, section 5, as amended by Laws 2021, First |
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| 121 | 121 | | 4.25Special Session chapter 7, article 17, section 2, and Laws 2023, chapter 61, article 2, section |
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| 122 | 122 | | 4.2635, is amended to read: |
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| 123 | 123 | | 4.27 Sec. 5. GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL ON AN AGE-FRIENDLY MINNESOTA. |
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| 124 | 124 | | 4.28 The Governor's Council on an Age-Friendly Minnesota, established in Executive Order |
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| 125 | 125 | | 4.2919-38, shall: (1) work to advance age-friendly policies; and (2) coordinate state, local, and |
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| 126 | 126 | | 4.30private partners' collaborative work on emergency preparedness, with a focus on older |
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| 127 | 127 | | 4Sec. 3. |
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| 128 | 128 | | REVISOR DTT/EN 25-0439203/05/25 5.1adults, communities, and persons in zip codes most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. |
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| 129 | 129 | | 5.2The Governor's Council on an Age-Friendly Minnesota is extended and expires June 30, |
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| 130 | 130 | | 5.32027 2025. |
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| 131 | 131 | | 5.4 Sec. 4. AGE-FRIENDLY MINNESOTA COUNCIL; CONTINUATION OF |
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| 132 | 132 | | 5.5APPOINTMENTS AND DESIGNATION OF INITIAL TERMS. |
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| 133 | 133 | | 5.6 Subdivision 1.Continuation of appointments.Each member of the Governor's Council |
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| 134 | 134 | | 5.7on an Age-Friendly Minnesota, established in Executive Order 19-38, serving on June 30, |
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| 135 | 135 | | 5.82025, shall be deemed appointed to the Age-Friendly Minnesota Council by the applicable |
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| 136 | 136 | | 5.9appointing authority under Minnesota Statutes, section 256.9746, effective July 1, 2025. |
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| 137 | 137 | | 5.10 Subd. 2.First meeting.The individual who was serving as chairperson of the Governor's |
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| 138 | 138 | | 5.11Council on an Age-Friendly Minnesota, established in Executive Order 19-38, as of June |
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| 139 | 139 | | 5.1230, 2025, must convene the first meeting of the Age-Friendly Minnesota Council no later |
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| 140 | 140 | | 5.13than July 9, 2025. The former chairperson of the Governor's Council on an Age-Friendly |
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| 141 | 141 | | 5.14Minnesota shall preside over the first meeting until the Age-Friendly Minnesota Council |
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| 142 | 142 | | 5.15elects a chairperson. |
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| 143 | 143 | | 5.16 Subd. 3.Designation of initial terms.The governor must notify the secretary of state |
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| 144 | 144 | | 5.17which initial public members of the Age-Friendly Minnesota Council will have terms |
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| 145 | 145 | | 5.18coterminous with that of the governor or request that the secretary of state randomly |
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| 146 | 146 | | 5.19determine which initial public members will have terms coterminous with the governor's |
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| 147 | 147 | | 5.20term. |
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| 148 | 148 | | 5.21 Sec. 5. APPROPRIATION; AGE-FRIENDLY COMMUNITY GRANTS. |
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| 149 | 149 | | 5.22 $1,500,000 in fiscal year 2026 and $1,500,000 in fiscal year 2027 are appropriated from |
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| 150 | 150 | | 5.23the general fund to the commissioner of human services for age-friendly community grants |
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| 151 | 151 | | 5.24under Minnesota Statutes, section 256.9747, subdivision 1. |
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| 152 | 152 | | 5.25 Sec. 6. APPROPRIATION; AGE-FRIENDLY TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE |
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| 153 | 153 | | 5.26GRANTS. |
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| 154 | 154 | | 5.27 $863,000 in fiscal year 2026 and $863,000 in fiscal year 2027 are appropriated from the |
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| 155 | 155 | | 5.28general fund to the commissioner of human services for age-friendly technical assistance |
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| 156 | 156 | | 5.29grants under Minnesota Statutes, section 256.9747, subdivision 2. |
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| 157 | 157 | | 5Sec. 6. |
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| 158 | 158 | | REVISOR DTT/EN 25-0439203/05/25 |
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