by Matthew Dooley
The spring legislative session has reached its May 20 deadline to adjourn. While ceremonial functions carried into Monday, the legislative work of lawmakers has concluded.
The next legislative session will begin on January 15, 2025. Stay tuned for our final Bill Tracker update which will give an overview of the bills that were passed this session.
Bills
SF 716, also known as the Minnesota African American Family Preservation and Child Welfare Disproportionality Act, passed both the House and Senate and underwent a final round of committee revisions. Governor Walz is expected to sign the bill into law.
The bill will significantly alter Minnesota’s foster care system, replacing the current legal standard that agencies must make “reasonable efforts” to avoid removing children from their homes with the higher standard of “active efforts.” The bill also requires agencies to include families in creating reunification plans while also incorporating each family’s social and cultural values. The bill began as an effort to address the longstanding racial disparities in Minnesota’s child welfare system–in particular, higher rates of family separation for Black families–but the final version of the bill includes all disproportionately represented groups.
New policies based on the Minnesota African American Family Preservation and Child Welfare Disproportionality Act are expected to be implemented gradually, beginning with pilot programs in Ramsey and Hennepin Counties before statewide implementation in 2027. Read more in the Sahan Journal, The Imprint, and watch the bill’s passage in the House.
SF4399, the Health and Human Services Omnibus Bill, has been presented to the Governor’s office for signing. The bill reduces licensing burdens on care providers to people with disabilities. It also requires regional service centers to partner with the Department of Education to provide information and resources to families with children who are deaf, deaf-blind, or hard of hearing, as well as train county providers on how to meet the needs of deaf-blind individuals.
HF4247, a bill including licensing reforms and allowing for interstate compacts for social workers, passed the House and was included in the Health and Human Services Omnibus Bill, which passed the Senate. The bill allows Minnesotan social workers to obtain multistate licenses and expands eligibility for obtaining a Minnesota social work license without an exam.
In the News
Contentious End to Legislative Session
The House Session Daily reports on the House and Senate’s divisive final hours before the legislative deadline. Democrats passed a tax bill which also includes provisions for higher education, transportation, housing and labor, and human services, among other items.
Post-Session Recap
The Star Tribune reviews the final roster of bills up for debate this weekend and which did (and did not) make it past the finish line.
Resources
House Session Daily and Senate Media Services
The Minnesota House of Representatives’ non-partisan news site provides in-depth coverage of the Legislature’s final weekend. Additionally, the House and Senate YouTube channels feature live and archived videos of conference committees, floor sessions, and press conferences.
NASW-MN’s 2024 Legislative Recap Session
Wednesday, June 5, 12 – 1 p.m. CT via Zoom
The Minnesota Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers provides a recap of the legislative session and an overview of the organization’s priorities. Register here.