1.1 A bill for an act
1.2 relating to child protection; delaying implementation dates for provisions of the
1.3 Minnesota African American Family Preservation and Child Welfare
1.4 Disproportionality Act; amending Laws 2024, chapter 117, sections 1; 2; 3; 4; 5;
1.5 6; 7; 8; 9; 10; 14; 15; 16; 17; 18; 19; 20; 21.
1.6BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.7 Section 1. Laws 2024, chapter 117, section 1, the effective date, is amended to read:
1.8 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective January 1, 2027 2029, except as provided
1.9under section 20.
1.10 Sec. 2. Laws 2024, chapter 117, section 2, the effective date, is amended to read:
1.11 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective January 1, 2027 2029, except as provided
1.12under section 20.
1.13 Sec. 3. Laws 2024, chapter 117, section 3, the effective date, is amended to read:
1.14 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective January 1, 2027 2029, except as provided
1.15under section 20.
1.16 Sec. 4. Laws 2024, chapter 117, section 4, the effective date, is amended to read:
1.17 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective January 1, 2027 2029, except as provided
1.18under section 20.
1Sec. 4.
REVISOR DTT/DG 25-0453203/06/25
State of Minnesota
This Document can be made available
in alternative formats upon request
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
H. F. No. 2939
NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
Authored by Wiener and Nash04/01/2025
The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Children and Families Finance and Policy 2.1 Sec. 5. Laws 2024, chapter 117, section 5, the effective date, is amended to read:
2.2 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective January 1, 2027 2029, except as provided
2.3under section 20.
2.4 Sec. 6. Laws 2024, chapter 117, section 6, the effective date, is amended to read:
2.5 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective January 1, 2027 2029, except as provided
2.6under section 20.
2.7 Sec. 7. Laws 2024, chapter 117, section 7, the effective date, is amended to read:
2.8 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective January 1, 2027 2029, except as provided
2.9under section 20.
2.10 Sec. 8. Laws 2024, chapter 117, section 8, the effective date, is amended to read:
2.11 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective January 1, 2027 2029, except as provided
2.12under section 20.
2.13 Sec. 9. Laws 2024, chapter 117, section 9, the effective date, is amended to read:
2.14 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective January 1, 2027 2029, except as provided
2.15under section 20.
2.16 Sec. 10. Laws 2024, chapter 117, section 10, the effective date, is amended to read:
2.17 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective January 1, 2027 2029, except as provided
2.18under section 20.
2.19 Sec. 11. Laws 2024, chapter 117, section 14, the effective date, is amended to read:
2.20 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective January 1, 2027 2029, except as provided
2.21under section 20.
2.22 Sec. 12. Laws 2024, chapter 117, section 15, the effective date, is amended to read:
2.23 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective January 1, 2027 2029, except as provided
2.24under section 20.
2Sec. 12.
REVISOR DTT/DG 25-0453203/06/25 3.1 Sec. 13. Laws 2024, chapter 117, section 16, is amended to read:
3.2 Sec. 16. DIRECTION TO COMMISSIONER OF HUMAN SERVICES;
3.3DISAGGREGATE DATA.
3.4 The commissioner of human services must establish a process to improve the
3.5disaggregation of data to monitor child welfare outcomes for African American and other
3.6disproportionately represented children in the child welfare system. The commissioner must
3.7begin disaggregating data by January 1, 2027 2029.
3.8 Sec. 14. Laws 2024, chapter 117, section 16, the effective date, is amended to read:
3.9 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective January 1, 2027 2029.
3.10 Sec. 15. Laws 2024, chapter 117, section 17, the effective date, is amended to read:
3.11 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective January 1, 2027 2029, except as provided
3.12under section 20.
3.13 Sec. 16. Laws 2024, chapter 117, section 18, the effective date, is amended to read:
3.14 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective January 1, 2027 2029, except as provided
3.15under section 20.
3.16 Sec. 17. Laws 2024, chapter 117, section 19, is amended to read:
3.17 Sec. 19. DIRECTION TO COMMISSIONER; COMPLIANCE SYSTEM REVIEW
3.18DEVELOPMENT .
3.19 (a) By January 1, 2026 2028, the commissioner of human services, in consultation with
3.20counties and the working group established under section 21, must develop a system to
3.21review county compliance with the Minnesota African American Family Preservation and
3.22Child Welfare Disproportionality Act. The system may include but is not limited to the
3.23cases to be reviewed, the criteria to be reviewed to demonstrate compliance, the rate of
3.24noncompliance and the coordinating penalty, the program improvement plan, and training.
3.25 (b) By January 1, 2026 2028, the commissioner of human services must provide a report
3.26to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction
3.27over child welfare on the proposed compliance system review process and language to
3.28codify that process in statute.
3Sec. 17.
REVISOR DTT/DG 25-0453203/06/25 4.1 Sec. 18. Laws 2024, chapter 117, section 20, is amended to read:
4.2 Sec. 20. MINNESOTA AFRICAN AMERICAN FAMILY PRESERVATION AND
4.3CHILD WELFARE DISPROPORTIONALITY ACT; PHASE-IN PROGRAM.
4.4 (a) The commissioner of human services must establish a phase-in program that
4.5implements sections 1 to 17 in Hennepin and Ramsey Counties. The commissioner may
4.6allow additional counties to participate in the phase-in program upon the request of the
4.7counties.
4.8 (b) The commissioner of human services must report on the outcomes of the phase-in
4.9program, including the number of participating families, the rate of children in out-of-home
4.10placement, and the measures taken to prevent out-of-home placement for each participating
4.11family, to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with
4.12jurisdiction over child welfare.
4.13 (c) Sections 1 to 17 are effective January 1, 2025, for purposes of this phase-in program.
4.14Case review reports under section 9, subdivision 2, must be provided beginning January 1,
4.152026.
4.16 (d) This section expires July 1, 2027 2029.
4.17 Sec. 19. Laws 2024, chapter 117, section 21, is amended to read:
4.18 Sec. 21. MINNESOTA AFRICAN AMERICAN FAMILY PRESERVATION AND
4.19CHILD WELFARE DISPROPORTIONALITY ACT; WORKING GROUP.
4.20 (a) The commissioner of human services must establish a working group to provide
4.21guidance and oversight for the Minnesota African American Family Preservation and Child
4.22Welfare Disproportionality Act phase-in program.
4.23 (b) The members of the working group must include representatives from the Minnesota
4.24Association of County Social Service Administrators, the Association of Minnesota Counties,
4.25the Minnesota Inter-County Association, the Minnesota County Attorneys Association,
4.26Hennepin County, Ramsey County, the Department of Human Services, and community
4.27organizations with experience in child welfare. The legislature may provide recommendations
4.28to the commissioner on the selection of the representatives from the community organizations.
4.29 (c) The working group must provide oversight of the phase-in program and evaluate the
4.30cost of the phase-in program. The working group must also assess future costs of
4Sec. 19.
REVISOR DTT/DG 25-0453203/06/25 5.1implementing the Minnesota African American Family Preservation and Child Welfare
5.2Disproportionality Act statewide.
5.3 (d) By January 1, 2026, the working group must develop and submit an interim report
5.4to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction
5.5over child welfare detailing initial needs for the implementation of the Minnesota African
5.6American Family Preservation and Child Welfare Disproportionality Act. The interim report
5.7must also include recommendations for any statutory or policy changes necessary to
5.8implement the act.
5.9 (e) By September 1, 2026 2028, the working group must develop an implementation
5.10plan and best practices for the Minnesota African American Family Preservation and Child
5.11Welfare Disproportionality Act to go into effect statewide.
5Sec. 19.
REVISOR DTT/DG 25-0453203/06/25