Happy Monday! Here are this week’s legislative committee hearings as they relate to child welfare legislation. If you’d like more information about these bills and their relevance to child welfare policy, make sure to review our bill tracking sheet.
Monday, March 12
12:30 PM: House Civil Law, 10 State Office Building (SOB)

  • HF2009 (Abeler) Human services legal provisions changed; human services licensing, licensing data, and the Office of Inspector General related provisions modified; Human Services Background Studies Act amended; municipal license provisions modified; program integrity monitoring provided for, and report required.
  • HF1994 (Gottwalt) Health and human services policy provisions changed; provisions modified relating to continuing care, telephone equipment program, chemical and mental health, and health care; comprehensive assessment and case management services reformed; and technical changes made.

12:30 PM: House Transportation Policy & Finance, 5 SOB

  • HF2232 (Drazkowski) Welfare fraud prevented, drivers license photo access allowed in welfare fraud investigations, driver’s license authentic verification required prior to granting welfare benefits, drug conviction search required to determine welfare benefit eligibility, and drug offenders excluded from welfare eligibility.

1:00 PM: Senate Health & Human Services, 15 Capitol

  • SF 1165 (Nienow) Children early intervention criteria modification.

Tuesday, March 13
8:15 AM: House Judiciary Policy and Finance, 10 SOB

  • HF876 (Smith) Court hearing opening modified in delinquency or extended jurisdiction juvenile proceedings.

8:30 AM: Senate Finance, 123 Capitol

  • SF1678 (Hall) Public defenders provisions modifications; financial responsibilities outline for children in need of protection services (CHIPS) cases.

10:30 AM: Senate Health & Human Services, 15 Capitol

  • SFXXXX (Newman) DHS/OIG Licensing.
  • SF2120 (Kruse) Family and group family care county licensing inspections and background studies fees modifications.

2:30 PM: House Capital Investment, 10 SOB

  • Department of Human Services overview (Possibly relevant, not sure as of today)

6:00 PM: House Ways and Means, 200 SOB

  • HF2738 (Kiffmeyer) Voters required to present photographic identification, photographic identification provided to voters at no charge, equal verification standards required for all voters, and constitutional amendment proposed.

Wednesday, March 14
12:30 PM: House Health & Human Services Finance, 200 SOB

  • HF2080 (Daudt) MFIP ineligibility, sanctions, time limit, and exit level modified; and electronic benefit transfer card regulated.
  • HF2081 (Daudt) Electronic benefit transfer cards modified, and electronic benefit transfer card use regulated.
  • HF1985 (Schomacker) Background study requirements modified, and notification requirements modified.

Thursday, March 15
12:30 PM: House Higher Education Policy & Finance, Basement SOB

  • Presentation of Autism Research at the University of Minnesota (Possibly relevant, not entirely sure)

1:00 PM: Senate Judiciary and Public Safety, 15 Capitol

  • SF753 (Rosen) Social workers licensure modifications.
  • SF1721 (Sheran) Alcohol and drug counselors and licensed professional counselors licensure requirements establishment.

Remember, most, if not all, can be viewed live online at either the Senate or House websites, and often they archive their videos fairly quickly to be viewed later. You can also follow the Twitter hashtag #mnleg to see the community discussing activity in committee meetings.