| 1 | 1 | | 1.1 A bill for an act |
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| 2 | 2 | | 1.2 relating to health; establishing the reproductive health equity grant fund; |
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| 3 | 3 | | 1.3 appropriating money. |
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| 4 | 4 | | 1.4BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: |
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| 5 | 5 | | 1.5 Section 1. REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH EQUITY GRANT FUND. |
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| 6 | 6 | | 1.6 Subdivision 1.Establishment and purpose.The reproductive health equity grant fund |
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| 7 | 7 | | 1.7is established to ensure access to abortion care in the state. The purpose of this onetime |
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| 8 | 8 | | 1.8grant is to provide funding to abortion providers, government entities, and nonprofit |
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| 9 | 9 | | 1.9organizations whose primary function is to provide or facilitate access to abortion care. The |
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| 10 | 10 | | 1.10grants must be designed to provide support to abortion providers, fund uncompensated care, |
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| 11 | 11 | | 1.11and increase access to abortion care. |
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| 12 | 12 | | 1.12 Subd. 2.Definitions.(a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the |
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| 13 | 13 | | 1.13meanings given. |
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| 14 | 14 | | 1.14 (b) "Abortion" means an act, procedure, or use of any instrument, medicine, or drug that |
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| 15 | 15 | | 1.15is supplied or prescribed for or administered to a pregnant individual that results in the |
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| 16 | 16 | | 1.16termination of a pregnancy. |
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| 17 | 17 | | 1.17 (c) "Abortion facility" means facilities recognized by the commissioner of health under |
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| 18 | 18 | | 1.18lawful rules promulgated by the commissioner for the performance of abortions. |
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| 19 | 19 | | 1.19 (d) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of health. |
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| 20 | 20 | | 1.20 (e) "Medical services" means the range of care related to the provision of abortion. |
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| 21 | 21 | | 1.21 (f) "Program" means the reproductive freedom and equity grant program. |
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| 22 | 22 | | 1Section 1. |
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| 23 | 23 | | 25-02980 as introduced02/11/25 REVISOR SGS/DG |
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| 24 | 24 | | SENATE |
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| 25 | 25 | | STATE OF MINNESOTA |
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| 26 | 26 | | S.F. No. 1890NINETY-FOURTH SESSION |
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| 27 | 27 | | (SENATE AUTHORS: PORT, Maye Quade, Boldon and Mann) |
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| 28 | 28 | | OFFICIAL STATUSD-PGDATE |
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| 29 | 29 | | Introduction and first reading02/27/2025 |
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| 30 | 30 | | Referred to Health and Human Services 2.1 (g) "Provider" means any person who furnishes health services and is licensed or |
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| 31 | 31 | | 2.2otherwise authorized to render services in the state. |
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| 32 | 32 | | 2.3 Subd. 3.Eligibility.Organizations eligible to receive grant funding under this section |
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| 33 | 33 | | 2.4include nonprofit organizations or entities that provide or facilitate access to abortion care. |
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| 34 | 34 | | 2.5 Subd. 4.Grant procedure.Eligible programs must apply for a grant under this section |
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| 35 | 35 | | 2.6in the form and manner specified by the commissioner. |
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| 36 | 36 | | 2.7 Subd. 5.Commissioner's duties(a) The commissioner may make grant awards with |
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| 37 | 37 | | 2.8the funds available under this section. In awarding grants, the commissioner must support |
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| 38 | 38 | | 2.9the abortion care infrastructure of the state while considering the impact of the Dobbs |
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| 39 | 39 | | 2.10decision. The commissioner shall award grants for the following purposes: |
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| 40 | 40 | | 2.11 (1) increase access to care by growing the capacity of abortion providers to meet present |
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| 41 | 41 | | 2.12and future care needs, including but not limited to grants that support the recruitment and |
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| 42 | 42 | | 2.13retention of staff; patient navigators; billing consultants; staff training; investments in |
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| 43 | 43 | | 2.14technology to facilitate care, including telehealth care, and other operational needs that |
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| 44 | 44 | | 2.15reflect the intention of increasing access to abortion care; |
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| 45 | 45 | | 2.16 (2) ensure the affordability of and access to care for anyone who seeks care in the state |
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| 46 | 46 | | 2.17regardless of their ability to pay for care by funding uncompensated care; |
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| 47 | 47 | | 2.18 (3) secure the physical and digital infrastructure of facilities providing abortion care, |
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| 48 | 48 | | 2.19including but not limited to making security system improvements, updating IT systems, |
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| 49 | 49 | | 2.20and providing de-escalation training; and |
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| 50 | 50 | | 2.21 (4) provide training to staff and providers in trauma-informed care and cultural |
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| 51 | 51 | | 2.22competencies in order to best treat all patients. |
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| 52 | 52 | | 2.23 (b) Within the limits of funds available, the commissioner may award grants that, in the |
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| 53 | 53 | | 2.24commissioner's judgment, best promote the purposes described in this subdivision, taking |
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| 54 | 54 | | 2.25into account all of the following: |
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| 55 | 55 | | 2.26 (1) the extent to which abortions are needed locally; |
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| 56 | 56 | | 2.27 (2) the ability of the applicant to advance health equity; and |
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| 57 | 57 | | 2.28 (3) the relative need of the applicant. |
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| 58 | 58 | | 2.29 (c) The commissioner shall make grants under this section beginning no later than January |
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| 59 | 59 | | 2.301, 2026. Determination regarding a grant award shall be made within 30 days of receipt of |
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| 60 | 60 | | 2.31a completed application. |
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| 61 | 61 | | 2Section 1. |
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| 62 | 62 | | 25-02980 as introduced02/11/25 REVISOR SGS/DG 3.1 (d) The commissioner may use up to one percent of the funds available for this section |
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| 63 | 63 | | 3.2to pay the costs incurred by the department in administering the grant program. |
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| 64 | 64 | | 3.3 Subd. 6.Privacy.The department or commissioner shall not request, adopt rules to, or |
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| 65 | 65 | | 3.4otherwise require any abortion provider or nonprofit organization receiving money from |
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| 66 | 66 | | 3.5the grant fund to divulge the name, address, photograph, license number, email address, |
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| 67 | 67 | | 3.6phone number, or any other personally identifying information of any patient or individual |
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| 68 | 68 | | 3.7who sought or received practical support from a provider or organization, in conjunction |
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| 69 | 69 | | 3.8with the funding provided under this section. Any nonprofit organization or provider |
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| 70 | 70 | | 3.9receiving funds from the program shall take all necessary steps to ensure the confidentiality |
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| 71 | 71 | | 3.10of the individuals receiving services in accordance with state and federal laws. |
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| 72 | 72 | | 3.11 Subd. 7.Severability.If any provision, word, phrase, or clause of this section or its |
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| 73 | 73 | | 3.12application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the invalidity shall not affect the |
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| 74 | 74 | | 3.13provisions, words, phrases, clauses, or applications of this section that can be given effect |
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| 75 | 75 | | 3.14without the invalid provision, word, phrase, clause, or application. The provisions, words, |
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| 76 | 76 | | 3.15phrases, and clauses of this section are severable. |
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| 77 | 77 | | 3.16 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective July 1, 2025. |
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| 78 | 78 | | 3.17 Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION. |
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| 79 | 79 | | 3.18 $30,000,000 in fiscal year 2026 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner |
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| 80 | 80 | | 3.19of health for the reproductive health equity grant fund in section 1. |
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| 81 | 81 | | 3Sec. 2. |
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| 82 | 82 | | 25-02980 as introduced02/11/25 REVISOR SGS/DG |
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