Journal of the House - 98th Day - Monday, April 2, 2012 - Top of Page 7687


 

 

 

STATE OF MINNESOTA

 

 

EIGHTY-SEVENTH SESSION - 2012

 

_____________________

 

NINETY-EIGHTH DAY

 

Saint Paul, Minnesota, Monday, April 2, 2012

 

 

      The House of Representatives convened at 12:30 p.m. and was called to order by Kurt Zellers, Speaker of the House.

 

      Prayer was offered by the Reverend Jim Fleming, Bethel Evangelical Free Church, Fairmont, Minnesota.

 

      The members of the House gave the pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

 

      The roll was called and the following members were present:

 


Abeler

Allen

Anderson, B.

Anderson, D.

Anderson, P.

Anderson, S.

Anzelc

Atkins

Banaian

Beard

Benson, J.

Benson, M.

Bills

Brynaert

Buesgens

Carlson

Champion

Cornish

Crawford

Daudt

Davids

Davnie

Dean

Dettmer

Dill

Dittrich

Doepke

Downey

Drazkowski

Erickson

Fabian

Falk

Franson

Fritz

Garofalo

Gauthier

Gottwalt

Gruenhagen

Gunther

Hackbarth

Hamilton

Hancock

Hansen

Hausman

Hilty

Holberg

Hoppe

Hornstein

Hortman

Hosch

Howes

Huntley

Johnson

Kahn

Kath

Kelly

Kieffer

Kiel

Kiffmeyer

Knuth

Kriesel

Laine

Lanning

Leidiger

LeMieur

Lenczewski

Lesch

Liebling

Lillie

Loeffler

Lohmer

Loon

Mahoney

Mariani

Marquart

Mazorol

McDonald

McElfatrick

McFarlane

McNamara

Melin

Moran

Morrow

Mullery

Murdock

Murphy, E.

Murray

Myhra

Nelson

Nornes

Norton

O'Driscoll

Paymar

Pelowski

Peppin

Persell

Petersen, B.

Poppe

Quam

Rukavina

Runbeck

Sanders

Scalze

Schomacker

Scott

Shimanski

Simon

Slawik

Slocum

Smith

Stensrud

Swedzinski

Thissen

Tillberry

Torkelson

Urdahl

Vogel

Wagenius

Ward

Wardlow

Winkler

Woodard

Spk. Zellers


 

      A quorum was present.

 

      Greiling was excused.

 

      Barrett, Eken, Greene and Peterson, S., were excused until 12:55 p.m.  Mack and Murphy, M., were excused until 1:00 p.m.  Koenen was excused until 1:10 p.m.  Westrom was excused until 1:15 p.m.  Clark was excused until 2:10 p.m.  Hilstrom was excused until 3:45 p.m.

 

      The Chief Clerk proceeded to read the Journal of the preceding day.  There being no objection, further reading of the Journal was dispensed with and the Journal was approved as corrected by the Chief Clerk.


Journal of the House - 98th Day - Monday, April 2, 2012 - Top of Page 7688


REPORTS OF CHIEF CLERK

 

      S. F. No. 1689 and H. F. No. 1416, which had been referred to the Chief Clerk for comparison, were examined and found to be identical with certain exceptions.

 

SUSPENSION OF RULES

 

      Gruenhagen moved that the rules be so far suspended that S. F. No. 1689 be substituted for H. F. No. 1416 and that the House File be indefinitely postponed.  The motion prevailed.

 

 

PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS

 

 

      The following communications were received:

 

 

STATE OF MINNESOTA

OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR

SAINT PAUL 55155

 

March 29, 2012

 

The Honorable Kurt Zellers

Speaker of the House of Representatives

The State of Minnesota

 

Dear Speaker Zellers:

 

      Please be advised that I have received, approved, signed, and deposited in the Office of the Secretary of State H. F. Nos. 392, 2376 and 1524.

 

 

                                                                                                                                Sincerely,

 

                                                                                                                                Mark Dayton

                                                                                                                                Governor

 

 

STATE OF MINNESOTA

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE

ST. PAUL 55155

 

The Honorable Kurt Zellers

Speaker of the House of Representatives

 

The Honorable Michelle L. Fischbach

President of the Senate

 

      I have the honor to inform you that the following enrolled Acts of the 2012 Session of the State Legislature have been received from the Office of the Governor and are deposited in the Office of the Secretary of State for preservation, pursuant to the State Constitution, Article IV, Section 23:


Journal of the House - 98th Day - Monday, April 2, 2012 - Top of Page 7689


 

 

S. F.

No.

 

H. F.

No.

 

Session Laws

Chapter No.

Time and

Date Approved

2012

 

Date Filed

2012

 

                                  392                     137                                     10:32 a.m. March 29                            March 29

                                2376                     138                                     10:33 a.m. March 29                            March 29

                                1524                     139                                     10:34 a.m. March 29                            March 29

 

 

                                                                                                                                Sincerely,

 

                                                                                                                                Mark Ritchie

                                                                                                                                Secretary of State

 

 

STATE OF MINNESOTA

OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR

SAINT PAUL 55155

 

March 29, 2012

 

The Honorable Kurt Zellers

Speaker of the House of Representatives

The State of Minnesota

 

Dear Speaker Zellers:

 

      I have vetoed and am returning Chapter No. 140, House File No. 545, a bill requiring state agencies to conduct risk analysis for federal insolvency and include their contingency planning in Biennial Budget documents.

 

      This bill would require state agency employees to spend hundreds of hours each year monitoring "indicators of the federal government's inability to meet its obligations." While the Legislature claims to want to reduce the size of state government, it continues to load employees with additional assignments of dubious value.

 

      This bill perpetuates one of the majority party's current political stratagems:  to raise doubts about the reliability of government generally and, in this instance, of the federal government specifically. As such, it joins the list of such attempts as privatizing Social Security and the systematic undermining of public schools.

 

      It is not that the federal government's current budget deficit should not be a source of concern. Where, however, were the outcries during the previous decade from the legislators, who now tout this legislation? When I joined the United States Senate in January 2001, outgoing-President Bill Clinton, a Republican-controlled Congress, and an improving national economy had produced the federal government's first operating surplus in 29 years. What's more, those operating surpluses were projected to continue for every year in the coming decade. Added to them would be annual $180 billion surpluses in the separate Social Security Trust Fund. Staying on that course, we could have virtually eliminated the national debt.

 

      So what happened? President George Bush spearheaded not one, but two, enormous tax cuts, which inordinately benefitted wealthy Americans, large corporations, and powerful special interest groups. They were followed by two wars and two recessions, the last one the most severe since the Great Depression. All of those projected operating surpluses were wiped out, as were the Social Security Trust Fund's surpluses; yet recent annual deficits have skyrocketed to over $1.3 Trillion.


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      Where were the outcries, when that drastic reversal of sound fiscal stewardship was occurring?

      The federal government's current and projected budget deficits are urgent national problems, and fixing them will require bi-partisan, difficult, even painful solutions. They are, however, still fixable, according to most leading economists. The debt instruments of the U.S. Government continue to be purchased all over the world, because our country is still considered to have the safest and most reliable economy anywhere.

 

      Meanwhile, the financial obligations of the federal government are embedded in current federal laws. They cannot be changed at someone's whim, as the rhetoric surrounding this legislation implies. Those laws would have to be changed, through Congress' laborious public process, and signed by the President before any of those financial commitments could be altered or rescinded.

      I believe the people of Minnesota will be far better served by the state's financial experts focusing on their continued improvements in the cost-efficiencies of state services, as well as ways to reduce the additional $1.5 Billion in debt the Legislature enacted in the last session.

 

      Therefore, I am vetoing this bill.

 

 

                                                                                                                                Sincerely,

 

                                                                                                                                Mark Dayton

                                                                                                                                Governor

 

 

REPORTS OF STANDING COMMITTEES AND DIVISIONS

 

 

Abeler from the Committee on Health and Human Services Finance to which was referred:

 

H. F. No. 462, A bill for an act relating to health occupations; providing for a Nurse Licensure Compact; providing for appointments; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 148.

 

Reported the same back with the recommendation that the bill pass and be re-referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

      The report was adopted.

 

 

Abeler from the Committee on Health and Human Services Finance to which was referred:

 

H. F. No. 1191, A bill for an act relating to health occupations; modifying provisions for licensure of social workers; amending Minnesota Statutes 2010, sections 148E.055, subdivision 1; 148E.060, subdivisions 1, 2, 3, 5, by adding a subdivision; 148E.065, subdivisions 2, 4, 5; 148E.120; 148E.195, subdivision 2; 148E.280; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 148E; repealing Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 148E.065, subdivision 3.

 

Reported the same back with the following amendments:

 

Page 2, line 15, delete "2011" and insert "2012"


Journal of the House - 98th Day - Monday, April 2, 2012 - Top of Page 7691


Page 8, lines 9 and 26, delete "2011" and insert "2012"

 

Page 9, lines 11 and 32, delete "2011" and insert "2012"

 

Page 10, line 20, delete "2011" and insert "2012"

 

Page 11, lines 12 and 29, delete "2011" and insert "2012"

 

Page 12, line 12, delete "2011" and insert "2012"

 

Page 12, delete sections 11 and 12 and insert: 

 

"Sec. 11.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 148E.065, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 4.  City, county, and state agency social workers.  The licensure of city, county, and state agency social workers is voluntary.  City, county, and state agencies employing social workers are not required to employ licensed social workers.

 

This subdivision expires July 1, 2016.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective August 1, 2012.

 

Sec. 12.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 148E.065, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:

 

Subd. 4a.  City, county, and state social workers.  (a) Beginning July 1, 2016, the licensure of city, county, and state agency social workers is voluntary, except an individual who is newly employed by a city or state agency after July 1, 2016, must be licensed if the individual who provides social work services, as those services are defined in section 148E.010, subdivision 11, paragraph (b), is presented to the public by any title incorporating the words "social work" or "social worker."

 

(b) City, county, and state agencies employing social workers are not required to employ licensed social workers.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective July 1, 2012.

 

Sec. 13.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 148E.065, subdivision 5, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 5.  Tribes and private nonprofit agencies; voluntary licensure.  The licensure of social workers who are employed by federally recognized tribes, or by private nonprofit agencies whose primary service focus addresses ethnic minority populations, and who are themselves members of ethnic minority populations within those agencies, is voluntary.

 

This subdivision expires July 1, 2016.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective August 1, 2012.

 

Sec. 14.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 148E.065, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:

 

Subd. 5a.  Tribes and private nonprofit agencies; voluntary licensure.  (a) The licensure of social workers who are employed by federally recognized tribes is voluntary.


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(b) The licensure of private, nonprofit, nontribal agency social workers whose primary service focus addresses ethnic minority populations, and who are themselves members of ethnic minority populations within those agencies, is voluntary until July 1, 2016, when newly employed individuals who practice social work must be licensed as required under section 148E.055, subdivision 1.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective July 1, 2012."

 

Page 15, line 32, delete "2011" and insert "2012"

 

Page 16, line 1, reinstate the stricken language

 

Page 16, line 2, delete the new language and reinstate the stricken language

 

Page 16, delete line 19 and insert: 

 

"(e) This subdivision expires July 1, 2016.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective August 1, 2012."

 

Page 16, delete section 15 and insert: 

 

"Sec. 17.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 148E.195, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:

 

Subd. 2a.  Representations.  Effective July 1, 2016: 

 

(a) No applicant or other individual may be represented to the public by any title incorporating the words "social work" or "social worker" unless the individual is employed by a county or holds a license according to this chapter.

 

(b) In all professional use of a social worker's name, the social worker must use the license designation "LSW" or "licensed social worker" for a licensed social worker, "LGSW" or "licensed graduate social worker" for a licensed graduate social worker, "LISW" or "licensed independent social worker" for a licensed independent social worker, or "LICSW" or "licensed independent clinical social worker" for a licensed independent clinical social worker.

 

(c) Public statements or advertisements must not be untruthful, misleading, false, fraudulent, deceptive, or potentially exploitative of clients, former clients, interns, students, supervisees, or the public.

 

(d) A social worker must not:

 

(1) use licensure status as a claim, promise, or guarantee of successful service;

 

(2) obtain a license by cheating or employing fraud or deception;

 

(3) make false statements or misrepresentations to the board or in materials submitted to the board; or

 

(4) engage in conduct that has the potential to deceive or defraud a social work client, intern, student, supervisee, or the public.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective July 1, 2012.


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Sec. 18.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 148E.280, is amended to read:

 

148E.280 USE OF TITLES.

 

(a) No individual may be presented to the public by any title incorporating the words "social work" or "social worker" or in the titles in section 148E.195, unless that individual holds a license under sections 148E.055 and 148E.060, or practices in a setting exempt from licensure under section 148E.065.

 

This paragraph expires July 1, 2016.

 

(b) Effective July 1, 2016, no individual may be presented to the public by any title incorporating the words "social work" or "social worker" or in the titles in section 148E.195, unless that individual is employed by a county or holds a license under this chapter.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective August 1, 2012."

 

Renumber the sections in sequence and correct the internal references

 

Correct the title numbers accordingly

 

 

With the recommendation that when so amended the bill pass.

 

      The report was adopted.

 

 

Davids from the Committee on Taxes to which was referred:

 

H. F. No. 1954, A bill for an act relating to local governments; requiring counties and certain cities to report additional budgetary information; amending Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 275.065, subdivisions 1, 3; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 471.

 

Reported the same back with the following amendments:

 

Page 1, line 12, delete "2,500" and insert "5,000"

 

Page 3, line 2, delete "with a population over 2,500" and after "county" insert "with a population over 5,000"

 

Page 6, line 12, delete "with a population"

 

Page 6, line 13, delete "greater than 2,500" and after "county" insert "with a population over 5,000"

 

Page 6, line 21, delete "September 30" and insert "July 31"

 

Page 6, line 24, delete "two" and insert "three"

 

Page 6, line 25, after the first comma, insert "and" and delete ", and projected data for the"

 

Page 6, delete lines 26 to 31

 

Page 6, line 32, delete everything before the period


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Page 7, line 7, delete "2,500" and insert "5,000"

 

Page 7, line 19, delete "October 30" and insert "August 31"

 

 

With the recommendation that when so amended the bill pass and be re-referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

      The report was adopted.

 

 

Abeler from the Committee on Health and Human Services Finance to which was referred:

 

H. F. No. 2340, A bill for an act relating to health; requiring licensure of certain facilities that perform abortions; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 145.

 

Reported the same back with the following amendments:

 

Delete everything after the enacting clause and insert:

 

"Section 1.  [145.417] LICENSURE OF CERTAIN FACILITIES THAT PERFORM ABORTIONS.

 

Subdivision 1.  License required for facilities that perform ten or more abortions per month.  (a) A clinic, health center, or other facility in which the pregnancies of ten or more women known to be pregnant are willfully terminated or aborted each month, including nonsurgical abortions, shall be licensed by the commissioner of health and, notwithstanding Minnesota Rules, part 4675.0100, subparts 8 and 9, is subject to the licensure requirements provided in Minnesota Rules, chapter 4675.  The commissioner shall not require a facility licensed as a hospital or outpatient surgical center, pursuant to section 144.55, to obtain a separate license under this section; however such facility may be subject to inspections and investigations as permitted under subdivision 2.

 

(b) Establishing or operating a facility described in this section without obtaining a license is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than $300.  The commissioner of health, attorney general, an appropriate county attorney, or a woman upon whom an abortion has been performed or attempted to be performed, at an unlicensed facility may seek an injunction in district court against the continuing operation of the facility.  Proceedings for securing an injunction may be brought by the attorney general or by the appropriate county attorney. 

 

(c) Sanctions provided in this subdivision do not restrict other available sanctions.

 

Subd. 2.  Inspections; no notice required.  No more than two times per year, the commissioner of health shall perform routine and comprehensive inspections and investigations of facilities described under subdivision 1.  Every clinic, health center, or other facility described under subdivision 1, and any other premise proposed to be conducted as a facility by an applicant for a license, shall be open at all reasonable times to inspection authorized in writing by the commissioner of health.  No notice need be given to any person prior to any inspection.

 

Subd. 3.  Licensure fee.  (a) The license fee for a facility is $.......

 

(b) Fees shall be collected and deposited according to section 144.122.

 

Subd. 4.  Suspension, revocation and refusal to renew.  The commissioner of health may refuse to grant or renew, or may suspend or revoke, a license on any of the following grounds: 


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(1) violation of any of the provisions of this section or Minnesota Rules, chapter 4675;

 

(2) permitting, aiding, or abetting the commission of any illegal act in the facility;

 

(3) conduct or practices detrimental to the welfare of the patient; or

 

(4) obtaining or attempting to obtain a license by fraud or misrepresentation; or

 

(5) with respect to the facility, if the commissioner of health determines that there is a pattern of conduct that one or more physicians who have a financial or economic interest in the facility, as defined in section 144.6521, subdivision 3, and have not provided notice and disclosure of the financial or economic interest as required by section 144.6521.

 

Subd. 5.  Hearing.  Prior to any suspension, revocation or refusal to renew a license, the licensee shall be entitled to notice and a hearing as provided by sections 14.57 to 14.69.  At each hearing, the commissioner of health shall have the burden of establishing that a violation described in subdivision 4 has occurred.  If a license is revoked, suspended, or not renewed, a new application for license may be considered by the commissioner if the conditions upon which revocation, suspension, or refusal to renew was based have been corrected and evidence of this fact has been satisfactorily furnished.  A new license may then be granted after proper inspection has been made and all provisions of this section and Minnesota Rules, chapter 4675, have been complied with and recommendation has been made by the inspector as an agent of the commissioner of health.

 

Subd. 6.  Severability.  If any one or more provision, section, subdivision, sentence, clause, phrase, or word of this section or the application of it to any person or circumstance is found to be unconstitutional, it is declared to be severable and the balance of this section shall remain effective notwithstanding such unconstitutionality.  The legislature intends that it would have passed this section, and each provision, section, subdivision, sentence, clause, phrase, or word, regardless of the fact that any one provision, section, subdivision, sentence, clause, phrase, or word is declared unconstitutional."

 

Amend the title as follows:

 

Page 1, line 2, after the second semicolon, insert "setting a facility license fee;"

 

 

With the recommendation that when so amended the bill pass and be re-referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

      The report was adopted.

 

 

Abeler from the Committee on Health and Human Services Finance to which was referred:

 

H. F. No. 2456, A bill for an act relating to human services; amending continuing care policy provisions; making changes to disability services and licensing provisions; establishing home and community-based services standards; establishing payment methodologies; requiring a report; providing rulemaking authority; amending Minnesota Statutes 2010, sections 245A.03, subdivision 2; 245A.041, by adding subdivisions; 245A.085; 245B.02, subdivision 10, by adding a subdivision; 245B.04, subdivisions 1, 2, 3; 245B.05, subdivision 1; 245B.07, subdivisions 5, 9, 10, by adding a subdivision; 252.40; 252.41, subdivision 3; 252.42; 252.43; 252.44; 252.45; 252.451, subdivisions 2, 5; 252.46, subdivision 1a; 256B.0911, by adding a subdivision; 256B.0916, subdivision 2; 256B.092, subdivision 4;


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256B.49, subdivision 17; 256B.4912; 256B.501, subdivision 4b; 256B.5013, subdivision 1; Minnesota Statutes 2011 Supplement, section 256B.49, subdivision 16a; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapters 245A; 256B; proposing coding for new law as Minnesota Statutes, chapter 245D.

 

Reported the same back with the following amendments:

 

Delete everything after the enacting clause and insert:

 

"Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 245A.03, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 2.  Exclusion from licensure.  (a) This chapter does not apply to:

 

(1) residential or nonresidential programs that are provided to a person by an individual who is related unless the residential program is a child foster care placement made by a local social services agency or a licensed child-placing agency, except as provided in subdivision 2a;

 

(2) nonresidential programs that are provided by an unrelated individual to persons from a single related family;

 

(3) residential or nonresidential programs that are provided to adults who do not abuse chemicals or who do not have a chemical dependency, a mental illness, a developmental disability, a functional impairment, or a physical disability;

 

(4) sheltered workshops or work activity programs that are certified by the commissioner of employment and economic development;

 

(5) programs operated by a public school for children 33 months or older;

 

(6) nonresidential programs primarily for children that provide care or supervision for periods of less than three hours a day while the child's parent or legal guardian is in the same building as the nonresidential program or present within another building that is directly contiguous to the building in which the nonresidential program is located;

 

(7) nursing homes or hospitals licensed by the commissioner of health except as specified under section 245A.02;

 

(8) board and lodge facilities licensed by the commissioner of health that do not provide children's residential services under Minnesota Rules, chapter 2960, mental health or chemical dependency treatment;

 

(9) homes providing programs for persons placed by a county or a licensed agency for legal adoption, unless the adoption is not completed within two years;

 

(10) programs licensed by the commissioner of corrections;

 

(11) recreation programs for children or adults that are operated or approved by a park and recreation board whose primary purpose is to provide social and recreational activities;

 

(12) programs operated by a school as defined in section 120A.22, subdivision 4; YMCA as defined in section 315.44; YWCA as defined in section 315.44; or JCC as defined in section 315.51, whose primary purpose is to provide child care or services to school-age children;

 

(13) Head Start nonresidential programs which operate for less than 45 days in each calendar year;


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(14) noncertified boarding care homes unless they provide services for five or more persons whose primary diagnosis is mental illness or a developmental disability;

 

(15) programs for children such as scouting, boys clubs, girls clubs, and sports and art programs, and nonresidential programs for children provided for a cumulative total of less than 30 days in any 12-month period;

 

(16) residential programs for persons with mental illness, that are located in hospitals;

 

(17) the religious instruction of school-age children; Sabbath or Sunday schools; or the congregate care of children by a church, congregation, or religious society during the period used by the church, congregation, or religious society for its regular worship;

 

(18) camps licensed by the commissioner of health under Minnesota Rules, chapter 4630;

 

(19) mental health outpatient services for adults with mental illness or children with emotional disturbance;

 

(20) residential programs serving school-age children whose sole purpose is cultural or educational exchange, until the commissioner adopts appropriate rules;

 

(21) unrelated individuals who provide out-of-home respite care services to persons with developmental disabilities from a single related family for no more than 90 days in a 12-month period and the respite care services are for the temporary relief of the person's family or legal representative;

 

(22) respite care services provided as a home and community-based service to a person with a developmental disability, in the person's primary residence;

 

(23) (21) community support services programs as defined in section 245.462, subdivision 6, and family community support services as defined in section 245.4871, subdivision 17;

 

(24) (22) the placement of a child by a birth parent or legal guardian in a preadoptive home for purposes of adoption as authorized by section 259.47;

 

(25) (23) settings registered under chapter 144D which provide home care services licensed by the commissioner of health to fewer than seven adults;

 

(26) (24) chemical dependency or substance abuse treatment activities of licensed professionals in private practice as defined in Minnesota Rules, part 9530.6405, subpart 15, when the treatment activities are not paid for by the consolidated chemical dependency treatment fund;

 

(27) (25) consumer-directed community support service funded under the Medicaid waiver for persons with developmental disabilities when the individual who provided the service is:

 

(i) the same individual who is the direct payee of these specific waiver funds or paid by a fiscal agent, fiscal intermediary, or employer of record; and

 

(ii) not otherwise under the control of a residential or nonresidential program that is required to be licensed under this chapter when providing the service; or

 

(28) (26) a program serving only children who are age 33 months or older, that is operated by a nonpublic school, for no more than four hours per day per child, with no more than 20 children at any one time, and that is accredited by:


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(i) an accrediting agency that is formally recognized by the commissioner of education as a nonpublic school accrediting organization; or

 

(ii) an accrediting agency that requires background studies and that receives and investigates complaints about the services provided.

 

A program that asserts its exemption from licensure under item (ii) shall, upon request from the commissioner, provide the commissioner with documentation from the accrediting agency that verifies:  that the accreditation is current; that the accrediting agency investigates complaints about services; and that the accrediting agency's standards require background studies on all people providing direct contact services.

 

(b) For purposes of paragraph (a), clause (6), a building is directly contiguous to a building in which a nonresidential program is located if it shares a common wall with the building in which the nonresidential program is located or is attached to that building by skyway, tunnel, atrium, or common roof.

 

(c) Except for the home and community-based services identified in section 245D.03, subdivision 1, nothing in this chapter shall be construed to require licensure for any services provided and funded according to an approved federal waiver plan where licensure is specifically identified as not being a condition for the services and funding.

 

Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 245A.041, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:

 

Subd. 3.  Record retention; license holder requirements.  (a) A license holder must maintain and store records in a manner that will allow for review by the commissioner as identified in section 245A.04, subdivision 5.  The following records must be maintained as specified and in accordance with applicable state or federal law, regulation, or rule:

 

(1) service recipient records, including verification of service delivery, must be maintained for a minimum of five years following discharge or termination of service;

 

(2) personnel records must be maintained for a minimum of five years following termination of employment; and

 

(3) program administration and financial records must be maintained for a minimum of five years from the date the program closes.

 

(b) A license holder who ceases to provide services must maintain all records related to the licensed program for five years from the date the program closes.  The license holder must notify the commissioner of the location where the licensing records will be stored and the name of the person responsible for maintaining the stored records.

 

(c) If the ownership of a licensed program or service changes, the transferor, unless otherwise provided by law or written agreement with the transferee, is responsible for maintaining, preserving, and making available to the commissioner on demand the license records generated before the date of the transfer.

 

(d) In the event of a contested case, the license holder must retain records as required in paragraph (a) or until the final agency decision is issued and the conclusion of any related appeal, whichever period is longer.

 

Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 245A.041, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:

 

Subd. 4.  Electronic records; license holder use.  A license holder's use of electronic record keeping or electronic signatures must meet the following requirements:


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(1) use of electronic record keeping or electronic signatures does not alter the license holder's obligations under state or federal law, regulation, or rule;

 

(2) the license holder must ensure that the use of electronic record keeping does not limit the commissioner's access to records as specified under section 245A.04, subdivision 5;

 

(3) upon request, the license holder must assist the commissioner in accessing and copying all records, including encrypted records and electronic signatures; and

 

(4) the license holder must establish a mechanism or procedure to ensure that:

 

(i) the act of creating the electronic record or signature is attributable to the license holder, according to section 325L.09;

 

(ii) the electronic records and signatures are maintained in a form capable of being retained and accurately reproduced;

 

(iii) the commissioner has access to information that establishes the date and time that data and signatures were entered into the electronic record; and

 

(iv) the license holder's use of electronic record keeping or electronic signatures does not compromise the security of the records.

 

Sec. 4.  [245A.042] HOME AND COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES; ADDITIONAL STANDARDS AND PROCEDURES.

 

Subdivision 1.  Standards governing the provision of home and community-based services.  Residential and nonresidential programs for persons with disabilities or age 65 and older must obtain a license according to this chapter to provide home and community-based services defined in the federal waiver plans governed by United States Code, title 42, sections 1396 et seq., or the state's alternative care program according to section 256B.0913, and identified in section 245D.03, subdivision 1.  As a condition of licensure, an applicant or license holder must demonstrate and maintain verification of compliance with:

 

(1) licensing requirements under this chapter and chapter 245D;

 

(2) applicable health care program requirements under Minnesota Rules, parts 9505.0170 to 9505.0475 and 9505.2160 to 9505.2245; and

 

(3) provider standards and qualifications identified in the federal waiver plans or the alternative care program.

 

Subd. 2.  Modified application procedures.  (a) Applicants seeking chapter 245D licensure who meet the following criteria are subject to modified application procedures:

 

(1) the applicant holds a chapter 245B license issued on or before December 31, 2012, at the time of application;

 

(2) the applicant's chapter 245B license or licenses are in substantial compliance according to the licensing standards in this chapter and chapter 245B; and

 

(3) the commissioner has conducted at least one on-site inspection of the chapter 245B license or licenses within the two-year period before submitting the chapter 245D license application.


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For purposes of this subdivision, substantial compliance means the commissioner has not issued a sanction according to section 245A.07 against any chapter 245B license held by the applicant or made the chapter 245B license or licenses conditional according to section 245A.06 within the 12-month period before submitting the application for chapter 245D licensure.

 

(b) The modified application procedures mean the commissioner must accept the applicant's attestation of compliance with certain requirements in lieu of providing information to the commissioner for evaluation that is otherwise required when seeking chapter 245D licensure.

 

Subd. 3.  Implementation.  (a) Licensure of home and community-based services according to this section will be implemented upon authorization for the commissioner to collect fees according to section 245A.10, subdivisions 3 and 4, necessary to support licensing functions.  License applications will be received on a phased in schedule as determined by the commissioner.  Licenses will be issued on or after January 1, 2013, according to section 245A.04.

 

(b) Implementation of compliance monitoring must be phased in after January 1, 2013.

 

(1) Applicants who do not currently hold a license issued under this chapter must receive an initial compliance monitoring visit within 12 months of the effective date of the initial license for the purpose of providing technical assistance on how to achieve and maintain compliance with the applicable law or rules governing the provision of home and community-based services under chapter 245D.  If during the review the commissioner finds that the license holder has failed to achieve compliance with an applicable law or rule and this failure does not imminently endanger the health, safety, or rights of the persons served by the program, the commissioner may issue a licensing review report with recommendations for achieving and maintaining compliance.

 

(2) Applicants who do currently hold a license issued under this chapter must receive a compliance monitoring visit after 24 months of the effective date of the initial license.

 

(c) Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to limit the commissioner's authority to suspend or revoke a license or issue a fine at any time under section 245A.07, or make correction orders and make a license conditional for failure to comply with applicable laws or rules under section 245A.06, based on the nature, chronicity, or severity of the violation of law or rule and the effect of the violation on the health, safety, or rights of persons served by the program.

 

Sec. 5.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 245A.085, is amended to read:

 

245A.085 CONSOLIDATION OF HEARINGS; RECONSIDERATION.

 

Hearings authorized under this chapter, chapter 245C, and sections 256.045, 256B.04, 626.556, and 626.557, shall be consolidated if feasible and in accordance with other applicable statutes and rules.  Reconsideration under sections 245C.28; 626.556, subdivision 10i; and 626.557, subdivision 9d, shall also be consolidated if feasible.

 

Sec. 6.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 245B.02, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:

 

Subd. 8a.  Emergency.  "Emergency" means any fires, severe weather, natural disasters, power failures, or any event that affects the ordinary daily operation of the program, including, but not limited to, events that threaten the immediate health and safety of a person receiving services and that require calling 911, emergency evacuation, moving to an emergency shelter, or temporary closure or relocation of the program to another facility or service site.


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Sec. 7.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 245B.02, subdivision 10, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 10.  Incident.  "Incident" means an occurrence that affects the ordinary provision of services to a person and includes any of the following:

 

(1) serious injury as determined by section 245.91, subdivision 6;

 

(2) a consumer's death;

 

(3) any medical emergencies emergency, unexpected serious illnesses illness, or accidents significant unexpected changes in an illness or medical condition, or the mental health status of a person that require requires calling 911 or a mental health mobile crisis intervention team, physician treatment, or hospitalization;

 

(4) a consumer's unauthorized or unexplained absence;

 

(5) any fires or other events that require the relocation of services for more than 24 hours, or circumstances involving a law enforcement agency or fire department related to the health, safety, or supervision of a consumer;

 

(6) (5) physical aggression by a consumer against another consumer that causes physical pain, injury, or persistent emotional distress, including, but not limited to, hitting, slapping, kicking, scratching, pinching, biting, pushing, and spitting;

 

(7) (6) any sexual activity between consumers involving force or coercion as defined under section 609.341, subdivisions 3 and 14; or

 

(8) (7) a report of child or vulnerable adult maltreatment under section 626.556 or 626.557.

 

Sec. 8.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 245B.04, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

 

Subdivision 1.  License holder's responsibility for consumers' rights.  The license holder must:

 

(1) provide the consumer or the consumer's legal representative a copy of the consumer's rights on the day that services are initiated and an explanation of the rights in subdivisions 2 and 3 within five working days of service initiation and annually thereafter.  Reasonable accommodations shall be made by the license holder to provide this information in other formats as needed to facilitate understanding of the rights by the consumer and the consumer's legal representative, if any;

 

(2) document the consumer's or the consumer's legal representative's receipt of a copy of the rights and an explanation of the rights; and

 

(3) ensure the exercise and protection of the consumer's rights in the services provided by the license holder and authorized in the individual service plan.

 

Sec. 9.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 245B.04, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 2.  Service-related rights.  A consumer's service-related rights include the right to:

 

(1) refuse or terminate services and be informed of the consequences of refusing or terminating services;

 

(2) know, in advance, limits to the services available from the license holder;


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(3) know conditions and terms governing the provision of services, including those the license holder's policies and procedures related to initiation and termination;

 

(4) know what the charges are for services, regardless of who will be paying for the services, and be notified upon request of changes in those charges;

 

(5) know, in advance, whether services are covered by insurance, government funding, or other sources, and be told of any charges the consumer or other private party may have to pay; and

 

(6) receive licensed services from individuals who are competent and trained, who have professional certification or licensure, as required, and who meet additional qualifications identified in the individual service plan.

 

Sec. 10.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 245B.04, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 3.  Protection-related rights.  (a) The consumer's protection-related rights include the right to:

 

(1) have personal, financial, services, and medical information kept private, and be advised of the license holder's policies and procedures regarding disclosure of such information;

 

(2) access records and recorded information about the person in accordance with applicable state and federal law, regulation, or rule;

 

(3) be free from maltreatment;

 

(4) be treated with courtesy and respect for the consumer's individuality, mode of communication, and culture, and receive respectful treatment of the consumer's property;

 

(5) reasonable observance of cultural and ethnic practice and religion;

 

(6) be free from bias and harassment regarding race, gender, age, disability, spirituality, and sexual orientation;

 

(7) be informed of and use the license holder's grievance policy and procedures, including knowing how to contact persons responsible for addressing problems and to appeal under section 256.045;

 

(8) know the name, telephone number, and the Web site, e-mail, and street addresses of protection and advocacy services, including the appropriate state-appointed ombudsman, and a brief description of how to file a complaint with these offices;

 

(5) (9) voice grievances, know the contact persons responsible for addressing problems and how to contact those persons;

 

(6) (10) any procedures for grievance or complaint resolution and the right to appeal under section 256.045;

 

(7) (11) know the name and address of the state, county, or advocacy agency to contact for additional information or assistance;

 

(8) (12) assert these rights personally, or have them asserted by the consumer's family or legal representative, without retaliation;

 

(9) (13) give or withhold written informed consent to participate in any research or experimental treatment;


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(10) (14) have daily, private access to and use of a non-coin-operated telephone for local calls and long-distance calls made collect or paid for by the resident;

 

(11) (15) receive and send, without interference, uncensored, unopened mail or electronic correspondence or communication;

 

(12) (16) marital privacy for visits with the consumer's spouse and, if both are residents of the site, the right to share a bedroom and bed;

 

(13) (17) associate with other persons of the consumer's choice;

 

(14) (18) personal privacy; and

 

(15) (19) engage in chosen activities.

 

(b) Restriction of a person's rights under paragraph (a), clauses (13) to (15), or this paragraph is allowed only if determined necessary to ensure the health, safety, and well-being of the person.  Any restriction of these rights must be documented in the service plan for the person and must include the following information:

 

(1) the justification for the restriction based on an assessment of the person's vulnerability related to exercising the right without restriction;

 

(2) the objective measures set as conditions for ending the restriction;

 

(3) a schedule for reviewing the need for the restriction based on the conditions for ending the restriction to occur, at a minimum, every three months for persons who do not have a legal representative and annually for persons who do have a legal representative from the date of initial approval; and

 

(4) signed and dated approval for the restriction from the person, or the person's legal representative, if any.  A restriction may be implemented only when the required approval has been obtained.  Approval may be withdrawn at any time.  If approval is withdrawn, the right must be immediately and fully restored.

 

Sec. 11.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 245B.05, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

 

Subdivision 1.  Environment.  The license holder must:

 

(1) ensure that services are provided in a safe and hazard-free environment when the license holder is the owner, lessor, or tenant of the service site.  All other license holders shall inform the consumer or the consumer's legal representative and case manager about any environmental safety concerns in writing;

 

(2) lock doors ensure that doors are locked or toxic substances or dangerous items normally accessible to persons served by the program are stored in locked cabinets, drawers, or containers only to protect the safety of consumers and not as a substitute for staff supervision or interactions with consumers.  If doors are locked or toxic substances or dangerous items normally accessible to persons served by the program are stored in locked cabinets, drawers, or containers, the license holder must justify and document how this determination was made in consultation with the person or the person's legal representative and how access will otherwise be provided to the person and all other affected persons receiving services;

 

(3) follow procedures that minimize the consumer's health risk from communicable diseases; and


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(4) maintain equipment, vehicles, supplies, and materials owned or leased by the license holder in good condition.

 

Sec. 12.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 245B.07, subdivision 5, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 5.  Staff orientation.  (a) Within 60 days of hiring staff who provide direct service, the license holder must provide 30 hours of staff orientation.  Direct care staff must complete 15 of the 30 hours orientation before providing any unsupervised direct service to a consumer.  If the staff person has received orientation training from a license holder licensed under this chapter, or provides semi-independent living services only, the 15-hour requirement may be reduced to eight hours.  The total orientation of 30 hours may be reduced to 15 hours if the staff person has previously received orientation training from a license holder licensed under this chapter.

 

(b) The 30 hours of orientation must combine supervised on-the-job training with coverage review of and instruction on the following material:

 

(1) review of the consumer's service plans and risk management plan to achieve an understanding of the consumer as a unique individual and staff responsibilities related to implementation of those plans;

 

(2) review and instruction on implementation of the license holder's policies and procedures, including their location and access;

 

(3) staff responsibilities related to emergency procedures;

 

(4) explanation of specific job functions, including implementing objectives from the consumer's individual service plan;

 

(5) explanation of responsibilities related to section 245A.65; sections 626.556 and 626.557, governing maltreatment reporting and service planning for children and vulnerable adults; and section 245.825, governing use of aversive and deprivation procedures;

 

(6) medication administration as it applies to the individual consumer, from a training curriculum developed by a health services professional described in section 245B.05, subdivision 5, and when the consumer meets the criteria of having overriding health care needs, then medication administration taught by a health services professional.  Staff may administer medications only after they demonstrate the ability, as defined in the license holder's medication administration policy and procedures.  Once a consumer with overriding health care needs is admitted, staff will be provided with remedial training as deemed necessary by the license holder and the health professional to meet the needs of that consumer.

 

For purposes of this section, overriding health care needs means a health care condition that affects the service options available to the consumer because the condition requires:

 

(i) specialized or intensive medical or nursing supervision; and

 

(ii) nonmedical service providers to adapt their services to accommodate the health and safety needs of the consumer;

 

(7) consumer rights and staff responsibilities related to protecting and ensuring the exercise of the consumer rights; and

 

(8) other topics necessary as determined by the consumer's individual service plan or other areas identified by the license holder.


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(c) The license holder must document each employee's orientation received.

 

Sec. 13.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 245B.07, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:

 

Subd. 7a.  Subcontractors.  If the license holder uses a subcontractor to perform services licensed under this chapter on the license holder's behalf, the license holder must ensure that the subcontractor meets and maintains compliance with all requirements under this chapter that apply to the services to be provided.

 

Sec. 14.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 245B.07, subdivision 9, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 9.  Availability of current written policies and procedures.  The license holder shall:

 

(1) review and update, as needed, the written policies and procedures in this chapter;

 

(2) inform consumers or the consumer's legal representatives of the written policies and procedures in this chapter upon service initiation.  Copies of policies and procedures affecting a consumer's rights under section 245D.04 must be provided upon service initiation.  Copies of all other policies and procedures must be available to consumers or the consumer's legal representatives, case managers, the county where services are located, and the commissioner upon request;

 

(3) provide all consumers or the consumers' legal representatives and case managers a copy of the revised policies and procedures and explanation of the revisions to policies and procedures that affect consumers' service-related or protection-related rights under section 245B.04 and maltreatment reporting policies and procedures.  Unless there is reasonable cause, the license holder must provide this notice at least 30 days before implementing the revised policy and procedure.  The license holder must document the reason for not providing the notice at least 30 days before implementing the revisions;

 

(4) annually notify all consumers or the consumers' legal representatives and case managers of any revised policies and procedures under this chapter, other than those in clause (3).  Upon request, the license holder must provide the consumer or consumer's legal representative and case manager copies of the revised policies and procedures;

 

(5) before implementing revisions to policies and procedures under this chapter, inform all employees of the revisions and provide training on implementation of the revised policies and procedures; and

 

(6) document and maintain relevant information related to the policies and procedures in this chapter.

 

Sec. 15.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 245B.07, subdivision 10, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 10.  Consumer funds.  (a) The license holder must ensure that consumers retain the use and availability of personal funds or property unless restrictions are justified in the consumer's individual service plan.

 

(b) The license holder must ensure separation of consumer funds from funds of the license holder, the program, or program staff.

 

(c) Whenever the license holder assists a consumer with the safekeeping of funds or other property, the license holder must have written authorization to do so by the consumer or the consumer's legal representative, and the case manager.  In addition, the license holder must:

 

(1) document receipt and disbursement of the consumer's funds or the property;


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(2) annually survey, document, and implement the preferences of the consumer, consumer's legal representative, and the case manager for frequency of receiving a statement that itemizes receipts and disbursements of consumer funds or other property; and

 

(3) return to the consumer upon the consumer's request, funds and property in the license holder's possession subject to restrictions in the consumer's individual service plan, as soon as possible, but no later than three working days after the date of the request.

 

(d) License holders and program staff must not:

 

(1) borrow money from a consumer;

 

(2) purchase personal items from a consumer;

 

(3) sell merchandise or personal services to a consumer;

 

(4) require a consumer to purchase items for which the license holder is eligible for reimbursement; or

 

(5) use consumer funds in a manner that would violate section 256B.04, or any rules promulgated under that section.; or

 

(6) accept powers-of-attorney from a person receiving services from the license holder for any purpose, and may not accept an appointment as guardian or conservator of a person receiving services from the license holder.  This does not apply to license holders that are Minnesota counties or other units of government.

 

Sec. 16.  [245D.01] CITATION.

 

This chapter may be cited as the "Home and Community-Based Services Standards" or "HCBS Standards."

 

Sec. 17.  [245D.02] DEFINITIONS.

 

Subdivision 1.  Scope.  The terms used in this chapter have the meanings given them in this section.

 

Subd. 2.  Annual and annually.  "Annual" and "annually" have the meaning given in section 245A.02, subdivision 2b.

 

Subd. 3.  Case manager.  "Case manager" means the individual designated to provide waiver case management services, care coordination, or long-term care consultation, as specified in sections 256B.0913, 256B.0915, 256B.092, and 256B.49, or successor provisions. 

 

Subd. 4.  Commissioner.  "Commissioner" means the commissioner of the Department of Human Services or the commissioner's designated representative.

 

Subd. 5.  Department.  "Department" means the Department of Human Services.

 

Subd. 6.  Direct contact.  "Direct contact" has the meaning given in section 245C.02, subdivision 11, and is used interchangeably with the term "direct service."

 

Subd. 7.  Drug.  "Drug" has the meaning given in section 151.01, subdivision 5.


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Subd. 8.  Emergency.  "Emergency" means any event that affects the ordinary daily operation of the program including, but not limited to, fires, severe weather, natural disasters, power failures, or other events that threaten the immediate health and safety of a person receiving services and that require calling 911, emergency evacuation, moving to an emergency shelter, or temporary closure or relocation of the program to another facility or service site.

 

Subd. 9.  Health services.  "Health services" means any service or treatment consistent with the physical and mental health needs of the person, such as medication administration and monitoring, medical, dental, nutritional, health monitoring, wellness education, and exercise.

 

Subd. 10.  Home and community-based services.  "Home and community-based services" means the services subject to the provisions of this chapter and defined in the federal waiver plans governed by United States Code, title 42, sections 1396 et seq., or the state's alternative care program according to section 256B.0913, including the brain injury (BI) waiver, the community alternative care (CAC) waiver, the community alternatives for disabled individuals (CADI) waiver, the developmental disability (DD) waiver, the elderly waiver (EW), and the alternative care (AC) program. 

 

Subd. 11.  Incident.  "Incident" means an occurrence that affects the ordinary provision of services to a person and includes any of the following:

 

(1) serious injury as determined by section 245.91, subdivision 6;

 

(2) a person's death;

 

(3) any medical emergency, unexpected serious illness, or significant unexpected change in an illness or medical condition, or the mental health status of a person that requires calling 911 or a mental health crisis intervention team, physician treatment, or hospitalization;

 

(4) a person's unauthorized or unexplained absence from a program;

 

(5) physical aggression by a person receiving services against another person receiving services that causes physical pain, injury, or persistent emotional distress, including, but not limited to, hitting, slapping, kicking, scratching, pinching, biting, pushing, and spitting;

 

(6) any sexual activity between persons receiving services involving force or coercion as defined under section 609.341, subdivisions 3 and 14; or

 

(7) a report of alleged or suspected child or vulnerable adult maltreatment under section 626.556 or 626.557. 

 

Subd. 12.  Legal representative.  "Legal representative" means the parent of a person who is under 18 years of age, a court-appointed guardian, or other representative with legal authority to make decisions about services for a person.

 

Subd. 13.  License.  "License" has the meaning given in section 245A.02, subdivision 8. 

 

Subd. 14.  Licensed health professional.  "Licensed health professional" means a person licensed in Minnesota to practice those professions described in section 214.01, subdivision 2.

 

Subd. 15.  License holder.  "License holder" has the meaning given in section 245A.02, subdivision 9. 

 

Subd. 16.  Medication.  "Medication" means a prescription drug or over-the-counter drug.  For purposes of this chapter, "medication" includes dietary supplements.


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Subd. 17.  Medication administration.  "Medication administration" means performing the following set of tasks to ensure a person takes both prescription and over-the-counter medications and treatments according to orders issued by appropriately licensed professionals, and includes the following:

 

(1) checking the person's medication record;

 

(2) preparing the medication for administration;

 

(3) administering the medication to the person;

 

(4) documenting the administration of the medication or the reason for not administering the medication; and

 

(5) reporting to the prescriber or a nurse any concerns about the medication, including side effects, adverse reactions, effectiveness, or the person's refusal to take the medication or the person's self-administration of the medication.

 

Subd. 18.  Medication assistance.  "Medication assistance" means providing verbal or visual reminders to take regularly scheduled medication, which includes either of the following:

 

(1) bringing to the person and opening a container of previously set up medications and emptying the container into the person's hand or opening and giving the medications in the original container to the person, or bringing to the person liquids or food to accompany the medication; or

 

(2) providing verbal or visual reminders to perform regularly scheduled treatments and exercises.

 

Subd. 19.  Medication management.  "Medication management" means the provision of any of the following:

 

(1) medication-related services to a person;

 

(2) medication setup;

 

(3) medication administration;

 

(4) medication storage and security;

 

(5) medication documentation and charting;

 

(6) verification and monitoring of effectiveness of systems to ensure safe medication handling and administration;

 

(7) coordination of medication refills;

 

(8) handling changes to prescriptions and implementation of those changes;

 

(9) communicating with the pharmacy; or

 

(10) coordination and communication with prescriber.

 

For the purposes of this chapter, medication management does not mean "medication therapy management services" as identified in section 256B.0625, subdivision 13h.


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Subd. 20.  Mental health crisis intervention team.  "Mental health crisis intervention team" means mental health crisis response providers as identified in section 256B.0624, subdivision 2, paragraph (d), for adults, and in section 256B.0944, subdivision 1, paragraph (d), for children.

 

Subd. 21.  Over-the-counter drug.  "Over-the-counter drug" means a drug that is not required by federal law to bear the statement "Caution:  Federal law prohibits dispensing without prescription."

 

Subd. 22.  Person.  "Person" has the meaning given in section 245A.02, subdivision 11.

 

Subd. 23.  Person with a disability.  "Person with a disability" means a person determined to have a disability by the commissioner's state medical review team as identified in section 256B.055, subdivision 7, the Social Security Administration, or the person is determined to have a developmental disability as defined in Minnesota Rules, part 9525.0016, subpart 2, item B, or a related condition as defined in section 252.27, subdivision 1a.

 

Subd. 24.  Prescriber.  "Prescriber" means a licensed practitioner as defined in section 151.01, subdivision 23, who is authorized under section 151.37 to prescribe drugs.  For the purposes of this chapter, the term "prescriber" is used interchangeably with "physician."

 

Subd. 25.  Prescription drug.  "Prescription drug" has the meaning given in section 151.01, subdivision 17.

 

Subd. 26.  Program.  "Program" means either the nonresidential or residential program as defined in section 245A.02, subdivisions 10 and 14.

 

Subd. 27.  Psychotropic medication.  "Psychotropic medication" means any medication prescribed to treat the symptoms of mental illness that affect thought processes, mood, sleep, or behavior.  The major classes of psychotropic medication are antipsychotic (neuroleptic), antidepressant, antianxiety, mood stabilizers, anticonvulsants, and stimulants and nonstimulants for the treatment of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder.  Other miscellaneous medications are considered to be a psychotropic medication when they are specifically prescribed to treat a mental illness or to control or alter behavior.

 

Subd. 28.  Restraint.  "Restraint" means physical or mechanical limiting of the free and normal movement of body or limbs.

 

Subd. 29.  Seclusion.  "Seclusion" means separating a person from others in a way that prevents social contact and prevents the person from leaving the situation if he or she chooses.

 

Subd. 30.  Service.  "Service" means care, training, supervision, counseling, consultation, or medication assistance assigned to the license holder in the service plan.

 

Subd. 31.  Service plan.  "Service plan" means the individual service plan or individual care plan identified in sections 256B.0913, 256B.0915, 256B.092, and 256B.49, or successor provisions, and includes any support plans or service needs identified as a result of long-term care consultation, or a support team meeting that includes the participation of the person, the person's legal representative, and case manager, or assigned to a license holder through an authorized service agreement.

 

Subd. 32.  Service site.  "Service site" means the location where the service is provided to the person, including but not limited to, a facility licensed according to chapter 245A; a location where the license holder is the owner, lessor, or tenant; a person's own home; or a community-based location.

 

Subd. 33.  Staff.  "Staff" means an employee who will have direct contact with a person served by the facility, agency, or program.


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Subd. 34.  Support team.  "Support team" means the service planning team identified in section 256B.49, subdivision 15, or the interdisciplinary team identified in Minnesota Rules, part 9525.0004, subpart 14.

 

Subd. 35.  Unit of government.  "Unit of government" means every city, county, town, school district, other political subdivisions of the state, and any agency of the state or the United States, and includes any instrumentality of a unit of government. 

 

Subd. 36.  Volunteer.  "Volunteer" means an individual who, under the direction of the license holder, provides direct services without pay to a person served by the license holder.

 

Sec. 18.  [245D.03] APPLICABILITY AND EFFECT.

 

Subdivision 1.  Applicability.  The commissioner shall regulate the provision of home and community-based services to persons with disabilities and persons age 65 and older pursuant to this chapter.  The licensing standards in this chapter govern the provision of the following services:

 

(1) housing access coordination as defined under the current BI, CADI, and DD waiver plans or successor plans;

 

(2) respite services as defined under the current CADI, BI, CAC, DD, and EW waiver plans or successor plans when the provider is an individual who is not an employee of a residential or nonresidential program licensed by the Department of Human Services or the Department of Health that is otherwise providing the respite service;

 

(3) behavioral programming as defined under the current BI and CADI waiver plans or successor plans;

 

(4) specialist services as defined under the current DD waiver plan or successor plans;

 

(5) companion services as defined under the current BI, CADI, and EW waiver plans or successor plans, excluding companion services provided under the Corporation for National and Community Services Senior Companion Program established under the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973, Public Law 98-288;

 

(6) personal support as defined under the current DD waiver plan or successor plans;

 

(7) 24-hour emergency assistance, on-call and personal emergency response as defined under the current CADI and DD waiver plans or successor plans;

 

(8) night supervision services as defined under the current BI waiver plan or successor plans;

 

(9) homemaker services as defined under the current CADI, BI, CAC, DD, and EW waiver plans or successor plans, excluding providers licensed by the Department of Health under chapter 144A and those providers providing cleaning services only;

 

(10) independent living skills training as defined under the current BI and CADI waiver plans or successor plans;

 

(11) prevocational services as defined under the current BI and CADI waiver plans or successor plans;

 

(12) structured day services as defined under the current BI waiver plan or successor plans; or

 

(13) supported employment as defined under the current BI and CADI waiver plans or successor plans.

 

Subd. 2.  Relationship to other standards governing home and community-based services.  (a) A license holder governed by this chapter is also subject to the licensure requirements under chapter 245A. 


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(b) A license holder concurrently providing child foster care services licensed according to Minnesota Rules, chapter 2960, to the same person receiving a service licensed under this chapter is exempt from section 245D.04, as it applies to the person.

 

(c) A license holder concurrently providing home care services registered according to sections 144A.43 to 144A.49 to the same person receiving home management services licensed under this chapter is exempt from section 245D.04, as it applies to the person.

 

(d) A license holder identified in subdivision 1, clauses (1), (5), and (9), is exempt from compliance with sections 245A.65, subdivision 2, paragraph (a), and 626.557, subdivision 14, paragraph (b). 

 

(e) Notwithstanding section 245D.06, subdivision 5, a license holder providing structured day, prevocational, or supported employment services under this chapter and day training and habilitation or supported employment services licensed under chapter 245B within the same program is exempt from compliance with this chapter, when the license holder notifies the commissioner in writing that the requirements under chapter 245B will be met for all persons receiving these services from the program.  For the purposes of this paragraph, if the license holder has obtained approval from the commissioner for an alternative inspection status according to section 245B.031, that approval will apply to all persons receiving services in the program.

 

Subd. 3.  Variance.  If the conditions in section 245A.04, subdivision 9, are met, the commissioner may grant a variance to any of the requirements in this chapter, except sections 245D.04, and 245D.10, subdivision 4, paragraph (b), or provisions governing data practices and information rights of persons. 

 

Subd. 4.  License holders with multiple 245D licenses.  (a) When a person changes service from one license to a different license held by the same license holder, the license holder is exempt from the requirements in section 245D.10, subdivision 4, paragraph (b). 

 

(b) When a staff person begins providing direct service under one or more licenses held by the same license holder, other than the license for which staff orientation was initially provided according to section 245D.09, subdivision 4, the license holder is exempt from those staff orientation requirements; except the staff person must review each person's service plan and medication administration procedures in accordance with section 245D.09, subdivision 4, paragraph (c), if not previously reviewed by the staff person. 

 

Sec. 19.  [245D.04] SERVICE RECIPIENT RIGHTS.

 

Subdivision 1.  License holder responsibility for individual rights of persons served by the program.  The license holder must:

 

(1) provide each person or each person's legal representative with a written notice that identifies the service recipient rights in subdivisions 2 and 3, and an explanation of those rights within five working days of service initiation and annually thereafter;

 

(2) make reasonable accommodations to provide this information in other formats or languages as needed to facilitate understanding of the rights by the person and the person's legal representative, if any;

 

(3) maintain documentation of the person's or the person's legal representative's receipt of a copy and an explanation of the rights; and

 

(4) ensure the exercise and protection of the person's rights in the services provided by the license holder and as authorized in the service plan.


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Subd. 2.  Service-related rights.  A person's service-related rights include the right to:

 

(1) participate in the development and evaluation of the services provided to the person;

 

(2) have services identified in the service plan provided in a manner that respects and takes into consideration the person's preferences;

 

(3) refuse or terminate services and be informed of the consequences of refusing or terminating services;

 

(4) know, in advance, limits to the services available from the license holder;

 

(5) know conditions and terms governing the provision of services, including the license holder's policies and procedures related to temporary service suspension and service termination;

 

(6) know what the charges are for services, regardless of who will be paying for the services, and be notified of changes in those charges;

 

(7) know, in advance, whether services are covered by insurance, government funding, or other sources, and be told of any charges the person or other private party may have to pay; and

 

(8) receive services from an individual who is competent and trained, who has professional certification or licensure, as required, and who meets additional qualifications identified in the person's service plan.

 

Subd. 3.  Protection-related rights.  (a) A person's protection-related rights include the right to:

 

(1) have personal, financial, service, health, and medical information kept private, and be advised of disclosure of this information by the license holder;

 

(2) access records and recorded information about the person in accordance with applicable state and federal law, regulation, or rule;

 

(3) be free from maltreatment;

 

(4) be free from restraint or seclusion used for a purpose other than to protect the person from imminent danger to self or others;

 

(5) receive services in a clean and safe environment when the license holder is the owner, lessor, or tenant of the service site;

 

(6) be treated with courtesy and respect and receive respectful treatment of the person's property;

 

(7) reasonable observance of cultural and ethnic practice and religion;

 

(8) be free from bias and harassment regarding race, gender, age, disability, spirituality, and sexual orientation;

 

(9) be informed of and use the license holder's grievance policy and procedures, including knowing how to contact persons responsible for addressing problems and to appeal under section 256.045;

 

(10) know the name, telephone number, and the Web site, e-mail, and street addresses of protection and advocacy services, including the appropriate state-appointed ombudsman, and a brief description of how to file a complaint with these offices;


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(11) assert these rights personally, or have them asserted by the person's family, authorized representative, or legal representative, without retaliation;

 

(12) give or withhold written informed consent to participate in any research or experimental treatment;

 

(13) associate with other persons of the person's choice;

 

(14) personal privacy; and

 

(15) engage in chosen activities.

 

(b) For a person residing in a residential site licensed according to chapter 245A, or where the license holder is the owner, lessor, or tenant of the residential service site, protection-related rights also include the right to: 

 

(1) have daily, private access to and use of a non-coin-operated telephone for local calls and long-distance calls made collect or paid for by the person;

 

(2) receive and send, without interference, uncensored, unopened mail or electronic correspondence or communication; and

 

(3) privacy for visits with the person's spouse, next of kin, legal counsel, religious advisor, or others, in accordance with section 363A.09 of the Human Rights Act, including privacy in the person's bedroom.

 

(c) Restriction of a person's rights under paragraph (a), clauses (13) to (15), or paragraph (b) is allowed only if determined necessary to ensure the health, safety, and well-being of the person.  Any restriction of those rights must be documented in the service plan for the person and must include the following information:

 

(1) the justification for the restriction based on an assessment of the person's vulnerability related to exercising the right without restriction;

 

(2) the objective measures set as conditions for ending the restriction;

 

(3) a schedule for reviewing the need for the restriction based on the conditions for ending the restriction to occur, at a minimum, every three months for persons who do not have a legal representative and annually for persons who do have a legal representative from the date of initial approval; and

 

(4) signed and dated approval for the restriction from the person, or the person's legal representative, if any.  A restriction may be implemented only when the required approval has been obtained.  Approval may be withdrawn at any time.  If approval is withdrawn, the right must be immediately and fully restored.

 

Sec. 20.  [245D.05] HEALTH SERVICES.

 

Subdivision 1.  Health needs.  (a) The license holder is responsible for providing health services assigned in the service plan and consistent with the person's health needs.  The license holder is responsible for promptly notifying the person or the person's legal representative and the case manager of changes in a person's physical and mental health needs affecting assigned health services, when discovered by the license holder, unless the license holder has reason to know the change has already been reported.  The license holder must document when the notice is provided. 

 

(b) When assigned in the service plan, the license holder is required to maintain documentation on how the person's health needs will be met, including a description of the procedures the license holder will follow in order to:


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(1) provide medication administration, medication assistance, or medication management according to this chapter;

 

(2) monitor health conditions according to written instructions from the person's physician or a licensed health professional;

 

(3) assist with or coordinate medical, dental, and other health service appointments; or

 

(4) use medical equipment, devices, or adaptive aides or technology safely and correctly according to written instructions from the person's physician or a licensed health professional. 

 

Subd. 2.  Medication administration.  (a) The license holder must ensure that the following criteria have been met before staff that is not a licensed health professional administers medication or treatment:

 

(1) written authorization has been obtained from the person or the person's legal representative to administer medication or treatment orders;

 

(2) the staff person has completed medication administration training according to section 245D.09, subdivision 4, paragraph (c), clause (2); and

 

(3) the medication or treatment will be administered under administration procedures established for the person in consultation with a licensed health professional.  Written instruction from the person's physician may constitute the medication administration procedures.  A prescription label or the prescriber's order for the prescription is sufficient to constitute written instructions from the prescriber.  A licensed health professional may delegate medication administration procedures.

 

(b) The license holder must ensure the following information is documented in the person's medication administration record:

 

(1) the information on the prescription label or the prescriber's order that includes directions for safely and correctly administering the medication to ensure effectiveness;

 

(2) information on any discomforts, risks, or other side effects that are reasonable to expect, and any contraindications to its use;

 

(3) the possible consequences if the medication or treatment is not taken or administered as directed;

 

(4) instruction from the prescriber on when and to whom to report the following:

 

(i) if the medication or treatment is not administered as prescribed, whether by error by the staff or the person or by refusal by the person; and

 

(ii) the occurrence of possible adverse reactions to the medication or treatment;

 

(5) notation of any occurrence of medication not being administered as prescribed or of adverse reactions, and when and to whom the report was made; and

 

(6) notation of when a medication or treatment is started, changed, or discontinued.

 

(c) The license holder must ensure that the information maintained in the medication administration record is current and is regularly reviewed with the person or the person's legal representative and the staff administering the medication to identify medication administration issues or errors.  At a minimum, the review must be conducted


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every three months or more often if requested by the person or the person's legal representative.  Based on the review, the license holder must develop and implement a plan to correct medication administration issues or errors.  If issues or concerns are identified related to the medication itself, the license holder must report those as required under subdivision 4.

 

Subd. 3.  Medication assistance.  The license holder must ensure that the requirements of subdivision 2, paragraph (a), have been met when staff provides assistance to enable a person to self-administer medication when the person is capable of directing the person's own care, or when the person's legal representative is present and able to direct care for the person.

 

Subd. 4.  Reporting medication and treatment issues.  The following medication administration issues must be reported to the person or the person's legal representative and case manager as they occur or following timelines established in the person's service plan or as requested in writing by the person or the person's legal representative, or the case manager:

 

(1) any reports made to the person's physician or prescriber required under subdivision 2, paragraph (b), clause (4);

 

(2) a person's refusal or failure to take medication or treatment as prescribed; or

 

(3) concerns about a person's self-administration of medication. 

 

Subd. 5.  Injectable medications.  Injectable medications may be administered according to a prescriber's order and written instructions when one of the following conditions has been met:

 

(1) a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse will administer the subcutaneous or intramuscular injection;

 

(2) a supervising registered nurse with a physician's order has delegated the administration of subcutaneous injectable medication to an unlicensed staff member and has provided the necessary training; or

 

(3) there is an agreement signed by the license holder, the prescriber, and the person or the person's legal representative, specifying what subcutaneous injections may be given, when, how, and that the prescriber must retain responsibility for the license holder's giving the injections.  A copy of the agreement must be placed in the person's service recipient record.

 

Only licensed health professionals are allowed to administer psychotropic medications by injection.

 

Sec. 21.  [245D.06] PROTECTION STANDARDS.

 

Subdivision 1.  Incident response and reporting.  (a) The license holder must respond to all incidents under section 245D.02, subdivision 11, that occur while providing services to protect the health and safety of and minimize risk of harm to the person.

 

(b) The license holder must maintain information about and report incidents to the person's legal representative or designated emergency contact and case manager within 24 hours of an incident occurring while services are being provided, or within 24 hours of discovery or receipt of information that an incident occurred, unless the license holder has reason to know that the incident has already been reported.  An incident of suspected or alleged maltreatment must be reported as required under paragraph (d), and an incident of serious injury or death must be reported as required under paragraph (e). 


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(c) When the incident involves more than one person, the license holder must not disclose personally identifiable information about any other person when making the report to each person and case manager unless the license holder has the consent of the person.

 

(d) Within 24 hours of reporting maltreatment as required under section 626.556 or 626.557, the license holder must inform the case manager of the report unless there is reason to believe that the case manager is involved in the suspected maltreatment.  The license holder must disclose the nature of the activity or occurrence reported and the agency that received the report. 

 

(e) Within 24 hours of the occurrence, or within 24 hours of receipt of the information, the license holder must report the death or serious injury of the person to the legal representative, if any, and case manager, the Department of Human Services Licensing Division, and the Office of Ombudsman for Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities as required under section 245.94, subdivision 2a, within 24 hours of the death, discovery of the death, or receipt of information that the death occurred unless the license holder has reason to know that the death has already been reported. 

 

(f) The license holder must conduct a review of incident reports, for identification of incident patterns, and implementation of corrective action as necessary to reduce occurrences.

 

Subd. 2.  Environment and safety.  The license holder must:

 

(1) ensure the following when the license holder is the owner, lessor, or tenant of the service site:

 

(i) the service site is a safe and hazard-free environment;

 

(ii) doors are locked or toxic substances or dangerous items normally accessible to persons served by the program are stored in locked cabinets, drawers, or containers only to protect the safety of a person receiving services and not as a substitute for staff supervision or interactions with a person who is receiving services.  If doors are locked or toxic substances or dangerous items normally accessible to persons served by the program are stored in locked cabinets, drawers, or containers, the license holder must justify and document how this determination was made in consultation with the person or person's legal representative, and how access will otherwise be provided to the person and all other affected persons receiving services; and

 

(iii) a staff person is available on site who is trained in basic first aid whenever persons are present and staff are required to be at the site to provide direct service;

 

(2) maintain equipment, vehicles, supplies, and materials owned or leased by the license holder in good condition when used to provide services;

 

(3) follow procedures to ensure safe transportation, handling, and transfers of the person and any equipment used by the person, when the license holder is responsible for transportation of a person or a person's equipment;

 

(4) be prepared for emergencies and follow emergency response procedures to ensure the person's safety in an emergency; and

 

(5) follow sanitary practices for infection control and to prevent communicable diseases. 

 

Subd. 3.  Compliance with fire and safety codes.  When services are provided at a service site licensed according to chapter 245A or where the license holder is the owner, lessor, or tenant of the service site, the license holder must document compliance with applicable building codes, fire and safety codes, health rules, and zoning ordinances, or document that an appropriate waiver has been granted. 


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Subd. 4.  Funds and property.  (a) Whenever the license holder assists a person with the safekeeping of funds or other property according to section 245A.04, subdivision 13, the license holder must have written authorization to do so from the person and the case manager. 

 

(b) A license holder or staff person may not accept powers-of-attorney from a person receiving services from the license holder for any purpose, and may not accept an appointment as guardian or conservator of a person receiving services from the license holder.  This does not apply to license holders that are Minnesota counties or other units of government or to staff persons employed by license holders who were acting as power-of-attorney, guardian, or conservator for specific individuals prior to enactment of this section.  The license holder must maintain documentation of the power-of-attorney, guardianship, or conservatorship in the service recipient record. 

 

Subd. 5.  Prohibitions.  The license holder is prohibited from using psychotropic medication as a substitute for adequate staffing, as punishment, for staff convenience, or for any reason other than as prescribed.  The license holder is prohibited from using restraints or seclusion under any circumstance, unless the commissioner has approved a variance request from the license holder that allows for the emergency use of restraints and seclusion according to terms and conditions approved in the variance.

 

Sec. 22.  [245D.07] SERVICE NEEDS.

 

Subdivision 1.  Provision of services.  The license holder must provide services as specified in the service plan and assigned to the license holder.  The provision of services must comply with the requirements of this chapter and the federal waiver plans.

 

Subd. 2.  Service planning.  The license holder must participate in support team meetings related to the person following stated timelines established in the person's service plan or as requested by the support team, the person, or the person's legal representative.

 

Subd. 3.  Reports.  The license holder must provide written reports regarding the person's progress or status as requested by the person, the person's legal representative, the case manager, or the team.

 

Sec. 23.  [245D.08] RECORD REQUIREMENTS.

 

Subdivision 1.  Record-keeping systems.  The license holder must ensure that the content and format of service recipient, personnel, and program records are uniform, legible, and in compliance with the requirements of this chapter. 

 

Subd. 2.  Service recipient record.  (a) The license holder must:

 

(1) maintain a record of current services provided to each person on the premises where the services are provided or coordinated; and

 

(2) protect service recipient records against loss, tampering, or unauthorized disclosure in compliance with sections 13.01 to 13.10 and 13.46.

 

(b) The license holder must maintain the following information for each person:

 

(1) identifying information, including the person's name, date of birth, address, and telephone number;

 

(2) the name, address, and telephone number of the person's legal representative, if any, an emergency contact, the case manager, and family members or others as identified by the person or case manager;


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(3) service information, including service initiation information, verification of the person's eligibility for services, and documentation verifying that services have been provided as identified in the service plan according to paragraph (a);

 

(4) health information, including medical history and allergies; and when the license holder is assigned responsibility for meeting the person's health needs according to section 245D.05:

 

(i) current orders for medication, treatments, or medical equipment;

 

(ii) medication administration procedures;

 

(iii) a medication administration record documenting the implementation of the medication administration procedures, including any agreements for administration of injectable medications by the license holder; and

 

(iv) a medical appointment schedule;

 

(5) the person's current service plan or that portion of the plan assigned to the license holder.  When a person's case manager does not provide a current service plan, the license holder must make a written request to the case manager to provide a copy of the service plan and inform the person of the right to a current service plan and the right to appeal under section 256.045;

 

(6) a record of other service providers serving the person when the person's service plan identifies the need for coordination between the service providers, that includes a contact person and telephone numbers, services being provided, and names of staff responsible for coordination;

 

(7) documentation of orientation to the service recipient rights according to section 245D.04, subdivision 1, and maltreatment reporting policies and procedures according to section 245A.65, subdivision 1, paragraph (c);

 

(8) copies of authorizations to handle a person's funds, according to section 245D.06, subdivision 4, paragraph (a);

 

(9) documentation of complaints received and grievance resolution;

 

(10) incident reports required under section 245D.06, subdivision 1;

 

(11) copies of written reports regarding the person's status when requested according to section 245D.07, subdivision 3; and

 

(12) discharge summary, including service termination notice and related documentation, when applicable.

 

Subd. 3.  Access to service recipient records.  The license holder must ensure that the following people have access to the information in subdivision 1 in accordance with applicable state and federal law, regulation, or rule:

 

(1) the person, the person's legal representative, and anyone properly authorized by the person;

 

(2) the person's case manager;

 

(3) staff providing services to the person unless the information is not relevant to carrying out the service plan; and

 

(4) the county adult foster care licensor, when services are also licensed as adult foster care. 


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Subd. 4.  Personnel records.  The license holder must maintain a personnel record of each employee, direct service volunteer, and subcontractor to document and verify staff qualifications, orientation, and training.  For the purposes of this subdivision, the terms "staff" or "staff person" mean paid employee, direct service volunteer, or subcontractor.  The personnel record must include:

 

(1) the staff person's date of hire, completed application, a position description signed by the staff person, documentation that the staff person meets the position requirements as determined by the license holder, the date of first supervised direct contact with a person served by the program, and the date of first unsupervised direct contact with a person served by the program;

 

(2) documentation of staff qualifications, orientation, training, and performance evaluations as required under section 245D.09, subdivisions 3, 4, and 5, including the date the training was completed, the number of hours per subject area, and the name and qualifications of the trainer or instructor; and

 

(3) a completed background study as required under chapter 245C.

 

Sec. 24.  [245D.09] STAFFING STANDARDS.

 

Subdivision 1.  Staffing requirements.  The license holder must provide direct service staff sufficient to ensure the health, safety, and protection of rights of each person and to be able to implement the responsibilities assigned to the license holder in each person's service plan.

 

Subd. 2.  Supervision of staff having direct contact.  Except for a license holder who are the sole direct service staff, the license holder must provide adequate supervision of staff providing direct service to ensure the health, safety, and protection of rights of each person and implementation of the responsibilities assigned to the license holder in each person's service plan.

 

Subd. 3.  Staff qualifications.  (a) The license holder must ensure that staff is competent through training, experience, and education to meet the person's needs and additional requirements as written in the service plan, or when otherwise required by the case manager or the federal waiver plan.  The license holder must verify and maintain evidence of staff competency, including documentation of:

 

(1) education and experience qualifications, including a valid degree and transcript, or a current license, registration, or certification, when a degree or licensure, registration, or certification is required;

 

(2) completion of required orientation and training, including completion of continuing education required to maintain professional licensure, registration, or certification requirements; and

 

(3) except for a license holder who is the sole direct service staff, performance evaluations completed by the license holder of the direct service staff person's ability to perform the job functions based on direct observation.

 

(b) Staff under 18 years of age may not perform overnight duties or administer medication.

 

Subd. 4.  Orientation.  (a) Except for a license holder who does not supervise any direct service staff, within 90 days of hiring direct service staff, the license holder must provide and ensure completion of orientation that combines supervised on-the-job training with review of and instruction on the following:

 

(1) the job description and how to complete specific job functions, including:

 

(i) responding to and reporting incidents as required under section 245D.06, subdivision 1; and


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(ii) following safety practices established by the license holder and as required in section 245D.06, subdivision 2;

 

(2) the license holder's current policies and procedures required under this chapter, including their location and access, and staff responsibilities related to implementation of those policies and procedures;

 

(3) data privacy requirements according to sections 13.01 to 13.10 and 13.46, the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), and staff responsibilities related to complying with data privacy practices;

 

(4) the service recipient rights under section 245D.04, and staff responsibilities related to ensuring the exercise and protection of those rights;

 

(5) sections 245A.65; 245A.66, 626.556, and 626.557, governing maltreatment reporting and service planning for children and vulnerable adults, and staff responsibilities related to protecting persons from maltreatment and reporting maltreatment;

 

(6) what constitutes use of restraints, seclusion, and psychotropic medications, and staff responsibilities related to the prohibitions of their use; and

 

(7) other topics as determined necessary in the person's service plan by the case manager or other areas identified by the license holder.

 

(b) License holders who provide direct service themselves must complete the orientation required in paragraph (a), clauses (3) to (7). 

 

(c) Before providing unsupervised direct service to a person served by the program, or for whom the staff person has not previously provided direct service, or any time the plans or procedures identified in clauses (1) and (2) are revised, the staff person must review and receive instruction on the following as it relates to the staff person's job functions for that person:

 

(1) the person's service plan as it relates to the responsibilities assigned to the license holder, and when applicable, the person's individual abuse prevention plan according to section 245A.65, to achieve an understanding of the person as a unique individual, and how to implement those plans; and

 

(2) medication administration procedures established for the person when assigned to the license holder according to section 245D.05, subdivision 1, paragraph (b).  Unlicensed staff may administer medications only after successful completion of a medication administration training, from a training curriculum developed by a registered nurse, clinical nurse specialist in psychiatric and mental health nursing, certified nurse practitioner, physician's assistant, or physician incorporating an observed skill assessment conducted by the trainer to ensure staff demonstrate the ability to safely and correctly follow medication procedures.  Medication administration must be taught by a registered nurse, clinical nurse specialist, certified nurse practitioner, physician's assistant, or physician, if at the time of service initiation or any time thereafter, the person has or develops a health care condition that affects the service options available to the person because the condition requires:

 

(i) specialized or intensive medical or nursing supervision;

 

(ii) nonmedical service providers to adapt their services to accommodate the health and safety needs of the person; and

 

(iii) necessary training in order to meet the health service needs of the person as determined by the person's physician.


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Subd. 5.  Training.  (a) A license holder must provide annual training to direct service staff on the topics identified in subdivision 4, paragraph (a), clauses (3) to (6).

 

(b) A license holder providing behavioral programming, specialist services, personal support, 24-hour emergency assistance, night supervision, independent living skills, structured day, prevocational, or supported employment services must provide a minimum of eight hours of annual training to direct service staff that addresses:

 

(1) topics related to the general health, safety, and service needs of the population served by the license holder; and

 

(2) other areas identified by the license holder or in the person's current service plan.

 

Training on relevant topics received from sources other than the license holder may count toward training requirements. 

 

(c) When the license holder is the owner, lessor, or tenant of the service site and whenever a person receiving services is present at the site, the license holder must have a staff person available on site who is trained in basic first aid and, when required in a person's service plan, cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

 

Subd. 6.  Subcontractors.  If the license holder uses a subcontractor to perform services licensed under this chapter on their behalf, the license holder must ensure that the subcontractor meets and maintains compliance with all requirements under this chapter that apply to the services to be provided.

 

Subd. 7.  Volunteers.  The license holder must ensure that volunteers who provide direct services to persons served by the program receive the training, orientation, and supervision necessary to fulfill their responsibilities.

 

Sec. 25.  [245D.10] POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.

 

Subdivision 1.  Policy and procedure requirements.  The license holder must establish, enforce, and maintain policies and procedures as required in this chapter.

 

Subd. 2.  Grievances.  The license holder must establish policies and procedures that provide a simple complaint process for persons served by the program and their authorized representatives to bring a grievance that:

 

(1) provides staff assistance with the complaint process when requested, and the addresses and telephone numbers of outside agencies to assist the person;

 

(2) allows the person to bring the complaint to the highest level of authority in the program if the grievance cannot be resolved by other staff members, and that provides the name, address, and telephone number of that person;

 

(3) requires the license holder to promptly respond to all complaints affecting a person's health and safety.  For all other complaints the license holder must provide an initial response within 14 calendar days of receipt of the complaint.  All complaints must be resolved within 30 calendar days of receipt or the license holder must document the reason for the delay and a plan for resolution;

 

(4) requires a complaint review that includes an evaluation of whether:

 

(i) related policies and procedures were followed and adequate;

 

(ii) there is a need for additional staff training;


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(iii) the complaint is similar to past complaints with the persons, staff, or services involved; and

 

(iv) there is a need for corrective action by the license holder to protect the health and safety of persons receiving services;

 

(5) based on the review in clause (4), requires the license holder to develop, document, and implement a corrective action plan, designed to correct current lapses and prevent future lapses in performance by staff or the license holder, if any;

 

(6) provides a written summary of the complaint and a notice of the complaint resolution to the person and case manager, that:

 

(i) identifies the nature of the complaint and the date it was received;

 

(ii) includes the results of the complaint review;

 

(iii) identifies the complaint resolution, including any corrective action; and

 

(7) requires that the complaint summary and resolution notice be maintained in the service recipient record.

 

Subd. 3.  Service suspension and service termination.  (a) The license holder must establish policies and procedures for temporary service suspension and service termination that promote continuity of care and service coordination with the person and the case manager, and with other licensed caregivers, if any, who also provide support to the person. 

 

(b) The policy must include the following requirements:

 

(1) the license holder must notify the person and case manager in writing of the intended termination or temporary service suspension, and the person's right to seek a temporary order staying the termination of service according to the procedures in section 256.045, subdivision 4a, or 6, paragraph (c);

 

(2) notice of the proposed termination of services, including those situations that began with a temporary service suspension, must be given at least 60 days before the proposed termination is to become effective when a license holder is providing independent living skills training, structured day, prevocational or supported employment services to the person, and 30 days prior to termination for all other services licensed under this chapter;

 

(3) the license holder must provide information requested by the person or case manager when services are temporarily suspended or upon notice of termination;

 

(4) prior to giving notice of service termination or temporary service suspension, the license holder must document actions taken to minimize or eliminate the need for service suspension or termination;

 

(5) during the temporary service suspension or service termination notice period, the license holder will work with the appropriate county agency to develop reasonable alternatives to protect the person and others;

 

(6) the license holder must maintain information about the service suspension or termination, including the written termination notice, in the service recipient record; and

 

(7) the license holder must restrict temporary service suspension to situations in which the person's behavior causes immediate and serious danger to the health and safety of the person or others.


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Subd. 4.  Availability of current written policies and procedures.  (a) The license holder must review and update, as needed, the written policies and procedures required under this chapter.

 

(b) The license holder must inform the person and case manager of the policies and procedures affecting a person's rights under section 245D.04, and provide copies of those policies and procedures, within five working days of service initiation. 

 

(c) The license holder must provide a written notice at least 30 days before implementing any revised policies and procedures affecting a person's rights under section 245D.04.  The notice must explain the revision that was made and include a copy of the revised policy and procedure.  The license holder must document the reason for not providing the notice at least 30 days before implementing the revisions.

 

(d) Before implementing revisions to required policies and procedures the license holder must inform all employees of the revisions and provide training on implementation of the revised policies and procedures. 

 

Sec. 26.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 256B.4912, is amended to read:

 

256B.4912 HOME AND COMMUNITY-BASED WAIVERS; PROVIDERS AND PAYMENT.

 

Subdivision 1.  Provider qualifications.  For the home and community-based waivers providing services to seniors and individuals with disabilities, the commissioner shall establish:

 

(1) agreements with enrolled waiver service providers to ensure providers meet qualifications defined in the waiver plans Minnesota health care program requirements;

 

(2) regular reviews of provider qualifications, and including requests of proof of documentation; and

 

(3) processes to gather the necessary information to determine provider qualifications.

 

By July 2010, Beginning July 1, 2012, staff that provide direct contact, as defined in section 245C.02, subdivision 11, that are employees of waiver service providers for services specified in the federally approved waiver plans must meet the requirements of chapter 245C prior to providing waiver services and as part of ongoing enrollment.  Upon federal approval, this requirement must also apply to consumer-directed community supports.

 

Subd. 2.  Rate-setting Payment methodologies.  (a) The commissioner shall establish statewide rate-setting payment methodologies that meet federal waiver requirements for home and community-based waiver services for individuals with disabilities.  The rate-setting payment methodologies must abide by the principles of transparency and equitability across the state.  The methodologies must involve a uniform process of structuring rates for each service and must promote quality and participant choice.

 

(b) As of January 1, 2012, counties shall not implement changes to established processes for rate-setting methodologies for individuals using components of or data from research rates.

 

Subd. 3.  Payment requirements.  The payment methodologies established under this section shall accommodate:

 

(1) supervision costs;

 

(2) staffing patterns;

 

(3) program-related expenses;


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(4) general and administrative expenses; and

 

(5) consideration of recipient intensity.

 

Subd. 4.  Payment rate criteria.  (a) The payment methodologies under this section shall reflect the payment rate criteria in paragraphs (b), (c), and (d).

 

(b) Payment rates shall reflect the reasonable, ordinary, and necessary costs of service delivery.

 

(c) Payment rates shall be sufficient to enlist enough providers so that care and services are available at least to the extent that such care and services are available to the general population in the geographic area as required by section 1902(a)(30)(A) of the Social Security Act.

 

(d) The commissioner must not reimburse:

 

(1) unauthorized service delivery;

 

(2) services provided under a receipt of a special grant;

 

(3) services provided under contract to a local school district;

 

(4) extended employment services under Minnesota Rules, parts 3300.2005 to 3300.3100, or vocational rehabilitation services provided under the federal Rehabilitation Act, as amended, Title I, section 110, or Title VI-C, and not through use of medical assistance or county social service funds; or

 

(5) services provided to a client by a licensed medical, therapeutic, or rehabilitation practitioner or any other vendor of medical care which are billed separately on a fee-for-service basis.

 

Subd. 5.  County and tribal provider contract elimination.  County and tribal contracts with providers of home and community-based waiver services provided under sections 256B.0913, 256B.0915, 256B.092, and 256B.49 are eliminated effective January 1, 2014.

 

Subd. 6.  Program standards.  The commissioner of human services must establish uniform program standards for services identified in chapter 245D for persons with disabilities and people age 65 and older.  The commissioner must grant licenses according to the provisions of chapter 245A.

 

Subd. 7.  Applicant and license holder training.  An applicant or license holder that is not enrolled as a Minnesota health care program home and community-based services waiver provider at the time of application must ensure that at least one controlling individual completes a onetime training on the requirements for providing home and community-based services from a qualified source as determined by the commissioner, before a provider is enrolled or license is issued.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective the day following final enactment.

 

Sec. 27.  [256B.4913] PAYMENT METHODOLOGY DEVELOPMENT.

 

Subdivision 1.  Research period and rates.  (a) For the purposes of this section, "research rate" means a proposed payment rate for the provision of home and community-based waivered services to meet federal requirements and assess the implications of changing resources on the provision of services and "research period" means the time period during which the research rate is being assessed by the commissioner.


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(b) The commissioner shall determine and publish initial frameworks and values to generate research rates for individuals receiving home and community-based services.

 

(c) The initial values issued by the commissioner shall ensure projected spending for home and community-based services for each service area is equivalent to projected spending under current law in the most recent expenditure forecast.

 

(d) The initial values issued shall be based on the most updated information and cost data available on supervision, employee-related costs, client programming and supports, programming planning supports, transportation, administrative overhead, and utilization costs.  These service areas are:

 

(1) residential services, defined as corporate foster care, family foster care, residential care, supported living services, customized living, and 24-hour customized living;

 

(2) day program services, defined as adult day care, day training and habilitation, prevocational services, structured day services, and transportation;

 

(3) unit-based services with programming, defined as in-home family support, independent living services, supported living services, supported employment, behavior programming, and housing access coordination; and

 

(4) unit-based services without programming, defined as respite, personal support, and night supervision.

 

(e) The commissioner shall make available the underlying assessment information, without any identifying information, and the statistical modeling used to generate the initial research rate and calculate budget neutrality.

 

Subd. 2.  Framework values.  (a) The commissioner shall propose legislation with the specific payment methodology frameworks, process for calculation, and specific values to populate the frameworks by February 15, 2013.

 

(b) The commissioner shall provide underlying data and information used to formulate the final frameworks and values to the existing stakeholder workgroup by January 15, 2013.

 

(c) The commissioner shall provide recommendations for the final frameworks and values, and the basis for the recommendations to the legislative committees with jurisdiction over health and human services finance by February 15, 2013.

 

(d) The commissioner shall review the following topics during the research period and propose, as necessary, recommendations to address the following research questions:

 

(1) underlying differences in the cost to provide services throughout the state;

 

(2) a data-driven process for determining labor costs and customizations for staffing classifications included in each rate framework based on the services performed;

 

(3) the allocation of resources previously established under section 256B.501, subdivision 4b;

 

(4) further definition and development of unit-based services;

 

(5) the impact of splitting the allocation of resources for unit-based services for those with programming aspects and those without;


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(6) linking assessment criteria to future assessment processes for determination of customizations;

 

(7) recognition of cost differences in the use of monitoring technology where it is appropriate to substitute for supervision;

 

(8) implications for day services of reimbursement based on a unit rate and a daily rate;

 

(9) a definition of shared and individual staffing for unit-based services;

 

(10) the underlying costs of providing transportation associated with day services; and

 

(11) an exception process for individuals with exceptional needs that cannot be met under the initial research rate, and an alternative payment structure for those individuals.

 

(e) The commissioner shall develop a comprehensive plan based on information gathered during the research period that uses statistically reliable and valid assessment data to refine payment methodologies.

 

(f) The commissioner shall make recommendations and provide underlying data and information used to formulate these research recommendations to the existing stakeholder workgroup by January 15, 2013.

 

Subd. 3.  Data collection.  (a) The commissioner shall conduct any necessary research and gather additional data for the further development and refinement of payment methodology components.  These include but are not limited to:

 

(1) levels of service utilization and patterns of use;

 

(2) staffing patterns for each service;

 

(3) profile of individual service needs; and

 

(4) cost factors involved in providing transportation services.

 

(b) The commissioner shall provide this information to the existing stakeholder workgroup by January 15, 2013.

 

Subd. 4.  Rate stabilization adjustment.  Beginning January 1, 2014, the commissioner shall adjust individual rates determined by the new payment methodology so that the new rate varies no more than one percent per year from the rate effective on December 31 of the prior calendar year.  This adjustment is made annually and is effective for three calendar years from the date of implementation.  This subdivision expires January 1, 2017.

 

Subd. 5.  Stakeholder consultation.  The commissioner shall continue consultation on regular intervals with the existing stakeholder group established as part of the rate-setting methodology process to gather input, concerns, data, and exchange ideas for the legislative proposals for the new rate payment system and make pertinent information available to the public through the department's Web site.

 

Subd. 6.  Implementation.  The commissioner may implement changes no sooner than January 1, 2014, to payment rates for individuals receiving home and community-based waivered services after the enactment of legislation that establishes specific payment methodology frameworks, processes for rate calculations, and specific values to populate the payment methodology frameworks.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective the day following final enactment."


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Delete the title and insert:

 

"A bill for an act relating to human services; amending continuing care policy provisions; making changes to disability services and licensing provisions; establishing home and community-based services standards; developing payment methodologies; amending Minnesota Statutes 2010, sections 245A.03, subdivision 2; 245A.041, by adding subdivisions; 245A.085; 245B.02, subdivision 10, by adding a subdivision; 245B.04, subdivisions 1, 2, 3; 245B.05, subdivision 1; 245B.07, subdivisions 5, 9, 10, by adding a subdivision; 256B.4912; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapters 245A; 256B; proposing coding for new law as Minnesota Statutes, chapter 245D."

 

 

With the recommendation that when so amended the bill pass.

 

      The report was adopted.

 

 

Abeler from the Committee on Health and Human Services Finance to which was referred:

 

H. F. No. 2555, A bill for an act relating to state government; implementing changes to the sunset review; changing certain agency requirements; requiring posting of convictions of felonies or gross misdemeanors and malpractice settlements or judgments for a regulated practitioner; requiring certain information on regulated practitioners; requiring a study; prohibiting transfer of certain funds; requiring reports; setting fees; abolishing the Combative Sports Commission and transferring combative sports duties to the commissioner of labor and industry; establishing a Combative Sports Advisory Council; requiring a review of the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice; amending Minnesota Statutes 2010, sections 3.922, by adding a subdivision; 3.9223, subdivision 7; 3.9225, subdivision 7; 3.9226, subdivision 7; 147.01, subdivision 4; 147.111, by adding a subdivision; 148.102, by adding a subdivision; 148.263, by adding a subdivision; 148B.07, by adding a subdivision; 148C.095, by adding a subdivision; 148E.285, by adding a subdivision; 150A.13, by adding a subdivision; 153.24, by adding a subdivision; 214.06, subdivision 1, by adding a subdivision; 341.21, by adding a subdivision; 341.28, subdivision 1; 341.37; Minnesota Statutes 2011 Supplement, sections 3D.04; 3D.06; 3D.21, subdivisions 1, 2; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapters 3D; 16B; 214; 341; repealing Minnesota Statutes 2010, sections 138A.01; 138A.02; 138A.03; 138A.04; 138A.05; 138A.06; 341.21, subdivisions 3, 4a; 341.22; 341.23; 341.24; 341.26.

 

Reported the same back with the following amendments:

 

Delete everything after the enacting clause and insert:

 

"ARTICLE 1

SUNSET REVIEW

 

Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2011 Supplement, section 3D.04, is amended to read:

 

3D.04 STAFF; CONTRACTS.

 

The Legislative Coordinating Commission shall provide staff and administrative services for the commission.  The Sunset Advisory Commission may enter into contracts for evaluations of agencies under review.

 

Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 2011 Supplement, section 3D.06, is amended to read:

 

3D.06 AGENCY REPORT TO COMMISSION.

 

(a) Before September 1 of the odd-numbered year before the year in which a state agency is subject to sunset review, the agency commissioner shall report to the commission:


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(1) information regarding the application to the agency of the criteria in section 3D.10;

 

(2) a priority-based an outcome-based budget for the agency;

 

(3) an inventory of all boards, commissions, committees, and other entities related to the agency; and

 

(4) any other information that the agency commissioner considers appropriate or that is requested by the commission.

 

The September 1 deadline in this section does not apply in 2011.

 

(b) The outcome-based budget required by paragraph (a) must be for each of the agency's activities, as the term activity is used in state budgeting:

 

(1) identify the statutory authority for the activity;

 

(2) include one or more performance goals and associated performance measures that measure outcomes, not inputs;

 

(3) discuss the extent to which each performance measure is reliable and verifiable, and can be accurately measured;

 

(4) discuss the extent to which the agency has met each performance measure, and the extent to which the budget devoted to the activity has permitted or prevented the agency from meeting its performance goals;

 

(5) discuss efficiencies that would allow the agency to better meet its goals; and

 

(6) identify agencies at any level of government or private sector entities that provide the same activities, and describe agency interaction with the activities provided by others.

 

Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 2011 Supplement, section 3D.21, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

 

Subdivision 1.  Group 1.  The following agencies are sunset and, except as provided in section 3D.14, expire on June 30, 2012 2024:  Capitol Area Architectural and Planning Board, Amateur Sports Commission, Combative Sports Commission, all health-related licensing boards listed in section 214.01, Council on Affairs of Chicano/Latino People, Council on Black Minnesotans, Council on Asian-Pacific Minnesotans, Indian Affairs Council, Council on Disabilities, and all advisory groups associated with these agencies.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective the day following final enactment.

 

Sec. 4.  Minnesota Statutes 2011 Supplement, section 3D.21, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 2.  Group 2.  The following agencies are sunset and, except as provided in section 3D.14, expire on June 30, 2014:  Department of Health, Department of Human Services, Department of Human Rights, Department of Education, Board of Teaching, Minnesota Office of Higher Education, Council on Black Minnesotans, Emergency Medical Services Regulatory Board, and all advisory groups associated with these agencies.

 

Sec. 5.  COUNCIL ON BLACK MINNESOTANS INTERIM REVIEW.

 

(a) The Council on Black Minnesotans is continued for two years and added to the 2014 Sunset Advisory Commission review schedule.  In the council's report to the Sunset Advisory Commission, the council must submit an interim report and respond to issues raised in previous audits by the Office of the Legislative Auditor.


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(b) The Office of the Legislative Auditor should conduct a financial audit of the Council of Black Minnesotans by December 1, 2013, prior to sunset review in 2014.

 

ARTICLE 2

ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES AND FEES

 

Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 3.922, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:

 

Subd. 11.  Report.  The council shall prepare and distribute a report to the governor and legislature by November 15 of each year.  The report shall summarize the activities of the council since its last report, list receipts and expenditures, identify the major problems and issues confronting American Indian people, and list the specific objectives that the council seeks to attain during the biennium.  To the extent possible, the council shall report on outcome measures.

 

Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 3.9223, subdivision 7, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 7.  Report.  The council shall prepare and distribute a report to the governor and legislature by November 15 of each even-numbered year.  The report shall summarize the activities of the council since its last report, list receipts and expenditures, identify the major problems and issues confronting Chicano/Latino people, and list the specific objectives that the council seeks to attain during the next biennium.  To the extent possible, the council shall report on outcome measures.

 

Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 3.9225, subdivision 7, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 7.  Report.  The council shall prepare and distribute a report to the governor and legislature by November 15 of each even-numbered year.  The report shall summarize the activities of the council since its last report, list receipts and expenditures, identify the major problems and issues confronting Black people, and list the specific objectives which the council seeks to attain during the next biennium.  To the extent possible, the council shall report on outcome measures.

 

Sec. 4.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 3.9226, subdivision 7, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 7.  Report.  The council shall prepare and distribute a report to the governor and legislature by November 15 of each even-numbered year.  The report shall summarize the activities of the council since its last report, list receipts and expenditures, identify the major problems and issues confronting Asian-Pacific people, and list the specific objectives that the council seeks to attain during the next biennium.  To the extent possible, the council shall report on outcome measures.

 

Sec. 5.  [3D.045] COORDINATION WITH LEGISLATIVE AUDITOR.

 

To the extent possible, the commission and the Office of the Legislative Auditor shall align their work so that audits and program evaluations conducted by the Office of the Legislative Auditor can inform the work of the commission.  The commission may request the Office of the Legislative Auditor to provide updates on financial audits and program evaluations the Office of the Legislative Auditor has prepared on agencies scheduled for Sunset Advisory Commission review.

 

Sec. 6.  [3D.065] REPORT ON PERSONNEL.

 

By September 1 of the odd-numbered year before the year in which a state agency is subject to sunset review, the commissioner of management and budget must report to the Sunset Advisory Commission on the number of full-time equivalent employees and the salary structure for each agency under review.


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Sec. 7.  [16B.371] ASSISTANCE TO SMALL AGENCIES.

 

(a) The commissioner may provide administrative support services to small agencies.  To promote efficiency and cost-effective use of state resources, and to improve financial controls, the commissioner may require a small agency to receive administrative support services through the Department of Administration or through another agency designated by the commissioner.  Services subject to this section include finance, accounting, payroll, purchasing, human resources, and other services designated by the commissioner.  The commissioner may determine what constitutes a small agency for purposes of this section.  The commissioner, in consultation with the commissioner of management and budget and small agencies, shall evaluate small agencies' needs for administrative support services.  If the commissioner provides administrative support services to a small agency, the commissioner must enter into a service level agreement with the agency, specifying the services to be provided and the costs and anticipated outcomes of the services.

 

(b) The Chicano Latino Affairs Council, the Council on Black Minnesotans, the Council on Asian-Pacific Minnesotans, the Indian Affairs Council, and the Minnesota State Council on Disability must use the services specified in paragraph (a).

 

(c) The commissioner of administration may assess agencies for services it provides under this section.  The amounts assessed are appropriated to the commissioner.

 

(d) For agencies covered in this section, the commissioner has the authority to require the agency to comply with applicable state finance, accounting, payroll, purchasing, and human resources policies.  The agencies served retain the ownership and responsibility for spending decisions and for ongoing implementation of appropriate business operations.

 

Sec. 8.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 147.01, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 4.  Disclosure.  Subject to the exceptions listed in this subdivision, all communications or information received by or disclosed to the board relating to any person or matter subject to its regulatory jurisdiction are confidential and privileged and any disciplinary hearing shall be closed to the public.

 

(a) Upon application of a party in a proceeding before the board under section 147.091, the board shall produce and permit the inspection and copying, by or on behalf of the moving party, of any designated documents or papers relevant to the proceedings, in accordance with the provisions of rule 34, Minnesota Rules of Civil Procedure.

 

(b) If the board takes corrective action or imposes disciplinary measures of any kind, whether by contested case or by settlement agreement, the name and business address of the licensee, the nature of the misconduct, and the action taken by the board are public data.  If disciplinary action is taken by settlement agreement, the entire agreement is public data.  The board shall decide disciplinary matters, whether by settlement or by contested case, by roll call vote.  The votes are public data.

 

(c) The board shall exchange information with other licensing boards, agencies, or departments within the state, as required under section 214.10, subdivision 8, paragraph (c), and may release information in the reports required under section 147.02, subdivision 6.

 

(d) The board shall upon request furnish to a person who made a complaint, or the alleged victim of a violation of section 147.091, subdivision 1, paragraph (t), or both, a description of the activities and actions of the board relating to that complaint, a summary of the results of an investigation of that complaint, and the reasons for actions taken by the board.


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(e) A probable cause hearing held pursuant to section 147.092 shall be closed to the public, except for the notices of hearing made public by operation of section 147.092.

 

(f) Findings of fact, conclusions, and recommendations issued by the administrative law judge, and transcripts of oral arguments before the board pursuant to a contested case proceeding in which an administrative law judge found a violation of section 147.091, subdivision 1, paragraph (t), are public data.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective for all corrective action taken on or after August 1, 2012.

 

Sec. 9.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 147.111, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:

 

Subd. 10.  Failure to report.  On or after August 1, 2012, any person, health care facility, business, or organization that fails to report as required under subdivisions 2 to 6 shall be subject to civil penalties for failing to report as required by law.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective August 1, 2012.

 

Sec. 10.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 148.102, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:

 

Subd. 8.  Failure to report.  On or after August 1, 2012, any person or insurer that fails to report as required under subdivisions 2 to 4 shall be subject to civil penalties for failing to report as required by law.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective August 1, 2012.

 

Sec. 11.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 148.261, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

 

Subdivision 1.  Grounds listed.  The board may deny, revoke, suspend, limit, or condition the license and registration of any person to practice professional, advanced practice registered, or practical nursing under sections 148.171 to 148.285, or to otherwise discipline a licensee or applicant as described in section 148.262.  The following are grounds for disciplinary action:

 

(1) Failure to demonstrate the qualifications or satisfy the requirements for a license contained in sections 148.171 to 148.285 or rules of the board.  In the case of a person applying for a license, the burden of proof is upon the applicant to demonstrate the qualifications or satisfaction of the requirements.

 

(2) Employing fraud or deceit in procuring or attempting to procure a permit, license, or registration certificate to practice professional or practical nursing or attempting to subvert the licensing examination process.  Conduct that subverts or attempts to subvert the licensing examination process includes, but is not limited to:

 

(i) conduct that violates the security of the examination materials, such as removing examination materials from the examination room or having unauthorized possession of any portion of a future, current, or previously administered licensing examination;

 

(ii) conduct that violates the standard of test administration, such as communicating with another examinee during administration of the examination, copying another examinee's answers, permitting another examinee to copy one's answers, or possessing unauthorized materials; or

 

(iii) impersonating an examinee or permitting an impersonator to take the examination on one's own behalf.

 

(3) Conviction during the previous five years of a felony or gross misdemeanor reasonably related to the practice of professional, advanced practice registered, or practical nursing.  Conviction as used in this subdivision includes a conviction of an offense that if committed in this state would be considered a felony or gross misdemeanor without regard to its designation elsewhere, or a criminal proceeding where a finding or verdict of guilt is made or returned but the adjudication of guilt is either withheld or not entered.


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(4) Revocation, suspension, limitation, conditioning, or other disciplinary action against the person's professional or practical nursing license or advanced practice registered nursing credential, in another state, territory, or country; failure to report to the board that charges regarding the person's nursing license or other credential are pending in another state, territory, or country; or having been refused a license or other credential by another state, territory, or country.

 

(5) Failure to or inability to perform professional or practical nursing as defined in section 148.171, subdivision 14 or 15, with reasonable skill and safety, including failure of a registered nurse to supervise or a licensed practical nurse to monitor adequately the performance of acts by any person working at the nurse's direction.

 

(6) Engaging in unprofessional conduct, including, but not limited to, a departure from or failure to conform to board rules of professional or practical nursing practice that interpret the statutory definition of professional or practical nursing as well as provide criteria for violations of the statutes, or, if no rule exists, to the minimal standards of acceptable and prevailing professional or practical nursing practice, or any nursing practice that may create unnecessary danger to a patient's life, health, or safety.  Actual injury to a patient need not be established under this clause.

 

(7) Failure of an advanced practice registered nurse to practice with reasonable skill and safety or departure from or failure to conform to standards of acceptable and prevailing advanced practice registered nursing.

 

(8) Delegating or accepting the delegation of a nursing function or a prescribed health care function when the delegation or acceptance could reasonably be expected to result in unsafe or ineffective patient care.

 

(9) Actual or potential inability to practice nursing with reasonable skill and safety to patients by reason of illness, use of alcohol, drugs, chemicals, or any other material, or as a result of any mental or physical condition.

 

(10) Adjudication as mentally incompetent, mentally ill, a chemically dependent person, or a person dangerous to the public by a court of competent jurisdiction, within or without this state.

 

(11) Engaging in any unethical conduct, including, but not limited to, conduct likely to deceive, defraud, or harm the public, or demonstrating a willful or careless disregard for the health, welfare, or safety of a patient.  Actual injury need not be established under this clause.

 

(12) Engaging in conduct with a patient that is sexual or may reasonably be interpreted by the patient as sexual, or in any verbal behavior that is seductive or sexually demeaning to a patient, or engaging in sexual exploitation of a patient or former patient.

 

(13) Obtaining money, property, or services from a patient, other than reasonable fees for services provided to the patient, through the use of undue influence, harassment, duress, deception, or fraud.

 

(14) Revealing a privileged communication from or relating to a patient except when otherwise required or permitted by law.

 

(15) Engaging in abusive or fraudulent billing practices, including violations of federal Medicare and Medicaid laws or state medical assistance laws.

 

(16) Improper management of patient records, including failure to maintain adequate patient records, to comply with a patient's request made pursuant to sections 144.291 to 144.298, or to furnish a patient record or report required by law.


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(17) Knowingly aiding, assisting, advising, or allowing an unlicensed person to engage in the unlawful practice of professional, advanced practice registered, or practical nursing.

 

(18) Violating a rule adopted by the board, an order of the board, or a state or federal law relating to the practice of professional, advanced practice registered, or practical nursing, or a state or federal narcotics or controlled substance law.

 

(19) Knowingly providing false or misleading information that is directly related to the care of that patient unless done for an accepted therapeutic purpose such as the administration of a placebo.

 

(20) Aiding suicide or aiding attempted suicide in violation of section 609.215 as established by any of the following:

 

(i) a copy of the record of criminal conviction or plea of guilty for a felony in violation of section 609.215, subdivision 1 or 2;

 

(ii) a copy of the record of a judgment of contempt of court for violating an injunction issued under section 609.215, subdivision 4;

 

(iii) a copy of the record of a judgment assessing damages under section 609.215, subdivision 5; or

 

(iv) a finding by the board that the person violated section 609.215, subdivision 1 or 2.  The board shall investigate any complaint of a violation of section 609.215, subdivision 1 or 2.

 

(21) Practicing outside the scope of practice authorized by section 148.171, subdivision 5, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, or 21.

 

(22) Practicing outside the specific field of nursing practice for which an advanced practice registered nurse is certified unless the practice is authorized under section 148.284.

 

(23) Making a false statement or knowingly providing false information to the board, failing to make reports as required by section 148.263, or failing to cooperate with an investigation of the board as required by section 148.265.

 

(24) Engaging in false, fraudulent, deceptive, or misleading advertising.

 

(25) Failure to inform the board of the person's certification status as a nurse anesthetist, nurse-midwife, nurse practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist.

 

(26) Engaging in clinical nurse specialist practice, nurse-midwife practice, nurse practitioner practice, or registered nurse anesthetist practice without current certification by a national nurse certification organization acceptable to the board, except during the period between completion of an advanced practice registered nurse course of study and certification, not to exceed six months or as authorized by the board.

 

(27) Engaging in conduct that is prohibited under section 145.412.

 

(28) Failing to report employment to the board as required by section 148.211, subdivision 2a, or knowingly aiding, assisting, advising, or allowing a person to fail to report as required by section 148.211, subdivision 2a.


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Sec. 12.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 148.263, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:

 

Subd. 7.  Failure to report.  On or after August 1, 2012, any person, institution, insurer, or organization that fails to report as required under subdivisions 2 to 5 shall be subject to civil penalties for failing to report as required by law.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective August 1, 2012.

 

Sec. 13.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 148B.07, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:

 

Subd. 10.  Failure to report.  On or after August 1, 2012, any person, institution, insurer, or organization that fails to report as required under subdivisions 2 to 6 shall be subject to civil penalties for failing to report as required by law.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective August 1, 2012.

 

Sec. 14.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 148C.095, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:

 

Subd. 8.  Failure to report.  On or after August 1, 2012, any person, institution, insurer, or organization that fails to report as required under subdivisions 2 to 5 shall be subject to civil penalties for failing to report as required by law.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective August 1, 2012.

 

Sec. 15.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 148E.285, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:

 

Subd. 4.  Failure to report.  On or after August 1, 2012, any person, institution, or organization that fails to report as required under subdivisions 1 and 2 shall be subject to civil penalties for failing to report as required by law. 

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective August 1, 2012.

 

Sec. 16.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 150A.13, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:

 

Subd. 10.  Failure to report.  On or after August 1, 2012, any person, institution, insurer, or organization that fails to report as required under subdivisions 2 to 6 shall be subject to civil penalties for failing to report as required by law.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective August 1, 2012.

 

Sec. 17.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 153.24, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:

 

Subd. 8.  Failure to report.  On or after August 1, 2012, any person, institution, or insurer that fails to report as required under subdivisions 2 to 5 shall be subject to civil penalties for failing to report as required by law.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective August 1, 2012.

 

Sec. 18.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 214.06, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

 

Subdivision 1.  Fee adjustment Fees to recover expenditures.  Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the commissioner of health as authorized by section 214.13, all health-related licensing boards and all non-health-related licensing boards shall by rule, with the approval of the commissioner of management and budget, adjust, as


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needed, any fee which the commissioner of health or the board is empowered to assess.  The commissioner of health as authorized by section 214.13 and all health-related licensing boards and non-health-related licensing boards shall propose or adjust any fee according to section 16A.1283.  As provided in section 16A.1285, the adjustment fees shall be an amount sufficient so that the total fees collected by each board will be based on anticipated expenditures, including expenditures for the programs authorized by sections 214.10, 214.103, 214.11, 214.17 to 214.24, 214.28 to 214.37, and 214.40, except that a health-related licensing board may have anticipated expenditures in excess of anticipated revenues in a biennium by using accumulated surplus revenues from fees collected by that board in previous bienniums.  A health-related licensing board may accumulate up to six months of operating funds, and then must reduce fees.  A health-related licensing board shall not spend more money than the amount appropriated by the legislature for a biennium.  For members of an occupation registered after July 1, 1984, by the commissioner of health under the provisions of section 214.13, the fee established must include an amount necessary to recover, over a five-year period, the commissioner's direct expenditures for adoption of the rules providing for registration of members of the occupation.  All fees received shall be deposited in the state treasury.

 

Sec. 19.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 214.06, subdivision 1a, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 1a.  Health occupations licensing account.  (a) Fees received by the commissioner of health or health-related licensing boards must be credited to the health occupations licensing account in the state government special revenue fund.  The commissioner of management and budget shall ensure that the revenues and expenditures of each health-related licensing board are tracked separately in the health occupations licensing account.

 

(b) The fees collected must be used only by the boards identified in section 214.01, subdivision 2, and the commissioner of health, as the regulator for occupational therapy practitioners, speech-language pathologists, audiologists, and hearing instrument dispensers, and only for the purposes of the programs they administer.  The legislature must not transfer money generated by these fees from the state government special revenue fund to the general fund.

 

Sec. 20.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 214.06, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:

 

Subd. 1b.  Health-related licensing boards; surcharges.  When a health-related licensing board imposes a surcharge, the surcharge must not be incorporated as a fee increase, but must be made as a separate assessment to be paid by the individuals regulated by the board.

 

Sec. 21.  [214.072] HEALTH-RELATED LICENSING BOARDS; WEB SITE.

 

(a) Each health-related licensing board, as defined in section 214.01, subdivision 2, and the commissioner of health, as the regulator for occupational therapy practitioners, speech-language pathologists, audiologists, and hearing instrument dispensers, are required to post on its public Web site the name and business address of each regulated individual who has:

 

(1) a conviction during the previous ten years of a felony or gross misdemeanor.  Conviction includes a conviction of an offense that if committed in this state would be considered a felony or gross misdemeanor without regard to its designation elsewhere, or a criminal proceeding where a finding or verdict of guilt is made or returned but the adjudication of guilt is either withheld or not entered;

 

(2) a malpractice judgment entered against the regulated individual in any state or jurisdiction within the past ten years and malpractice settlements entered against the regulated individual in any state or jurisdiction if there have been more than three within the past ten years.  Information describing the judgments and settlements shall be developed by the boards, shall be stated in plain English, and shall ensure the public understands the context of the action involving the licensee; or


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(3) any disciplinary or corrective action or restriction of privileges taken against the individual's license by a licensing board in this state or in any other state or jurisdiction.  The Web site shall identify the basis for disciplinary action, the type of disciplinary action taken, and whether the action was taken by a licensing board in this or another state or by the federal government.

 

(b) Each board and the commissioner of health must post in-state information required in paragraph (a) no later than January 1, 2013.  Information from other states and jurisdictions must be posted no later than July 1, 2013.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective the day following final enactment.

 

Sec. 22.  [214.073] HEALTH-RELATED LICENSING BOARDS; AUTHORITY.

 

(a) Each health-related licensing board, as defined in section 214.01, subdivision 2, and the commissioner of health, as the regulator for occupational therapy practitioners, speech-language pathologists, audiologists, and hearing instrument dispensers, shall require an applicant on or after August 1, 2012, to provide the individual's primary business address at the time of initial application and all subsequent renewals.

 

(b) Each health-related licensing board, as defined in section 214.01, subdivision 2, and the commissioner of health, as the regulator for occupational therapy practitioners, speech-language pathologists, audiologists, and hearing instrument dispensers, shall have the authority to conduct criminal background checks on all applicants, at the expense of the individual.  The boards and the commissioner shall establish a protocol for conducting criminal background checks no later than January 1, 2013.  This protocol must be effective January 1, 2014, and require the applicant to:

 

(1) submit a full set of fingerprints to the board or its designee in a form and manner specified by the board; and

 

(2) provide consent authorizing the board to obtain the individual's state and national criminal history record information for the purpose of determining the individual's suitability for receiving a credential to practice.

 

(c) The health-related licensing boards and the commissioner of health shall study:  the value of implementing a requirement for criminal background checks for existing regulated individuals; how to utilize criminal background checks that have already been performed on these individuals; and how to implement any new requirements in the most cost effective way possible.  The plan will include recommendations for any necessary statutory changes and shall seek to minimize duplication of requirements for background studies.

 

(d) Each health-related licensing board, as defined in section 214.01, subdivision 2, and the commissioner of health, as the regulator for occupational therapy practitioners, speech-language pathologists, audiologists, and hearing instrument dispensers, shall submit legislation for consideration in 2013 to require institutions, professional societies, other licensed professionals, and insurers and other entities to report conduct constituting grounds for disciplinary action to the respective regulatory entity.  Each board and the commissioner must include penalties that may be imposed for failure to report.  Boards with reporting obligations in statutes are exempt from this paragraph.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective the day following final enactment.

 

Sec. 23.  [214.0732] REQUIREMENT FOR CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK.

 

Subdivision 1.  Applicants.  Each health-related licensing board, as defined in section 214.01, subdivision 2, and the commissioner of health, as regulator for occupational therapy practitioners, speech-language pathologists, audiologists, and hearing instrument dispensers, shall complete a fingerprint-based criminal background check on each applicant for initial licensure or other credential prior to granting a credential to practice.  Each applicant must:


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(1) submit a full set of fingerprints to the commissioner or board or its designee in a form and manner specified by the commissioner or board; and

 

(2) provide consent authorizing the board or commissioner to obtain the applicant's state and national criminal history record information for the purpose of determining the applicant's suitability and eligibility for a credential to practice.

 

Subd. 2.  Fees.  The applicant shall be responsible for all fees associated with preparation of the fingerprints and the criminal background check and the fees are not refundable.

 

Subd. 3.  Refusal to consent.  The boards and the commissioner of health shall not issue a credential to practice to any applicant who refuses to consent to a criminal background check or fails to submit fingerprints within 90 days after the application is submitted.  Any fees paid by the applicant to a board or commissioner shall be forfeited if the applicant refuses to consent to the criminal background check or fails to submit fingerprints.

 

Subd. 4.  Submission of fingerprints.  A board or its designee and the commissioner of health shall submit applicant fingerprints to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA).  The BCA shall perform a check for state criminal justice information and shall forward the applicant's fingerprints to the Federal Bureau of Investigation to perform a check for national criminal justice information regarding the applicant.  The BCA shall report to the board or the commissioner the results of the state and national background checks.

 

Subd. 5.  Alternative to fingerprint-based background check.  A board or the commissioner of health may require an alternative method of criminal history background check for an applicant who has submitted at least three sets of fingerprints under this section that cannot be read.

 

Subd. 6.  Opportunity to challenge accuracy of report.  Prior to taking disciplinary action against an applicant based on a criminal conviction, a board or the commissioner of health shall provide the applicant with the opportunity to complete, or challenge the accuracy of, the criminal justice information reported to the board or commissioner.  The applicant shall have 30 calendar days following notice from a board or the commissioner of the intent to take disciplinary action on a license to request an opportunity to correct or complete the record prior to a board or the commissioner taking disciplinary action based on the report.  The applicant shall be allowed up to 180 days to challenge the accuracy or completeness of the report with the agency that is responsible for the record.

 

Subd. 7.  Disciplinary action.  A board or the commissioner of health shall review each criminal history report and determine whether the criminal convictions, if any, relate to the practice of the regulated profession or occupation.  If the criminal convictions are found to relate to the profession or occupation, the regulating board or commissioner may take any disciplinary action allowed by the respective practice act and pursuant to sections 214.10 and 214.103.

 

Subd. 8.  Factors to be considered.  In determining whether an applicant is suitable to receive a credential to practice, a board or the commissioner of health shall consider:

 

(1) the number of crimes for which the applicant has been convicted;

 

(2) the nature and seriousness of the crimes and vulnerability of the victims of the crimes, including whether the commission of the crimes involved the abuse of trust or the exploitation of a unique position or knowledge;

 

(3) the relationship between the crimes and the practice of the applicable profession or occupation;

 

(4) the age of the applicant at the time the crimes were committed;


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(5) the amount of time that has elapsed since the crimes occurred;

 

(6) steps taken by the applicant to address substance abuse or mental or physical health issues present at the time of the crimes or subsequent to the crimes;

 

(7) evidence of the applicant's work history;

 

(8) whether the applicant has successfully completed the terms of any sentence imposed; and

 

(9) any other evidence demonstrating the applicant does not pose a risk of harm to the health or safety of the public.

 

Subd. 9.  Conviction.  For purposes of this section, an applicant is considered to have been convicted of a crime if the applicant has pleaded guilty or nolo contendere, been found guilty, or entered an Alford plea to any offense by any court in the state of Minnesota or similar offense in another state or United States territory or federal court.  An applicant is considered to have been convicted of a crime if the applicant has been convicted or found guilty but adjudication was withheld.  A board or the commissioner of health may consider public records from a juvenile delinquency proceeding where there has been a judicial determination that the elements of the offense occurred.

 

Subd. 10.  Data practices.  Fingerprints and all criminal history record information obtained by the boards or the commissioner of health is private data on individuals under section 13.02, subdivision 12, and restricted to the exclusive use of the board and its members and staff, the commissioner, investigative staff, agents, and attorneys for the purpose of evaluating an applicant's eligibility or qualifications to practice.  The boards and the commissioner shall maintain fingerprints and the criminal history records information in a secure manner and comply with all applicable state and federal requirements.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective July 1, 2013, or as soon as the necessary agency interagency infrastructure and related business processes are operational, whichever is later.

 

Sec. 24.  SUNSET ADVISORY COMMISSION; DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH REVIEW.

 

The Sunset Advisory Commission review of the Department of Health in 2013 and 2014 must include an analysis of the extent to which health occupations should be licensed by the Department of Health, and the extent to which occupations should be licensed by licensing boards.

 

Sec. 25.  REPORT; INVESTIGATIONS FOR HEALTH-RELATED LICENSING BOARDS.

 

The health-related licensing boards and the attorney general shall review and make recommendations to the legislature by January 15, 2013, on the respective roles of the boards and the attorney general in conducting investigations of licensees of the health-related licensing boards.

 

Sec. 26.  REPORT; INFORMATION SYSTEMS FOR LICENSING BOARDS.

 

The chief information officer of the Office of Enterprise Technology and the commissioner of administration shall report to the legislature by January 15, 2013, on the best method of providing electronic licensing systems to the health-related licensing boards.

 

Sec. 27.  REPORT; HEALTH-RELATED LICENSING BOARD FEES.

 

Each health-related licensing board, as defined in section 214.01, subdivision 2, and the commissioner of health, as the regulator for occupational therapy practitioners, speech-language pathologists, audiologists, and hearing instrument dispensers, shall report to the chair and lead minority member of the senate and house of representatives


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committees with jurisdiction over health and human services finance by January 15, 2013, on the degree to which fees imposed by the board comply with Minnesota Statutes, sections 214.055 and 214.06.  If a board determines that its fees are expected to produce more revenue than needed to recover expenditures during a five-year period, the board must propose reductions in those fees to the legislature.

 

Sec. 28.  REPORTS; ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES.

 

(a) The commissioner of administration shall report to the legislature by January 15, 2013, on use of the SMART program by executive branch agencies.

 

(b) The administrative services unit of health-related licensing boards shall report to the legislature by January 15, 2013, evaluating use of the units' services by health-related licensing boards.

 

Sec. 29.  MEDICAL PRACTICE ACT; STUDY.

 

(a) The commissioner of health shall convene a working group to evaluate the state's Medical Practice Act to ensure that it effectively protects the safety and well-being of the citizens of the state and allows transparency.  In this evaluation, the working group shall consider practice acts in other states, including conduct that may result in disciplinary action.

 

(b) Members of the working group shall include:

 

(1) two members of the Board of Medical Practice;

 

(2) two practicing physicians recommended by the Minnesota Medical Association;

 

(3) two medical educators, one from the University of Minnesota and one from the Mayo Clinic;

 

(4) two senators, one from each caucus, appointed by the subcommittee on committees, and two members of the house of representatives, one from each caucus, appointed by the speaker;

 

(5) consumers; and

 

(6) experts in the field of medical practice.

 

The majority of the working group must be composed of members who have no current or past affiliation with the Board of Medical Practice.

 

(c) Compensation for working group members is subject to Minnesota Statutes, section 15.059, subdivision 3, and must be paid from the operating funds of the Board of Medical Practice.  The cost of the contract under paragraph (a) must be paid from the operating funds of the Board of Medical Practice.

 

(d) The working group must elect a chair from its members.

 

(e) Meetings of the working group shall be open to the public.

 

(f) The board shall submit the report of the working group and legislation modifying the practice act for consideration during the 2013 legislative session.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective the day following final enactment.


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Sec. 30.  BOARD OF MEDICAL PRACTICE REVIEW.

 

(a) As provided in Minnesota Statutes, section 3.97, subdivision 3a, paragraph (b), the Legislative Audit Commission is requested to direct the legislative auditor to prepare a scoping document in response to the Sunset Advisory Commission's request for an evaluation of the Minnesota Medical Practice Act and its implementation by the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice.

 

(b) If the Office of the Legislative Auditor is not authorized to carry out the study in paragraph (a) by July 1, 2012, the commissioner of administration must contract for a programmatic and structural review of the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice.  The commissioner must contract with the Federation of State Medical Boards to conduct the study.  A copy of the review's work plan must be submitted to the chair and vice-chair of the Sunset Advisory Commission for review and comment.  The review must be completed and submitted to the Sunset Advisory Commission and the senate and house of representatives policy committees having jurisdiction over the board by January 1, 2013.

 

(c) $45,000 from the state government special revenue fund is appropriated to the commissioner for the study.  Up to five percent of the appropriation is available to the commissioner for administrative costs related to the study.

 

Sec. 31.  APPROPRIATION.

 

$127,000 is appropriated to the Legislative Coordinating Commission from the general fund for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2013, to provide staff services or to enter into contracts to assist the Sunset Advisory Commission.  The general fund budget base for the Legislative Coordinating Commission, as established in Laws 2011, First Special Session chapter 10, article 1, section 2, and as increased by the appropriation in this section, is increased by an additional $33,000 per year.

 

Sec. 32.  REPEALER.

 

Minnesota Statutes 2010, sections 138A.01; 138A.02; 138A.03; 138A.04; 138A.05; and 138A.06, are repealed effective the day following final enactment.

 

ARTICLE 3

TRANSFER OF COMBATIVE SPORTS DUTIES

 

Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 341.21, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:

 

Subd. 3a.  Commissioner.  "Commissioner" means the commissioner of labor and industry.

 

Sec. 2.  [341.221] ADVISORY COUNCIL.

 

The commissioner must appoint a Combative Sports Advisory Council to advise the commissioner on administration of duties under this chapter.  The council must include members knowledgeable in the boxing and mixed martial arts industries and public members.  Membership terms, removal of members, filling of vacancies, and compensation of members is as provided in section 15.059.

 

Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 341.28, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

 

Subdivision 1.  Regulatory authority; combative sports.  All combative sport contests are subject to this chapter.  The commission shall, for every combative sport contest:

 

(1) direct a commission member to be present; and


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(2) direct the attending commission member to make a written report of the contest.

 

All combative sport contests within this state must be conducted according to the requirements of this chapter.

 

Sec. 4.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 341.37, is amended to read:

 

341.37 APPROPRIATION.

 

A commission combative sports account is created in the special revenue fund.  Money in the account is annually appropriated to the commission commissioner for the purposes of conducting its statutory responsibilities and obligations under this chapter.

 

Sec. 5.  TRANSFER OF DUTIES.

 

The Combative Sports Commission is abolished.  Duties of the commission are transferred to the commissioner of labor and industry.  Minnesota Statutes, section 15.039, subdivisions 1 to 6, apply to this transfer.

 

Sec. 6.  REVISOR'S INSTRUCTION.

 

The revisor of statutes shall substitute the term "commissioner" for "commission" in each place the term "commission" appears in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 341.

 

Sec. 7.  REPEALER.

 

Minnesota Statutes 2010, sections 341.21, subdivisions 3 and 4a; 341.22; 341.23; 341.24; and 341.26, are repealed.

 

Sec. 8.  EFFECTIVE DATE.

 

This article is effective July 1, 2013.

 

ARTICLE 4

ALCOHOL AND DRUG COUNSELORS

 

Section 1.  [148F.001] SCOPE.

 

This chapter applies to all applicants and licensees, all persons who use the title alcohol and drug counselor, and all persons in or out of this state who provide alcohol and drug counseling services to clients who reside in this state unless there are specific applicable exemptions provided by law.

 

Sec. 2.  [148F.010] DEFINITIONS.

 

Subdivision 1.  Scope.  For purposes of this chapter, the terms in this section have the meanings given.

 

Subd. 2.  Abuse.  "Abuse" means a maladaptive pattern of substance use leading to clinically significant impairment or distress, as manifested by one or more of the following occurring at any time during the same 12-month period:

 

(1) recurrent substance use resulting in a failure to fulfill major role obligations at work, school, or home;

 

(2) recurrent substance use in situations in which it is physically hazardous;


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(3) recurrent substance-related legal problems; and

 

(4) continued substance use despite having persistent or recurrent social or interpersonal problems caused or exacerbated by the effects of the substance.

 

Subd. 3.  Accredited school or educational program.  "Accredited school or educational program" means a school of alcohol and drug counseling, university, college, or other postsecondary education program that, at the time the student completes the program, is accredited by a regional accrediting association whose standards are substantially equivalent to those of the North Central Association of Colleges and Postsecondary Education Institutions or an accrediting association that evaluates schools of alcohol and drug counseling for inclusion of the education, practicum, and core function standards in this chapter.

 

Subd. 4.  Alcohol and drug counseling practicum.  "Alcohol and drug counseling practicum" means formal experience gained by a student and supervised by a person either licensed under this chapter or exempt under its provisions, as part of an accredited school or educational program of alcohol and drug counseling.

 

Subd. 5.  Alcohol and drug counselor.  "Alcohol and drug counselor" means a person who holds a valid license issued under this chapter to engage in the practice of alcohol and drug counseling.

 

Subd. 6.  Applicant.  "Applicant" means a person seeking a license or temporary permit under this chapter.

 

Subd. 7.  Board.  "Board" means the Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy established in section 148B.51.

 

Subd. 8.  Client.  "Client" means an individual who is the recipient of any of the alcohol and drug counseling services described in this section.  Client also means "patient" as defined in section 144.291, subdivision 2, paragraph (g).

 

Subd. 9.  Competence.  "Competence" means the ability to provide services within the practice of alcohol and drug counseling as defined in subdivision 19, that: 

 

(1) are rendered with reasonable skill and safety;

 

(2) meet minimum standards of acceptable and prevailing practice as described in section 148F.120; and

 

(3) take into account human diversity.

 

Subd. 10.  Core functions.  "Core functions" means the following services provided in alcohol and drug treatment:

 

(1) "screening" means the process by which a client is determined appropriate and eligible for admission to a particular program;

 

(2) "intake" means the administrative and initial assessment procedures for admission to a program;

 

(3) "orientation" means describing to the client the general nature and goals of the program; rules governing client conduct and infractions that can lead to disciplinary action or discharge from the program; in a nonresidential program, the hours during which services are available; treatment costs to be borne by the client, if any; and client's rights;

 

(4) "assessment" means those procedures by which a counselor identifies and evaluates an individual's strengths, weaknesses, problems, and needs to develop a treatment plan or make recommendations for level of care placement;


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(5) "treatment planning" means the process by which the counselor and the client identify and rank problems needing resolution; establish agreed-upon immediate and long-term goals; and decide on a treatment process and the sources to be utilized;

 

(6) "counseling" means the utilization of special skills to assist individuals, families, or groups in achieving objectives through exploration of a problem and its ramifications; examination of attitudes and feelings; consideration of alternative solutions; and decision making;

 

(7) "case management" means activities that bring services, agencies, resources, or people together within a planned framework of action toward the achievement of established goals;

 

(8) "crisis intervention" means those services which respond to an alcohol or other drug user's needs during acute emotional or physical distress;

 

(9) "client education" means the provision of information to clients who are receiving or seeking counseling concerning alcohol and other drug abuse and the available services and resources;

 

(10) "referral" means identifying the needs of the client which cannot be met by the counselor or agency and assisting the client to utilize the support systems and available community resources;

 

(11) "reports and record keeping" means charting the results of the assessment and treatment plan and writing reports, progress notes, discharge summaries, and other client-related data; and

 

(12) "consultation with other professionals regarding client treatment and services" means communicating with other professionals in regard to client treatment and services to assure comprehensive, quality care for the client.

 

Subd. 11.  Credential.  "Credential" means a license, permit, certification, registration, or other evidence of qualification or authorization to engage in the practice of an occupation in any state or jurisdiction.

 

Subd. 12.  Dependent on the provider.  "Dependent on the provider" means that the nature of a former client's emotional or cognitive condition and the nature of the services by the provider are such that the provider knows or should have known that the former client is unable to withhold consent to sexually exploitative behavior by the provider.

 

Subd. 13.  Familial.  "Familial" means of, involving, related to, or common to a family member as defined in subdivision 14.

 

Subd. 14.  Family member or member of the family.  "Family member" or "member of the family" means a spouse, parent, offspring, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, uncle, aunt, niece, or nephew, or an individual who serves in the role of one of the foregoing.

 

Subd. 15.  Group clients.  "Group clients" means two or more individuals who are each a corecipient of alcohol and drug counseling services.  Group clients may include, but are not limited to, two or more family members, when each is the direct recipient of services, or each client receiving group counseling services.

 

Subd. 16.  Informed consent.  "Informed consent" means an agreement between a provider and a client that authorizes the provider to engage in a professional activity affecting the client.  Informed consent requires:

 

(1) the provider to give the client sufficient information so the client is able to decide knowingly whether to agree to the proposed professional activity;


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(2) the provider to discuss the information in language that the client can reasonably be expected to understand; and

 

(3) the client's consent to be given without undue influence by the provider.

 

Subd. 17.  Licensee.  "Licensee" means a person who holds a valid license under this chapter.

 

Subd. 18.  Practice of alcohol and drug counseling.  "Practice of alcohol and drug counseling" means the observation, description, evaluation, interpretation, and modification of human behavior by the application of core functions as it relates to the harmful or pathological use or abuse of alcohol or other drugs.  The practice of alcohol and drug counseling includes, but is not limited to, the following activities, regardless of whether the counselor receives compensation for the activities:

 

(1) assisting clients who use alcohol or drugs, evaluating that use, and recognizing dependency if it exists;

 

(2) assisting clients with alcohol or other drug problems to gain insight and motivation aimed at resolving those problems;

 

(3) providing experienced professional guidance, assistance, and support for the client's efforts to develop and maintain a responsible functional lifestyle;

 

(4) recognizing problems outside the scope of the counselor's training, skill, or competence and referring the client to other appropriate professional services;

 

(5) diagnosing the level of alcohol or other drug use involvement to determine the level of care;

 

(6) individual planning to prevent a return to harmful alcohol or chemical use;

 

(7) alcohol and other drug abuse education for clients;

 

(8) consultation with other professionals;

 

(9) gaining diversity awareness through ongoing training and education; and

 

(10) providing the above services, as needed, to family members or others who are directly affected by someone using alcohol or other drugs.

 

Subd. 19.  Practice foundation.  "Practice foundation" means that an alcohol and drug counseling service or continuing education activity is based upon observations, methods, procedures, or theories that are generally accepted by the professional community in alcohol and drug counseling.

 

Subd. 20.  Private information.  "Private information" means any information, including, but not limited to, client records as defined in section 148F.150, test results, or test interpretations developed during a professional relationship between a provider and a client.

 

Subd. 21.  Provider.  "Provider" means a licensee, a temporary permit holder, or an applicant.

 

Subd. 22.  Public statement.  "Public statement" means any statement, communication, or representation by a provider to the public regarding the provider or the provider's professional services or products.  Public statements include, but are not limited to, advertising, representations in reports or letters, descriptions of credentials and qualifications, brochures and other descriptions of services, directory listings, personal resumes or curricula vitae, comments for use in the media, Web sites, grant and credentialing applications, or product endorsements.


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Subd. 23.  Report.  "Report" means any written or oral professional communication, including a letter, regarding a client or subject that includes one or more of the following:  historical data, behavioral observations, opinions, diagnostic or evaluative statements, or recommendations.  The testimony of a provider as an expert or fact witness in a legal proceeding also constitutes a report.  For purposes of this chapter, letters of recommendation for academic or career purposes are not considered reports.

 

Subd. 24.  Significant risks and benefits.  "Significant risks and benefits" means those risks and benefits that are known or reasonably foreseeable by the provider, including the possible range and likelihood of outcomes, and that are necessary for the client to know in order to decide whether to give consent to proposed services or to reasonable alternative services.

 

Subd. 25.  Student.  "Student" means an individual who is enrolled in a program in alcohol and drug counseling at an accredited educational institution, or who is taking an alcohol and drug counseling course or practicum for credit.

 

Subd. 26.  Supervisee.  "Supervisee" means an individual whose supervision is required to obtain credentialing by a licensure board or to comply with a board order.

 

Subd. 27.  Supervisor.  "Supervisor" means a licensed alcohol and drug counselor licensed under this chapter or other licensed professional practicing alcohol and drug counseling under section 148F.110, who meets the requirements of section 148F.040, subdivision 3, and who provides supervision to persons seeking licensure under section 148F.025, subdivision 3, paragraph (2), clause (ii).

 

Subd. 28.  Test.  "Test" means any instrument, device, survey, questionnaire, technique, scale, inventory, or other process which is designed or constructed for the purpose of measuring, evaluating, assessing, describing, or predicting personality, behavior, traits, cognitive functioning, aptitudes, attitudes, skills, values, interests, abilities, or other characteristics of individuals.

 

Subd. 29.  Unprofessional conduct.  "Unprofessional conduct" means any conduct violating sections 148F.001 to 148F.205, or any conduct that fails to conform to the minimum standards of acceptable and prevailing practice necessary for the protection of the public.

 

Subd. 30.  Variance.  "Variance" means board-authorized permission to comply with a law or rule in a manner other than that generally specified in the law or rule.

 

Sec. 3.  [148F.015] DUTIES OF THE BOARD.

 

The board shall:

 

(1) adopt and enforce rules for licensure and regulation of alcohol and drug counselors and temporary permit holders, including a standard disciplinary process and rules of professional conduct;

 

(2) issue licenses and temporary permits to qualified individuals under sections 148F.001 to 148F.205;

 

(3) carry out disciplinary actions against licensees and temporary permit holders;

 

(4) educate the public about the existence and content of the regulations for alcohol and drug counselor licensing to enable consumers to file complaints against licensees who may have violated the rules; and

 

(5) collect nonrefundable license fees for alcohol and drug counselors.


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Sec. 4.  [148F.020] DUTY TO MAINTAIN CURRENT INFORMATION.

 

All individuals licensed as alcohol and drug counselors, all individuals with temporary permits, and all applicants for licensure must notify the board within 30 days of the occurrence of any of the following:

 

(1) a change of name, address, place of employment, and home or business telephone number; and

 

(2) a change in any other application information.

 

Sec. 5.  [148F.025] REQUIREMENTS FOR LICENSURE.

 

Subdivision 1.  Form; fee.  Individuals seeking licensure as a licensed alcohol and drug counselor shall fully complete and submit a notarized written application on forms provided by the board together with the appropriate fee in the amount set under section 148F.115.  No portion of the fee is refundable.

 

Subd. 2.  Education requirements for licensure.  An applicant for licensure must submit evidence satisfactory to the board that the applicant has:

 

(1) received a bachelor's degree from an accredited school or educational program; and

 

(2) received 18 semester credits or 270 clock hours of academic course work and 880 clock hours of supervised alcohol and drug counseling practicum from an accredited school or education program.  The course work and practicum do not have to be part of the bachelor's degree earned under clause (1).  The academic course work must be in the following areas: 

 

(i) an overview of the transdisciplinary foundations of alcohol and drug counseling, including theories of chemical dependency, the continuum of care, and the process of change;

 

(ii) pharmacology of substance abuse disorders and the dynamics of addiction, including medication-assisted therapy;

 

(iii) professional and ethical responsibilities;

 

(iv) multicultural aspects of chemical dependency;

 

(v) co-occurring disorders; and

 

(vi) the core functions defined in section 148F.010, subdivision 10.

 

Subd. 3.  Examination requirements for licensure.  (a) To be eligible for licensure, the applicant must:

 

(1) satisfactorily pass the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Counselor (IC&RC AODA) written examination adopted June 2008, or other equivalent examination as determined by the board; or

 

(2) satisfactorily pass a written examination for licensure as an alcohol and drug counselor, as determined by the board, and one of the following:

 

(i) complete a written case presentation and pass an oral examination that demonstrates competence in the core functions as defined in section 148F.010, subdivision 10; or


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(ii) complete 2,000 hours of postdegree supervised professional practice under section 148F.040.

 

Sec. 6.  [148F.030] RECIPROCITY.

 

(a) An individual who holds a current license or national certification as an alcohol and drug counselor from another jurisdiction must file with the board a completed application for licensure by reciprocity containing the information required in this section.

 

(b) The applicant must request the credentialing authority of the jurisdiction in which the credential is held to send directly to the board a statement that the credential is current and in good standing, the applicant's qualifications that entitled the applicant to the credential, and a copy of the jurisdiction's credentialing laws and rules that were in effect at the time the applicant obtained the credential.

 

(c) The board shall issue a license if the board finds that the requirements which the applicant met to obtain the credential from the other jurisdiction were substantially similar to the current requirements for licensure in this chapter and that the applicant is not otherwise disqualified under section 148F.090.

 

Sec. 7.  [148F.035] TEMPORARY PERMIT.

 

(a) The board may issue a temporary permit to practice alcohol and drug counseling to an individual prior to being licensed under this chapter if the person:

 

(1) received an associate degree, or an equivalent number of credit hours, completed 880 clock hours of supervised alcohol and drug counseling practicum, and 18 semester credits or 270 clock hours of academic course work in alcohol and drug counseling from an accredited school or education program; and

 

(2) completed academic course work in the following areas:

 

(i) overview of the transdisciplinary foundations of alcohol and drug counseling, including theories of chemical dependency, the continuum of care, and the process of change;

 

(ii) pharmacology of substance abuse disorders and the dynamics of addiction, including medication-assisted therapy;

 

(iii) professional and ethical responsibilities;

 

(iv) multicultural aspects of chemical dependency;

 

(v) co-occurring disorders; and

 

(vi) core functions defined in section 148F.010, subdivision 10.

 

(b) An individual seeking a temporary permit shall fully complete and submit a notarized written application on forms provided by the board together with the nonrefundable temporary permit fee specified in section 148F.115, subdivision 3, clause (1).

 

(c) An individual practicing under this section:

 

(1) must be supervised by a licensed alcohol and drug counselor or other licensed professional practicing alcohol and drug counseling under section 148F.110, subdivision 1;


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(2) is subject to all statutes and rules to the same extent as an individual who is licensed under this chapter, except the individual is not subject to the continuing education requirements of section 148F.075; and

 

(3) must use the title "Alcohol and Drug Counselor-Trainee" or the letters "ADC-T" in professional activities.

 

(d)(1) An individual practicing with a temporary permit must submit a renewal application annually on forms provided by the board with the renewal fee required in section 148F.115, subdivision 3.

 

(2) A temporary permit is automatically terminated if not renewed, upon a change in supervision, or upon the granting or denial by the board of the applicant's application for licensure as an alcohol and drug counselor.

 

(3) A temporary permit may be renewed no more than five times.

 

Sec. 8.  [148F.040] SUPERVISED POSTDEGREE PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE.

 

Subdivision 1.  Supervision.  For the purposes of this section, "supervision" means documented interactive consultation, which, subject to the limitations of subdivision 4, paragraph (b), may be conducted in person, by telephone, or by audio or audiovisual electronic device by a supervisor with a supervisee.  The supervision must be adequate to ensure the quality and competence of the activities supervised.  Supervisory consultation must include discussions on the nature and content of the practice of the supervisee, including, but not limited to, a review of a representative sample of alcohol and drug counseling services in the supervisee's practice.

 

Subd. 2.  Postdegree professional practice.  "Postdegree professional practice" means paid or volunteer work experience and training following graduation from an accredited school or educational program that involves professional oversight by a supervisor approved by the board and that satisfies the supervision requirements in subdivision 4.

 

Subd. 3.  Supervisor requirements.  For the purposes of this section, a supervisor shall:

 

(1) be a licensed alcohol and drug counselor or other qualified professional as determined by the board;

 

(2) have three years of experience providing alcohol and drug counseling services; and

 

(3) have received a minimum of 12 hours of training in clinical and ethical supervision, which may include course work, continuing education courses, workshops, or a combination thereof.

 

Subd. 4.  Supervised practice requirements for licensure.  (a) The content of supervision must include:

 

(1) knowledge, skills, values, and ethics with specific application to the practice issues faced by the supervisee, including the core functions in section 148F.010, subdivision 10;

 

(2) the standards of practice and ethical conduct, with particular emphasis given to the counselor's role and appropriate responsibilities, professional boundaries, and power dynamics; and

 

(3) the supervisee's permissible scope of practice, as defined in section 148F.010, subdivision 18.

 

(b) The supervision must be obtained at the rate of one hour of supervision per 40 hours of professional practice, for a total of 50 hours of supervision.  The supervision must be evenly distributed over the course of the supervised professional practice.  At least 75 percent of the required supervision hours must be received in person.  The remaining 25 percent of the required hours may be received by telephone or by audio or audiovisual electronic device.  At least 50 percent of the required hours of supervision must be received on an individual basis.  The remaining 50 percent may be received in a group setting.


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(c) The supervision must be completed in no fewer than 12 consecutive months and no more than 36 consecutive months.

 

(d) The applicant shall include with an application for licensure a verification of completion of the 2,000 hours of supervised professional practice.  Verification must be on a form specified by the board.  The supervisor shall verify that the supervisee has completed the required hours of supervision according to this section.  The supervised practice required under this section is unacceptable if the supervisor attests that the supervisee's performance, competence, or adherence to the standards of practice and ethical conduct has been unsatisfactory.

 

Sec. 9.  [148F.045] ALCOHOL AND DRUG COUNSELOR TECHNICIAN.

 

An alcohol and drug counselor technician may perform the screening, intake, and orientation services described in section 148F.010, subdivision 10, clauses (1), (2), and (3), while under the direct supervision of a licensed alcohol and drug counselor.

 

Sec. 10.  [148F.050] LICENSE RENEWAL REQUIREMENTS.

 

Subdivision 1.  Biennial renewal.  A license must be renewed every two years.

 

Subd. 2.  License renewal notice.  At least 60 calendar days before the renewal deadline date, the board shall mail a renewal notice to the licensee's last known address on file with the board.  The notice must include instructions for accessing an online application for license renewal, the renewal deadline, and notice of fees required for renewal.  The licensee's failure to receive notice does not relieve the licensee of the obligation to meet the renewal deadline and other requirements for license renewal.

 

Subd. 3.  Renewal requirements.  (a) To renew a license, a licensee must submit to the board:

 

(1) a completed, signed, and notarized application for license renewal;

 

(2) the renewal fee required under section 148F.115, subdivision 2; and

 

(3) evidence satisfactory to the board that the licensee has completed 40 clock hours of continuing education during the preceding two-year renewal period that meet the requirements of section 148F.075.

 

(b) The application must be postmarked or received by the board by the end of the day on which the license expires or the following business day if the expiration date falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday.  An application which is not completed, signed, notarized, or which is not accompanied by the correct fee, is void and must be returned to the licensee.

 

Subd. 4.  Pending renewal.  If a licensee's application for license renewal is postmarked or received by the board by the end of the business day on the expiration date of the license, the licensee may continue to practice after the expiration date while the application for license renewal is pending with the board.

 

Subd. 5.  Late renewal fee.  If the application for license renewal is postmarked or received after the expiration date, the licensee shall pay a late fee as specified by section 148F.115, subdivision 5, clause (1), in addition to the renewal fee, before the application for license renewal will be considered by the board.

 

Sec. 11.  [148F.055] EXPIRED LICENSE.

 

Subdivision 1.  Expiration of license.  A licensee who fails to submit an application for license renewal, or whose application for license renewal is not postmarked or received by the board as required, is not authorized to practice after the expiration date and is subject to disciplinary action by the board for any practice after the expiration date.


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Subd. 2.  Termination for nonrenewal.  (a) Within 30 days after the renewal date, a licensee who has not renewed the license shall be notified by letter sent to the last known address of the licensee in the board's file that the renewal is overdue and that failure to pay the current fee and current late fee within 60 days after the renewal date will result in termination of the license.

 

(b) The board shall terminate the license of a licensee whose license renewal is at least 60 days overdue and to whom notification has been sent as provided in paragraph (a).  Failure of a licensee to receive notification is not grounds for later challenge of the termination.  The former licensee shall be notified of the termination by letter within seven days after the board action, in the same manner as provided in paragraph (a).

 

Sec. 12.  [148F.060] VOLUNTARY TERMINATION.

 

A license may be voluntarily terminated by the licensee at any time upon written notification to the board, unless a complaint is pending against the licensee.  The notification must be received by the board prior to termination of the license for failure to renew.  A former licensee may be licensed again only after complying with the relicensure following termination requirements under section 148F.065.  For purposes of this section, the board retains jurisdiction over any licensee whose license has been voluntarily terminated and against whom the board receives a complaint for conduct occurring during the period of licensure.

 

Sec. 13.  [148F.065] RELICENSURE FOLLOWING TERMINATION.

 

Subdivision 1.  Relicensure.  For a period of two years, a former licensee whose license has been voluntarily terminated or terminated for nonrenewal as provided in section 148F.055, subdivision 2, may be relicensed by completing an application for relicensure, paying the applicable fee, and verifying that the former licensee has not engaged in the practice of alcohol and drug counseling in this state since the date of termination.  The verification must be accompanied by a notarized affirmation that the statement is true and correct to the best knowledge and belief of the former licensee. 

 

Subd. 2.  Continuing education for relicensure.  A former licensee seeking relicensure after license termination must provide evidence of having completed at least 20 hours of continuing education activities for each year, or portion thereof, that the former licensee did not hold a license.

 

Subd. 3.  Cancellation of license.  The board shall not renew, reissue, reinstate, or restore the license of a former licensee which was terminated for nonrenewal, or voluntarily terminated, and for which relicensure was not sought for more than two years from the date the license was terminated for nonrenewal, or voluntarily terminated.  A former licensee seeking relicensure after this two-year period must obtain a new license by applying for licensure and fulfilling all requirements then in existence for an initial license to practice alcohol and drug counseling in Minnesota.

 

Sec. 14.  [148F.070] INACTIVE LICENSE STATUS.

 

Subdivision 1.  Request for inactive status.  Unless a complaint is pending against the licensee, a licensee whose license is in good standing may request, in writing, that the license be placed on the inactive list.  If a complaint is pending against a licensee, a license may not be placed on the inactive list until action relating to the complaint is concluded.  The board must receive the request for inactive status before expiration of the license, or the person must pay the late fee.  A licensee may renew a license that is inactive under this subdivision by meeting the renewal requirements of subdivision 2.  A licensee must not practice alcohol and drug counseling while the license is inactive.


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Subd. 2.  Renewal of inactive license.  A licensee whose license is inactive must renew the inactive status by the inactive status expiration date determined by the board, or the license will expire.  An application for renewal of inactive status must include evidence satisfactory to the board that the licensee has completed 40 clock hours of continuing education required in section 148F.075.  Late renewal of inactive status must be accompanied by a late fee as required in section 148F.115, subdivision 5, paragraph (2).

 

Sec. 15.  [148F.075] CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS.

 

Subdivision 1.  Purpose.  (a) The purpose of mandatory continuing education is to promote the professional development of alcohol and drug counselors so that the services they provide promote the health and well-being of clients who receive services.

 

(b) Continued professional growth and maintaining competence in providing alcohol and drug counseling services are the ethical responsibilities of each licensee.

 

Subd. 2.  Requirement.  Every two years, all licensees must complete a minimum of 40 clock hours of continuing education activities that meet the requirements in this section.  The 40 clock hours shall include a minimum of nine clock hours on diversity, and a minimum of three clock hours on professional ethics.  Diversity training includes, but is not limited to, the topics listed in Minnesota Rules, part 4747.1100, subpart 2.  A licensee may be given credit only for activities that directly relate to the practice of alcohol and drug counseling. 

 

Subd. 3.  Standards for approval.  In order to obtain clock hour credit for a continuing education activity, the activity must:

 

(1) constitute an organized program of learning;

 

(2) reasonably be expected to advance the knowledge and skills of the alcohol and drug counselor;

 

(3) pertain to subjects that directly relate to the practice of alcohol and drug counseling;

 

(4) be conducted by individuals who have education, training, and experience and are knowledgeable about the subject matter; and

 

(5) be presented by a sponsor who has a system to verify participation and maintains attendance records for three years, unless the sponsor provides dated evidence to each participant with the number of clock hours awarded.

 

Subd. 4.  Qualifying activities.  Clock hours may be earned through the following:

 

(1) attendance at educational programs of annual conferences, lectures, panel discussions, workshops, in-service training, seminars, and symposia;

 

(2) successful completion of college or university courses offered by a regionally accredited school or education program, if not being taken in order to meet the educational requirements for licensure under this chapter.  The licensee must obtain a grade of at least a "C" or its equivalent or a pass in a pass/fail course in order to receive the following continuing education credits:

 

(i) one semester credit equals 15 clock hours;

 

(ii) one trimester credit equals 12 clock hours; and

 

(iii) one quarter credit equals 10 clock hours;


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(3) successful completion of home study or online courses offered by an accredited school or education program and that require a licensee to demonstrate knowledge following completion of the course;

 

(4) teaching a course at a regionally accredited institution of higher education.  To qualify for continuing education credit, the course must directly relate to the practice of alcohol and drug counseling, as determined by the board.  Continuing education hours may be earned only for the first time the licensee teaches the course.  Ten continuing education hours may be earned for each semester credit hour taught; or

 

(5) presentations at workshops, seminars, symposia, meetings of professional organizations, in-service trainings, or postgraduate institutes.  The presentation must be related to alcohol and drug counseling.  A presenter may claim one hour of continuing education for each hour of presentation time.  A presenter may also receive continuing education hours for development time at the rate of three hours for each hour of presentation time.  Continuing education hours may be earned only for the licensee's first presentation on the subject developed.

 

Subd. 5.  Activities not qualifying for continuing education clock hours.  Approval shall not be given for courses that do not meet the requirements of this section or are limited to the following:

 

(1) any subject contrary to the rules of professional conduct;

 

(2) supervision of personnel;

 

(3) entertainment or recreational activities;

 

(4) employment orientation sessions;

 

(5) policy meetings;

 

(6) marketing;

 

(7) business;

 

(8) first aid, CPR, and similar training classes; and

 

(9) training related to payment systems, including covered services, coding, and billing.

 

Subd. 6.  Documentation of reporting compliance.  (a) When the licensee applies for renewal of the license, the licensee must complete and submit an affidavit of continuing education compliance showing that the licensee has completed a minimum of 40 approved continuing education clock hours since the last renewal.  Failure to submit the affidavit when required makes the licensee's renewal application incomplete and void.

 

(b) All licensees shall retain original documentation of completion of continuing education hours for a period of five years.  For purposes of compliance with this section, a receipt for payment of the fee for the course is not sufficient evidence of completion of the required hours of continuing education.  Information retained shall include:

 

(1) the continuing education activity title;

 

(2) a brief description of the continuing education activity;

 

(3) the sponsor, presenter, or author;

 

(4) the location and the dates attended;


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(5) the number of clock hours; and

 

(6) the certificate of attendance, if applicable.

 

(c) Only continuing education obtained during the two-year reporting period may be considered at the time of reporting.

 

Subd. 7.  Continuing education audit.  (a) At the time of renewal, the board may randomly audit a percentage of its licensees for compliance with continuing education requirements.

 

(b) The board shall mail a notice to a licensee selected for an audit of continuing education hours.  The notice must include the reporting periods selected for audit.

 

(c) Selected licensees shall submit copies of the original documentation of completed continuing education hours.  Upon specific request, the licensee shall submit original documentation.  Failure to submit required documentation shall result in the renewal application being considered incomplete and void and constitute grounds for nonrenewal of the license and disciplinary action.

 

Subd. 8.  Variance of continuing education requirements.  (a) If a licensee is unable to meet the continuing education requirements by the renewal date, the licensee may request a time-limited variance to fulfill the requirements after the renewal date.  A licensee seeking a variance is considered to be renewing late and is subject to the late renewal fee, regardless of when the request is received or whether the variance is granted.

 

(b) The licensee shall submit the variance request on a form designated by the board, include the variance fee subject to section 14.056, subdivision 2, and the late fee for license renewal under section 148F.115.  The variance request is subject to the criteria for rule variances in section 14.055, subdivision 4, and must include a written plan listing the activities offered to meet the requirement.  Hours completed after the renewal date pursuant to the written plan count toward meeting only the requirements of the previous renewal period.

 

(c) A variance granted under this subdivision expires six months after the license renewal date.  A licensee who is granted a variance but fails to complete the required continuing education within the six-month period may apply for a second variance according to this subdivision.

 

(d) If an initial variance request is denied, the license of the licensee shall not be renewed until the licensee completes the continuing education requirements.  If an initial variance is granted, and the licensee fails to complete the required continuing education within the six-month period, the license shall be administratively suspended until the licensee completes the required continuing education, unless the licensee has obtained a second variance according to paragraph (c).

 

Sec. 16.  [148F.080] SPONSOR'S APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL.

 

Subdivision 1.  Content.  Individuals, organizations, associations, corporations, educational institutions, or groups intending to offer continuing education activities for approval must submit to the board the sponsor application fee and a completed application for approval on a form provided by the board.  The sponsor must comply with the following to receive and maintain approval: 

 

(1) submit the application for approval at least 60 days before the activity is scheduled to begin; and

 

(2) include the following information in the application for approval to enable the board to determine whether the activity complies with section 148F.075:


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(i) a statement of the objectives of the activity and the knowledge the participants will have gained upon completion of the activity;

 

(ii) a description of the content and methodology of the activity which will allow the participants to meet the objectives;

 

(iii) a description of the method the participants will use to evaluate the activity;

 

(iv) a list of the qualifications of each instructor or developer that shows the instructor's or developer's current knowledge and skill in the activity's subject;

 

(v) a description of the certificate or other form of verification of attendance distributed to each participant upon successful completion of the activity;

 

(vi) the sponsor's agreement to retain attendance lists for a period of five years from the date of the activity; and

 

(vii) a copy of any proposed advertisement or other promotional literature.

 

Subd. 2.  Approval expiration.  If the board approves an activity it shall assign the activity a number.  The approval remains in effect for one year from the date of initial approval.  Upon expiration, a sponsor must submit a new application for activity approval to the board as required by subdivision 1.

 

Subd. 3.  Statement of board approval.  Each sponsor of an approved activity shall include in any promotional literature a statement that "This activity has been approved by the Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy for ... hours of credit."

 

Subd. 4.  Changes.  The activity sponsor must submit proposed changes in an approved activity to the board for its approval.

 

Subd. 5.  Denial of approval.  The board shall not approve an activity if it does not meet the continuing education requirements in section 148F.075.  The board shall notify the sponsor in writing of its reasons for denial.

 

Subd. 6.  Revocation of approval.  The board shall revoke its approval of an activity if a sponsor falsifies information contained in its application for approval, or if a sponsor fails to notify the board of changes to an approved activity as required in subdivision 4.

 

Sec. 17.  [148F.085] NONTRANSFERABILITY OF LICENSES.

 

An alcohol and drug counselor license is not transferable.

 

Sec. 18.  [148F.090] DENIAL, SUSPENSION, OR REVOCATION OF LICENSE.

 

Subdivision 1.  Grounds.  The board may impose disciplinary action as described in subdivision 2 against an applicant or licensee whom the board, by a preponderance of the evidence, determines:

 

(1) has violated a statute, rule, or order that the board issued or is empowered to enforce;

 

(2) has engaged in fraudulent, deceptive, or dishonest conduct, whether or not the conduct relates to the practice of licensed alcohol and drug counseling that adversely affects the person's ability or fitness to practice alcohol and drug counseling;


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(3) has engaged in unprofessional conduct or any other conduct which has the potential for causing harm to the public, including any departure from or failure to conform to the minimum standards of acceptable and prevailing practice without actual injury having to be established;

 

(4) has been convicted of or has pled guilty or nolo contendere to a felony or other crime, an element of which is dishonesty or fraud, or has been shown to have engaged in acts or practices tending to show that the applicant or licensee is incompetent or has engaged in conduct reflecting adversely on the applicant's or licensee's ability or fitness to engage in the practice of alcohol and drug counseling;

 

(5) has employed fraud or deception in obtaining or renewing a license, or in passing an examination;

 

(6) has had any license, certificate, registration, privilege to take an examination, or other similar authority denied, revoked, suspended, canceled, limited, or not renewed for cause in any jurisdiction or has surrendered or voluntarily terminated a license or certificate during a board investigation of a complaint, as part of a disciplinary order, or while under a disciplinary order;

 

(7) has failed to meet any requirement for the issuance or renewal of the person's license.  The burden of proof is on the applicant or licensee to demonstrate the qualifications or satisfy the requirements for a license under this chapter;

 

(8) has failed to cooperate with an investigation by the board;

 

(9) has demonstrated an inability to practice alcohol and drug counseling with reasonable skill and safety as a result of illness, use of alcohol, drugs, chemicals, or any other materials, or as a result of any mental, physical, or psychological condition;

 

(10) has engaged in conduct with a client that is sexual or may reasonably be interpreted by the client as sexual, or in any verbal behavior that is seductive or sexually demeaning to a client;

 

(11) has been subject to a corrective action or similar, nondisciplinary action in another jurisdiction or by another regulatory authority;

 

(12) has been adjudicated as mentally incompetent, mentally ill, or developmentally disabled or as a chemically dependent person, a person dangerous to the public, a sexually dangerous person, or a person who has a sexual psychopathic personality by a court of competent jurisdiction within this state or an equivalent adjudication from another state.  Adjudication automatically suspends a license for the duration thereof unless the board orders otherwise;

 

(13) fails to comply with a client's request for health records made under sections 144.291 to 144.298, or to furnish a client record or report required by law;

 

(14) has engaged in abusive or fraudulent billing practices, including violations of the federal Medicare and Medicaid laws or state medical assistance laws; or

 

(15) has engaged in fee splitting.  This clause does not apply to the distribution of revenues from a partnership, group practice, nonprofit corporation, or professional corporation to its partners, shareholders, members, or employees if the revenues consist only of fees for services performed by the licensee or under a licensee's administrative authority.  Fee splitting includes, but is not limited to:

 

(i) dividing fees with another person or a professional corporation, unless the division is in proportion to the services provided and the responsibility assumed by each professional;


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(ii) referring a client to any health care provider as defined in sections 144.291 to 144.298 in which the referring licensee has a significant financial interest, unless the licensee has disclosed in advance to the client the licensee's own financial interest; or

 

(iii) paying, offering to pay, receiving, or agreeing to receive a commission, rebate, or remuneration, directly or indirectly, primarily for the referral of clients.

 

Subd. 2.  Forms of disciplinary action.  If grounds for disciplinary action exist under subdivision 1, the board may take one or more of the following actions;

 

(1) refuse to grant or renew a license;

 

(2) revoke a license;

 

(3) suspend a license;

 

(4) impose limitations or conditions on a licensee's practice of alcohol and drug counseling, including, but not limited to, limiting the scope of practice to designated competencies, imposing retraining or rehabilitation requirements, requiring the licensee to practice under supervision, or conditioning continued practice on the demonstration of knowledge or skill by appropriate examination or other review of skill and competence;

 

(5) censure or reprimand the licensee;

 

(6) impose a civil penalty not exceeding $10,000 for each separate violation, the amount of the civil penalty to be fixed so as to deprive the applicant or licensee of any economic advantage gained by reason of the violation charged, to discourage similar violations or to reimburse the board for the cost of the investigation and proceeding, including, but not limited to, fees paid for services provided by the Office of Administrative Hearings, legal and investigative services provided by the Office of the Attorney General, court reporters, witnesses, reproduction of records, board members' per diem compensation, board staff time, and travel costs and expenses incurred by board staff and board members; or

 

(7) any other action justified by the case.

 

Subd. 3.  Evidence.  In disciplinary actions alleging violations of subdivision 1, clause (4), (12), or (14), a copy of the judgment or proceedings under the seal of the court administrator or of the administrative agency that entered the judgment or proceeding is admissible into evidence without further authentication and constitutes prima facie evidence of its contents.

 

Subd. 4.  Temporary suspension.  (a) In addition to any other remedy provided by law, the board may issue an order to temporarily suspend the credentials of a licensee after conducting a preliminary inquiry to determine if the board reasonably believes that the licensee has violated a statute or rule that the board is empowered to enforce and whether continued practice by the licensee would create an imminent risk of harm to others.

 

(b) The order may prohibit the licensee from engaging in the practice of alcohol and drug counseling in whole or in part and may condition the end of a suspension on the licensee's compliance with a statute, rule, or order that the board has issued or is empowered to enforce.

 

(c) The order shall give notice of the right to a hearing according to this subdivision and shall state the reasons for the entry of the order.


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(d) Service of the order is effective when the order is served on the licensee personally or by certified mail, which is complete upon receipt, refusal, or return for nondelivery to the most recent address of the licensee provided to the board.

 

(e) At the time the board issues a temporary suspension order, the board shall schedule a hearing to be held before its own members.  The hearing shall begin no later than 60 days after issuance of the temporary suspension order or within 15 working days of the date of the board's receipt of a request for hearing by a licensee, on the sole issue of whether there is a reasonable basis to continue, modify, or lift the temporary suspension.  The hearing is not subject to chapter 14.  Evidence presented by the board or the licensee shall be in affidavit form only.  The licensee or counsel of record may appear for oral argument.

 

(f) Within five working days of the hearing, the board shall issue its order and, if the suspension is continued, schedule a contested case hearing within 30 days of the issuance of the order.  Notwithstanding chapter 14, the administrative law judge shall issue a report within 30 days after closing the contested case hearing record.  The board shall issue a final order within 30 days of receipt of the administrative law judge's report.

 

Subd. 5.  Automatic suspension.  (a) The right to practice is automatically suspended when:

 

(1) a guardian of an alcohol and drug counselor is appointed by order of a district court under sections 524.5-101 to 524.5-502; or

 

(2) the counselor is committed by order of a district court under chapter 253B.

 

(b) The right to practice remains suspended until the counselor is restored to capacity by a court and, upon petition by the counselor, the suspension is terminated by the board after a hearing or upon agreement between the board and the counselor.

 

Subd. 6.  Mental, physical, or chemical health evaluation.  (a) If the board has probable cause to believe that an applicant or licensee is unable to practice alcohol and drug counseling with reasonable skill and safety due to a mental or physical illness or condition, the board may direct the individual to submit to a mental, physical, or chemical dependency examination or evaluation.

 

(1) For the purposes of this section, every licensee and applicant is deemed to have consented to submit to a mental, physical, or chemical dependency examination or evaluation when directed in writing by the board and to have waived all objections to the admissibility of the examining professionals' testimony or examination reports on the grounds that the testimony or examination reports constitute a privileged communication. 

 

(2) Failure of a licensee or applicant to submit to an examination when directed by the board constitutes an admission of the allegations against the person, unless the failure was due to circumstances beyond the person's control, in which case a default and final order may be entered without the taking of testimony or presentation of evidence.

 

(3) A licensee or applicant affected under this subdivision shall at reasonable intervals be given an opportunity to demonstrate that the licensee or applicant can resume the competent practice of licensed alcohol and drug counseling with reasonable skill and safety to the public.

 

(4) In any proceeding under this subdivision, neither the record of proceedings nor the orders entered by the board shall be used against the licensee or applicant in any other proceeding.

 

(b) In addition to ordering a physical or mental examination, the board may, notwithstanding section 13.384 or 144.291 to 144.298, or any other law limiting access to medical or other health data, obtain medical data and health records relating to a licensee or applicant without the licensee's or applicant's consent if the board has probable cause to believe that subdivision 1, clause (9), applies to the licensee or applicant.  The medical data may be requested from:


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(1) a provider, as defined in section 144.291, subdivision 2, paragraph (h);

 

(2) an insurance company; or

 

(3) a government agency, including the Department of Human Services.

 

(c) A provider, insurance company, or government agency must comply with any written request of the board under this subdivision and is not liable in any action for damages for releasing the data requested by the board if the data are released pursuant to a written request under this subdivision, unless the information is false and the provider giving the information knew, or had reason to believe, the information was false.

 

(d) Information obtained under this subdivision is private data on individuals as defined in section 13.02, subdivision 12.

 

Sec. 19.  [148F.095] ADDITIONAL REMEDIES.

 

Subdivision 1.  Cease and desist.  (a) The board may issue a cease and desist order to stop a person from violating or threatening to violate a statute, rule, or order which the board has issued or has authority to enforce.  The cease and desist order must state the reason for its issuance and give notice of the person's right to request a hearing under sections 14.57 to 14.62.  If, within 15 days of service of the order, the subject of the order fails to request a hearing in writing, the order is the final order of the board and is not reviewable by a court or agency. 

 

(b) A hearing must be initiated by the board no later than 30 days from the date of the board's receipt of a written hearing request.  Within 30 days of receipt of the administrative law judge's report, and any written agreement or exceptions filed by the parties, the board shall issue a final order modifying, vacating, or making permanent the cease and desist order as the facts require.  The final order remains in effect until modified or vacated by the board. 

 

(c) When a request for a stay accompanies a timely hearing request, the board may, in the board's discretion, grant the stay.  If the board does not grant a requested stay, the board shall refer the request to the Office of Administrative Hearings within three working days of receipt of the request.  Within ten days after receiving the request from the board, an administrative law judge shall issue a recommendation to grant or deny the stay.  The board shall grant or deny the stay within five working days of receiving the administrative law judge's recommendation. 

 

(d) In the event of noncompliance with a cease and desist order, the board may institute a proceeding in district court to obtain injunctive relief or other appropriate relief, including a civil penalty payable to the board, not to exceed $10,000 for each separate violation.

 

Subd. 2.  Injunctive relief.  In addition to any other remedy provided by law, including the issuance of a cease and desist order under subdivision 1, the board may in the board's own name bring an action in district court for injunctive relief to restrain an alcohol and drug counselor from a violation or threatened violation of any statute, rule, or order which the board has authority to administer, enforce, or issue.

 

Subd. 3.  Additional powers.  The issuance of a cease and desist order or injunctive relief granted under this section does not relieve a counselor from criminal prosecution by a competent authority or from disciplinary action by the board.

 

Sec. 20.  [148F.100] COOPERATION.

 

An alcohol and drug counselor who is the subject of an investigation, or who is questioned in connection with an investigation, by or on behalf of the board, shall cooperate fully with the investigation.  Cooperation includes responding fully to any question raised by or on behalf of the board relating to the subject of the investigation, whether tape recorded or not.  Challenges to requests of the board may be brought before the appropriate agency or court.


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Sec. 21.  [148F.105] PROHIBITED PRACTICE OR USE OF TITLES; PENALTY.

 

Subdivision 1.  Practice.  No person shall engage in alcohol and drug counseling without first being licensed under this chapter as an alcohol and drug counselor.  For purposes of this chapter, an individual engages in the practice of alcohol and drug counseling if the individual performs or offers to perform alcohol and drug counseling services as defined in section 148F.010, subdivision 19, or if the individual is held out as able to perform those services.

 

Subd. 2.  Use of titles.  (a) No individual shall present themselves or any other individual to the public by any title incorporating the words "licensed alcohol and drug counselor," "alcohol and drug counselor," or otherwise hold themselves out to the public by any title or description stating or implying that they are licensed or otherwise qualified to practice alcohol and drug counseling, unless that individual holds a valid license.

 

(b) An individual issued a temporary permit must use titles consistent with section 148F.035, subdivisions 1 and 2, paragraph (c), clause (3).

 

(c) An individual who is participating in an alcohol and drug counseling practicum for purposes of licensure by the board may be designated an "alcohol and drug counselor intern."

 

(d) Individuals who are trained in alcohol and drug counseling and employed by an educational institution recognized by a regional accrediting organization, by a federal, state, county, or local government institution, by agencies, or research facilities, may represent themselves by the titles designated by that organization provided the title does not indicate the individual is licensed by the board.

 

Subd. 3.  Penalty.  A person who violates sections 148F.001 to 148F.205 is guilty of a misdemeanor.

 

Sec. 22.  [148F.110] EXCEPTIONS TO LICENSE REQUIREMENT.

 

Subdivision 1.  Other professionals.  (a) Nothing in this chapter prevents members of other professions or occupations from performing functions for which they are qualified or licensed.  This exception includes, but is not limited to:  licensed physicians; registered nurses; licensed practical nurses; licensed psychologists and licensed psychological practitioners; members of the clergy provided such services are provided within the scope of regular ministries; American Indian medicine men and women; licensed attorneys; probation officers; licensed marriage and family therapists; licensed social workers; social workers employed by city, county, or state agencies; licensed professional counselors; licensed professional clinical counselors; licensed school counselors; registered occupational therapists or occupational therapy assistants; Upper Midwest Indian Council on Addictive Disorders (UMICAD) certified counselors when providing services to Native American people; city, county, or state employees when providing assessments or case management under Minnesota Rules, chapter 9530; and individuals defined in section 256B.0623, subdivision 5, clauses (1) and (2), providing integrated dual-diagnosis treatment in adult mental health rehabilitative programs certified by the Department of Human Services under section 256B.0622 or 256B.0623. 

 

(b) Nothing in this chapter prohibits technicians and resident managers in programs licensed by the Department of Human Services from discharging their duties as provided in Minnesota Rules, chapter 9530.

 

(c) Any person who is exempt from licensure under this section must not use a title incorporating the words "alcohol and drug counselor" or "licensed alcohol and drug counselor" or otherwise hold themselves out to the public by any title or description stating or implying that they are engaged in the practice of alcohol and drug counseling, or that they are licensed to engage in the practice of alcohol and drug counseling, unless that person is also licensed as an alcohol and drug counselor.  Persons engaged in the practice of alcohol and drug counseling are not exempt from the board's jurisdiction solely by the use of one of the titles in paragraph (a). 


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Subd. 2.  Students.  Nothing in sections 148F.001 to 148F.110 shall prevent students enrolled in an accredited school of alcohol and drug counseling from engaging in the practice of alcohol and drug counseling while under qualified supervision in an accredited school of alcohol and drug counseling.

 

Subd. 3.  Federally recognized tribes.  Alcohol and drug counselors practicing alcohol and drug counseling according to standards established by federally recognized tribes, while practicing under tribal jurisdiction, are exempt from the requirements of this chapter.  In practicing alcohol and drug counseling under tribal jurisdiction, individuals practicing under that authority shall be afforded the same rights, responsibilities, and recognition as persons licensed under this chapter.

 

Sec. 23.  [148F.115] FEES.

 

Subdivision 1.  Application fee.  The application fee is $295.

 

Subd. 2.  Biennial renewal fee.  The license renewal fee is $295.  If the board establishes a renewal schedule, and the scheduled renewal date is less than two years, the fee may be prorated.

 

Subd. 3.  Temporary permit fee.  Temporary permit fees are as follows:

 

(1) initial application fee is $100; and

 

(2) annual renewal fee is $150.  If the initial term is less or more than one year, the fee may be prorated.

 

Subd. 4.  Inactive license renewal fee.  The inactive license renewal fee is $150.

 

Subd. 5.  Late fees.  Late fees are as follows:

 

(1) biennial renewal late fee is $74;

 

(2) inactive license renewal late fee is $37; and

 

(3) annual temporary permit late fee is $37.

 

Subd. 6.  Fee to renew after expiration of license.  The fee for renewal of a license that has been expired for less than two years is the total of the biennial renewal fee in effect at the time of late renewal and the late fee.

 

Subd. 7.  Fee for license verification.  The fee for license verification is $25.

 

Subd. 8.  Surcharge fee.  Notwithstanding section 16A.1285, subdivision 2, a surcharge of $99 shall be paid at the time of initial application for or renewal of an alcohol and drug counselor license until June 30, 2013.

 

Subd. 9.  Sponsor application fee.  The fee for a sponsor application for approval of a continuing education course is $60.

 

Subd. 10.  Order or stipulation fee.  The fee for a copy of a board order or stipulation is $10.

 

Subd. 11.  Duplicate certificate fee.  The fee for a duplicate certificate is $25.

 

Subd. 12.  Supervisor application processing fee.  The fee for licensure supervisor application processing is $30.

 

Subd. 13.  Nonrefundable fees.  All fees in this section are nonrefundable.


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Sec. 24.  [148F.120] CONDUCT.

 

Subdivision 1.  Scope.  Sections 148F.120 to 148F.205 apply to the conduct of all alcohol and drug counselors, licensees, and applicants, including conduct during the period of education, training, and employment that is required for licensure.

 

Subd. 2.  Purpose.  Sections 148F.120 to 148F.205 constitute the standards by which the professional conduct of alcohol and drug counselors is measured.

 

Subd. 3.  Violations.  A violation of sections 148F.120 to 148F.205 is unprofessional conduct and constitutes grounds for disciplinary action, corrective action, or denial of licensure.

 

Subd. 4.  Conflict with organizational demands.  If the organizational policies at the provider's work setting conflict with any provision in sections 148F.120 to 148F.205, the provider shall discuss the nature of the conflict with the employer, make known the requirement to comply with these sections of law, and attempt to resolve the conflict in a manner that does not violate the law.

 

Sec. 25.  [148F.125] COMPETENT PROVISION OF SERVICES.

 

Subdivision 1.  Limits on practice.  Alcohol and drug counselors shall limit their practice to the client populations and services for which they have competence or for which they are developing competence.

 

Subd. 2.  Developing competence.  When an alcohol and drug counselor is developing competence in a service, method, procedure, or to treat a specific client population, the alcohol and drug counselor shall obtain professional education, training, continuing education, consultation, supervision, or experience, or a combination thereof, necessary to demonstrate competence.

 

Subd. 3.  Experimental, emerging, or innovative services.  Alcohol and drug counselors may offer experimental services, methods, or procedures competently and in a manner that protects clients from harm.  However, when doing so, they have a heightened responsibility to understand and communicate the potential risks to clients, to use reasonable skill and safety, and to undertake appropriate preparation as required in subdivision 2.

 

Subd. 4.  Limitations.  Alcohol and drug counselors shall recognize the limitations to the scope of practice of alcohol and drug counseling.  When the needs of clients appear to be outside their scope of practice, providers shall inform the clients that there may be other professional, technical, community, and administrative resources available to them.  Providers shall assist with identifying resources when it is in the best interests of clients to be provided with alternative or complementary services.

 

Subd. 5.  Burden of proof.  Whenever a complaint is submitted to the board involving a violation of this section, the burden of proof is on the provider to demonstrate that the elements of competence have reasonably been met.

 

Sec. 26.  [148F.130] PROTECTING CLIENT PRIVACY.

 

Subdivision 1.  Protecting private information.  The provider shall safeguard private information obtained in the course of the practice of alcohol and drug counseling.  Private information may be disclosed to others only according to section 148F.135, or with certain exceptions as specified in subdivisions 2 to 13. 

 

Subd. 2.  Duty to warn; limitation on liability.  Private information may be disclosed without the consent of the client when a duty to warn arises, or as otherwise provided by law or court order.  The duty to warn of, or take reasonable precautions to provide protection from, violent behavior arises only when a client or other person has communicated to the provider a specific, serious threat of physical violence to self or a specific, clearly identified or


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identifiable potential victim.  If a duty to warn arises, the duty is discharged by the provider if reasonable efforts are made to communicate the threat to law enforcement agencies, the potential victim, the family of the client, or appropriate third parties who are in a position to prevent or avert the harm.  No monetary liability and no cause of action or disciplinary action by the board may arise against a provider for disclosure of confidences to third parties, for failure to disclose confidences to third parties, or for erroneous disclosure of confidences to third parties in a good faith effort to warn against or take precautions against a client's violent behavior or threat of suicide.

 

Subd. 3.  Services to group clients.  Whenever alcohol and drug counseling services are provided to group clients, the provider shall initially inform each client of the provider's responsibility and each client's individual responsibility to treat any information gained in the course of rendering the services as private information, including any limitations to each client's right to privacy.

 

Subd. 4.  Obtaining collateral information.  Prior to obtaining collateral information about a client from other individuals, the provider shall obtain consent from the client unless the consent is not required by law or court order, and shall inform the other individuals that the information obtained may become part of the client's records and may therefore be accessed or released by the client, unless prohibited by law.  For purposes of this subdivision, "other individual" means any individual, except for credentialed health care providers acting in their professional capacities, who participates adjunctively in the provision of services to a client.  Examples of other individuals include, but are not limited to, family members, friends, coworkers, day care workers, guardians ad litem, foster parents, or school personnel.

 

Subd. 5.  Minor clients.  At the beginning of a professional relationship, the provider shall inform a minor client that the law imposes limitations on the right of privacy of the minor with respect to the minor's communications with the provider.  This requirement is waived when the minor cannot reasonably be expected to understand the privacy statement.

 

Subd. 6.  Limited access to client records.  The provider shall limit access to client records.  The provider shall make reasonable efforts to inform individuals associated with the provider's agency or facility, such as staff members, students, volunteers, or community aides, that access to client records, regardless of their format, is limited only to the provider with whom the client has a professional relationship, an individual associated with the agency or facility whose duties require access, or individuals authorized to have access by the written informed consent of the client.

 

Subd. 7.  Billing statements for services.  The provider shall comply with the privacy wishes of clients regarding to whom and where statements for services are to be sent.

 

Subd. 8.  Case reports.  The identification of the client shall be reasonably disguised in case reports or other clinical materials used in teaching, presentations, professional meetings, or publications.

 

Subd. 9.  Observation and recording.  Diagnostic interviews or therapeutic sessions with a client may be observed or electronically recorded only with the client's written informed consent.

 

Subd. 10.  Continued protection of client information.  The provider shall maintain the privacy of client data indefinitely after the professional relationship has ended.

 

Subd. 11.  Court-ordered or other mandated disclosures.  The proper disclosure of private client data upon a court order or to conform with state or federal law shall not be considered a violation of sections 148F.120 to 148F.205.


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Subd. 12.  Abuse or neglect of minor or vulnerable adults.  An applicant or licensee must comply with the reporting of maltreatment of minors established in section 626.556 and the reporting of maltreatment of vulnerable adults established in section 626.557.

 

Subd. 13.  Initial contacts.  When an individual initially contacts a provider regarding alcohol and drug counseling services, the provider or another individual designated by the provider may, with oral consent from the potential client, contact third parties to determine payment or benefits information, arrange for precertification of services when required by the individual's health plan, or acknowledge a referral from another health care professional.

 

Sec. 27.  [148F.135] PRIVATE INFORMATION; ACCESS AND RELEASE.

 

Subdivision 1.  Client right to access and release private information.  A client has the right to access and release private information maintained by the provider, including client records as provided in sections 144.291 to 144.298, relating to the provider's counseling services to that client, except as otherwise provided by law or court order. 

 

Subd. 2.  Release of private information.  (a) When a client makes a request for the provider to release the client's private information, the request must be in writing and signed by the client.  Informed consent is not required.  When the request involves client records, all pertinent information shall be released in compliance with sections 144.291 to 144.298.

 

(b) If the provider initiates the request to release the client's private information, written authorization for the release of information must be obtained from the client and must include, at a minimum:

 

(1) the name of the client;

 

(2) the name of the individual or entity providing the information;

 

(3) the name of the individual or entity to which the release is made;

 

(4) the types of information to be released, such as progress notes, diagnoses, assessment data, or other specific information;

 

(5) the purpose of the release, such as whether the release is to coordinate professional care with another provider, to obtain insurance payment for services, or for other specified purposes;

 

(6) the time period covered by the consent;

 

(7) a statement that the consent is valid for one year, except as otherwise allowed by statute, or for a lesser period that is specified in the consent;

 

(8) a declaration that the individual signing the statement has been told of and understands the nature and purpose of the authorized release;

 

(9) a statement that the consent may be rescinded, except to the extent that the consent has already been acted upon or that the right to rescind consent has been waived separately in writing;

 

(10) the signature of the client or the client's legally authorized representative, whose relationship to the client must be stated; and

 

(11) the date on which the consent is signed.


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Subd. 3.  Group client records.  Whenever counseling services are provided to group clients, each client has the right to access or release only that information in the records that the client has provided directly or has authorized other sources to provide, unless otherwise directed by law or court order.  Upon a request by one client to access or release group client records, that information in the records that has not been provided directly or by authorization of the requesting client must be redacted unless written authorization to disclose this information has been obtained from the other clients.

 

Subd. 4.  Board investigation.  The board shall be allowed access to any records of a client provided services by an applicant or licensee who is under investigation.  If the client has not signed a consent permitting access to the client's records, the applicant or licensee must delete any data that identifies the client before providing them to the board.  The board shall maintain any records as investigative data pursuant to chapter 13.

 

Sec. 28.  [148F.140] INFORMED CONSENT.

 

Subdivision 1.  Obtaining informed consent for services.  The provider shall obtain informed consent from the client before initiating services.  The informed consent must be in writing, signed by the client, and include the following, at a minimum:

 

(1) authorization for the provider to engage in an activity which directly affects the client;

 

(2) the goals, purposes, and procedures of the proposed services;

 

(3) the factors that may impact the duration of the service;

 

(4) the applicable fee schedule;

 

(5) the limits to the client's privacy, including, but not limited to, the provider's duty to warn pursuant to section 148F.130, subdivision 2;

 

(6) the provider's responsibilities if the client terminates the service;

 

(7) the significant risks and benefits of the service, including whether the service may affect the client's legal or other interests;

 

(8) the provider's responsibilities under section 148F.125, subdivision 3, if the proposed service, method, or procedure is of an experimental, emerging, or innovative nature; and

 

(9) if applicable, information that the provider is developing competence in the proposed service, method, or procedure, and alternatives to the proposed service, if any.

 

Subd. 2.  Updating informed consent.  If there is a substantial change in the nature or purpose of a service, the provider must obtain a new informed consent from the client.

 

Subd. 3.  Emergency or crisis services.  Informed consent is not required when a provider is providing emergency or crisis services.  If services continue after the emergency or crisis has abated, informed consent must be obtained.

 

Sec. 29.  [148F.145] TERMINATION OF SERVICES.

 

Subdivision 1.  Right to terminate services.  Either the client or the provider may terminate the professional relationship unless prohibited by law or court order.


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Subd. 2.  Mandatory termination of services.  The provider shall promptly terminate services to a client whenever:

 

(1) the provider's objectivity or effectiveness is impaired, unless a resolution can be achieved as permitted in section 148F.155, subdivision 2; or

 

(2) the client would be harmed by further services.

 

Subd. 3.  Notification of termination.  When the provider initiates a termination of professional services, the provider shall inform the client either orally or in writing.  This requirement shall not apply when the termination is due to the successful completion of a predefined service such as an assessment, or if the client terminates the professional relationship.

 

Subd. 4.  Recommendation upon termination.  (a) Upon termination of counseling services, the provider shall make a recommendation for alcohol and drug counseling services if requested by the client or if the provider believes the services are needed by the client.

 

(b) A recommendation for alcohol and drug counseling services is not required if the professional service provided is limited to an alcohol and drug assessment and a recommendation for continued services is not requested.

 

Subd. 5.  Absence from practice.  Nothing in this section requires the provider to terminate a client due to an absence from practice that is the result of a period of illness or injury that does not affect the provider's ability to practice with reasonable skill and safety, as long as arrangements have been made for temporary counseling services that may be needed by the client during the provider's absence.

 

Sec. 30.  [148F.150] RECORD KEEPING.

 

Subdivision 1.  Record-keeping requirements.  Providers must maintain accurate and legible client records.  Records must include, at a minimum:

 

(1) an accurate chronological listing of all substantive contacts with the client;

 

(2) documentation of services, including:

 

(i) assessment methods, data, and reports;

 

(ii) an initial treatment plan and any revisions to the plan;

 

(iii) the name of the individual providing services;

 

(iv) the name and credentials of the individual who is professionally responsible for the services provided;

 

(v) case notes for each date of service, including interventions;

 

(vi) consultations with collateral sources;

 

(vii) diagnoses or presenting problems; and

 

(viii) documentation that informed consent was obtained, including written informed consent documents;

 

(3) copies of all correspondence relevant to the client;


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(4) a client personal data sheet;

 

(5) copies of all client authorizations for release of information;

 

(6) an accurate chronological listing of all fees charged, if any, to the client or a third-party payer; and

 

(7) any other documents pertaining to the client.

 

Subd. 2.  Duplicate records.  If the client records containing the documentation required by subdivision 1 are maintained by the agency, clinic, or other facility where the provider renders services, the provider is not required to maintain duplicate records of client information.

 

Subd. 3.  Record retention.  The provider shall retain a client's record for a minimum of seven years after the date of the provider's last professional service to the client, except as otherwise provided by law.  If the client is a minor, the record retention period does not begin until the client reaches the age of 18, except as otherwise provided by law.

 

Sec. 31.  [148F.155] IMPAIRED OBJECTIVITY OR EFFECTIVENESS.

 

Subdivision 1.  Situations involving impaired objectivity or effectiveness.  (a) An alcohol and drug counselor must not provide alcohol and drug counseling services to a client or potential client when the counselor's objectivity or effectiveness is impaired.

 

(b) The provider shall not provide alcohol and drug counseling services to a client if doing so would create a multiple relationship.  For purposes of this section, "multiple relationship" means one that is both professional and:

 

(1) cohabitational;

 

(2) familial;

 

(3) one in which there has been personal involvement with the client or family member of the client that is reasonably likely to adversely affect the client's welfare or ability to benefit from services; or

 

(4) one in which there is significant financial involvement other than legitimate payment for professional services rendered that is reasonably likely to adversely affect the client's welfare or ability to benefit from services.

 

If an unforeseen multiple relationship arises after services have been initiated, the provider shall promptly terminate the professional relationship.

 

(c) The provider shall not provide alcohol and drug counseling services to a client who is also the provider's student or supervisee.  If an unforeseen situation arises in which both types of services are required or requested by the client or a third party, the provider shall decline to provide the services.

 

(d) The provider shall not provide alcohol and drug counseling services to a client when the provider is biased for or against the client for any reason that interferes with the provider's impartial judgment, including where the client is a member of a class legally protected from discrimination.  The provider may provide services if the provider is working to resolve the impairment in the manner required under subdivision 2.

 

(e) The provider shall not provide alcohol and drug counseling services to a client when there is a fundamental divergence or conflict of service goals, interests, values, or attitudes between the client and the provider that adversely affects the professional relationship.  The provider may provide services if the provider is working to resolve the impairment in the manner required under subdivision 2.


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Subd. 2.  Resolution of impaired objectivity or effectiveness.  (a) When an impairment occurs that is listed in subdivision 1, paragraph (d) or (e), the provider may provide services only if the provider actively pursues resolution of the impairment and is able to do so in a manner that results in minimal adverse effects on the client or potential client.

 

(b) If the provider attempts to resolve the impairment, it must be by means of professional education, training, continuing education, consultation, psychotherapy, intervention, supervision, or discussion with the client or potential client, or an appropriate combination thereof.

 

Sec. 32.  [148F.160] PROVIDER IMPAIRMENT.

 

The provider shall not provide counseling services to clients when the provider is unable to provide services with reasonable skill and safety as a result of a physical or mental illness or condition, including, but not limited to, substance abuse or dependence.  During the period the provider is unable to practice with reasonable skill and safety, the provider shall either promptly terminate the professional relationship with all clients or shall make arrangements for other alcohol and drug counselors to provide temporary services during the provider's absence.

 

Sec. 33.  [148F.165] CLIENT WELFARE.

 

Subdivision 1.  Explanation of procedures.  A client has the right to have, and a counselor has the responsibility to provide, a nontechnical explanation of the nature and purpose of the counseling procedures to be used and the results of tests administered to the client.  The counselor shall establish procedures to be followed if the explanation is to be provided by another individual under the direction of the counselor.

 

Subd. 2.  Client bill of rights.  The client bill of rights required by section 144.652 shall be prominently displayed on the premises of the professional practice or provided as a handout to each client.  The document must state that consumers of alcohol and drug counseling services have the right to:

 

(1) expect that the provider meets the minimum qualifications of training and experience required by state law;

 

(2) examine public records maintained by the Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy that contain the credentials of the provider;

 

(3) report complaints to the Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy;

 

(4) be informed of the cost of professional services before receiving the services;

 

(5) privacy as defined and limited by law and rule;

 

(6) be free from being the object of unlawful discrimination while receiving counseling services;

 

(7) have access to their records as provided in sections 144.291 to 144.298 and 148F.135, subdivision 1, except as otherwise provided by law;

 

(8) be free from exploitation for the benefit or advantage of the provider;

 

(9) terminate services at any time, except as otherwise provided by law or court order;

 

(10) know the intended recipients of assessment results;


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(11) withdraw consent to release assessment results, unless the right is prohibited by law or court order or was waived by prior written agreement;

 

(12) a nontechnical description of assessment procedures; and

 

(13) a nontechnical explanation and interpretation of assessment results, unless this right is prohibited by law or court order or was waived by prior written agreement.

 

Subd. 3.  Stereotyping.  The provider shall treat the client as an individual and not impose on the client any stereotypes of behavior, values, or roles related to human diversity.

 

Subd. 4.  Misuse of client relationship.  The provider shall not misuse the relationship with a client due to a relationship with another individual or entity.

 

Subd. 5.  Exploitation of client.  The provider shall not exploit the professional relationship with a client for the provider's emotional, financial, sexual, or personal advantage or benefit.  This prohibition extends to former clients who are vulnerable or dependent on the provider.

 

Subd. 6.  Sexual behavior with client.  A provider shall not engage in any sexual behavior with a client including:

 

(1) sexual contact, as defined in section 604.20, subdivision 7; or

 

(2) any physical, verbal, written, interactive, or electronic communication, conduct, or act that may be reasonably interpreted to be sexually seductive, demeaning, or harassing to the client.

 

Subd. 7.  Sexual behavior with a former client.  A provider shall not engage in any sexual behavior as described in subdivision 6 within the two-year period following the date of the last counseling service to a former client.  This prohibition applies whether or not the provider has formally terminated the professional relationship.  This prohibition extends indefinitely for a former client who is vulnerable or dependent on the provider.

 

Subd. 8.  Preferences and options for treatment.  A provider shall disclose to the client the provider's preferences for choice of treatment or outcome and shall present other options for the consideration or choice of the client.

 

Subd. 9.  Referrals.  A provider shall make a prompt and appropriate referral of the client to another professional when requested to make a referral by the client.

 

Sec. 34.  [148F.170] WELFARE OF STUDENTS, SUPERVISEES, AND RESEARCH SUBJECTS.

 

Subdivision 1.  General.  Due to the evaluative, supervisory, or other authority that providers who teach, evaluate, supervise, or conduct research have over their students, supervisees, or research subjects, they shall protect the welfare of these individuals.

 

Subd. 2.  Student, supervisee, and research subject protections.  To protect the welfare of their students, supervisees, or research subjects, providers shall not:

 

(1) discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, religious affiliation, language, age, gender, physical disabilities, mental capabilities, sexual orientation or identity, marital status, or socioeconomic status;


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(2) exploit or misuse the professional relationship for the emotional, financial, sexual, or personal advantage or benefit of the provider or another individual or entity;

 

(3) engage in any sexual behavior with a current student, supervisee, or research subject, including sexual contact, as defined in section 604.20, subdivision 7, or any physical, verbal, written, interactive, or electronic communication, conduct, or act that may be reasonably interpreted to be sexually seductive, demeaning, or harassing.  Nothing in this section shall prohibit a provider from engaging in teaching or research with an individual with whom the provider has a preexisting and ongoing sexual relationship;

 

(4) engage in any behavior likely to be deceptive or fraudulent;

 

(5) disclose evaluative information except for legitimate professional or scientific purposes; or

 

(6) engage in any other unprofessional conduct.

 

Sec. 35.  [148F.175] MEDICAL AND OTHER HEALTH CARE CONSIDERATIONS.

 

Subdivision 1.  Coordinating services with other health care professionals.  Upon initiating services, the provider shall inquire whether the client has a preexisting relationship with another health care professional.  If the client has such a relationship, and it is relevant to the provider's services to the client, the provider shall, to the extent possible and consistent with the wishes and best interests of the client, coordinate services for the client with the other health care professional.  This requirement does not apply if brief crisis intervention services are provided.

 

Subd. 2.  Reviewing health care information.  If the provider determines that a client's preexisting relationship with another health care professional is relevant to the provider's services to the client, the provider shall, to the extent possible and consistent with the wishes and best interests of the client, review this information with the treating health care professional.

 

Subd. 3.  Relevant medical conditions.  If the provider believes that a client's psychological condition may have medical etiology or consequence, the provider shall, within the limits of the provider's competence, discuss this with the client and offer to assist in identifying medical resources for the client.

 

Sec. 36.  [148F.180] ASSESSMENTS; TESTS; REPORTS.

 

Subdivision 1.  Assessments.  Providers who conduct assessments of individuals shall base their assessments on records, information, observations, and techniques sufficient to substantiate their findings.  They shall render opinions only after they have conducted an examination of the individual adequate to support their statements or conclusions, unless an examination is not practical despite reasonable efforts.  An assessment may be limited to reviewing records or providing testing services when an individual examination is not necessary for the opinion requested.

 

Subd. 2.  Tests.  Providers may administer and interpret tests within the scope of the counselor's training, skill, and competence. 

 

Subd. 3.  Reports.  Written and oral reports, including testimony as an expert witness and letters to third parties concerning a client, must be based on information and techniques sufficient to substantiate their findings.  Reports must include:

 

(1) a description of all assessments, evaluations, or other procedures, including materials reviewed, which serve as a basis for the provider's conclusions;


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(2) reservations or qualifications concerning the validity or reliability of the opinions and conclusions formulated and recommendations made;

 

(3) a statement concerning any discrepancy, disagreement, or inconsistent or conflicting information regarding the circumstances of the case that may have a bearing on the provider's conclusions;

 

(4) a statement of the nature of and reason for the use of a test that is administered, recorded, scored, or interpreted in other than a standard and objective manner; and

 

(5) a statement indicating when test interpretations or report conclusions are not based on direct contact between the client and the provider.

 

Subd. 4.  Private information.  Test results and interpretations regarding an individual are private information.

 

Sec. 37.  [148F.185] PUBLIC STATEMENTS.

 

Subdivision 1.  Prohibition against false or misleading information.  Public statements by providers must not include false or misleading information.  Providers shall not solicit or use testimonials by quotation or implication from current clients or former clients who are vulnerable to undue influence.  The provider shall make reasonable efforts to ensure that public statements by others on behalf of the provider are truthful and shall make reasonable remedial efforts to bring a public statement into compliance with sections 148F.120 to 148F.205 when the provider becomes aware of a violation. 

 

Subd. 2.  Misrepresentation.  The provider shall not misrepresent directly or by implication, professional qualifications including education, training, experience, competence, credentials, or areas of specialization.  The provider shall not misrepresent, directly or by implication, professional affiliations or the purposes and characteristics of institutions and organizations with which the provider is professionally associated.

 

Subd. 3.  Use of specialty board designation.  Providers may represent themselves as having an area of specialization from a specialty board, such as a designation as a diplomate or fellow, if the specialty board used, at a minimum, the following criteria to award such a designation:

 

(1) specified educational requirements defined by the specialty board;

 

(2) specified experience requirements defined by the specialty board;

 

(3) a work product evaluated by other specialty board members; and

 

(4) a face-to-face examination by a committee of specialty board members or a comprehensive written examination in the area of specialization.

 

Sec. 38.  [148F.190] FEES; STATEMENTS.

 

Subdivision 1.  Disclosure.  The provider shall disclose the fees for professional services to a client before providing services.

 

Subd. 2.  Itemized statement.  The provider shall itemize fees for all services for which the client or a third party is billed and make the itemized statement available to the client.  The statement shall identify the date the service was provided, the nature of the service, the name of the individual who provided the service, and the name of the individual who is professionally responsible for the service.


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Subd. 3.  Representation of billed services.  The provider shall not directly or by implication misrepresent to the client or to a third party billed for services the nature or the extent of the services provided.

 

Subd. 4.  Claiming fees.  The provider shall not claim a fee for counseling services unless the provider is either the direct provider of the services or is clinically responsible for providing the services and under whose supervision the services were provided.

 

Subd. 5.  Referrals.  No commission, rebate, or other form of remuneration may be given or received by a provider for the referral of clients for counseling services.

 

Sec. 39.  [148F.195] AIDING AND ABETTING UNLICENSED PRACTICE.

 

A provider shall not aid or abet an unlicensed individual to engage in the practice of alcohol and drug counseling.  A provider who supervises a student as part of an alcohol and drug counseling practicum is not in violation of this section.  Properly qualified individuals who administer and score testing instruments under the direction of a provider who maintains responsibility for the service are not considered in violation of this section.

 

Sec. 40.  [148F.200] VIOLATION OF LAW.

 

A provider shall not violate any law in which the facts giving rise to the violation involve the practice of alcohol and drug counseling as defined in sections 148F.001 to 148F.205.  In any board proceeding alleging a violation of this section, the proof of a conviction of a crime constitutes proof of the underlying factual elements necessary to that conviction.

 

Sec. 41.  [148F.205] COMPLAINTS TO BOARD.

 

Subdivision 1.  Mandatory reporting requirements.  A provider is required to file a complaint when the provider knows or has reason to believe that another provider:

 

(1) is unable to practice with reasonable skill and safety as a result of a physical or mental illness or condition, including, but not limited to, substance abuse or dependence, except that this mandated reporting requirement is deemed fulfilled by a report made to the Health Professionals Services Program (HPSP) as provided by section 214.33, subdivision 1;

 

(2) is engaging in or has engaged in sexual behavior with a client or former client in violation of section 148F.165, subdivision 6 or 7;

 

(3) has failed to report abuse or neglect of children or vulnerable adults in violation of section 626.556 or 626.557; or

 

(4) has employed fraud or deception in obtaining or renewing an alcohol and drug counseling license.

 

Subd. 2.  Optional reporting requirements.  Other than conduct listed in subdivision 1, a provider who has reason to believe that the conduct of another provider appears to be in violation of sections 148F.001 to 148F.205 may file a complaint with the board.

 

Subd. 3.  Institutions.  A state agency, political subdivision, agency of a local unit of government, private agency, hospital, clinic, prepaid medical plan, or other health care institution or organization located in this state shall report to the board any action taken by the agency, institution, or organization or any of its administrators or medical or other committees to revoke, suspend, restrict, or condition an alcohol and drug counselor's privilege to practice or treat patients or clients in the institution, or as part of the organization, any denial of privileges, or any


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other disciplinary action for conduct that might constitute grounds for disciplinary action by the board under sections 148F.001 to 148F.205.  The institution, organization, or governmental entity shall also report the resignation of any alcohol and drug counselors before the conclusion of any disciplinary action proceeding for conduct that might constitute grounds for disciplinary action under this chapter, or before the commencement of formal charges but after the practitioner had knowledge that formal charges were contemplated or were being prepared.

 

Subd. 4.  Professional societies.  A state or local professional society for alcohol and drug counselors shall report to the board any termination, revocation, or suspension of membership or any other disciplinary action taken against an alcohol and drug counselor.  If the society has received a complaint that might be grounds for discipline under this chapter against a member on which it has not taken any disciplinary action, the society shall report the complaint and the reason why it has not taken action on it or shall direct the complainant to the board.

 

Subd. 5.  Insurers.  Each insurer authorized to sell insurance described in section 60A.06, subdivision 1, clause (13), and providing professional liability insurance to alcohol and drug counselors or the Medical Joint Underwriting Association under chapter 62F, shall submit to the board quarterly reports concerning the alcohol and drug counselors against whom malpractice settlements and awards have been made.  The report must contain at least the following information:

 

(1) the total number of malpractice settlements or awards made;

 

(2) the date the malpractice settlements or awards were made;

 

(3) the allegations contained in the claim or complaint leading to the settlements or awards made;

 

(4) the dollar amount of each settlement or award;

 

(5) the address of the practice of the alcohol and drug counselor against whom an award was made or with whom a settlement was made; and

 

(6) the name of the alcohol and drug counselor against whom an award was made or with whom a settlement was made.  The insurance company shall, in addition to the above information, submit to the board any information, records, and files, including clients' charts and records, it possesses that tend to substantiate a charge that a licensed alcohol and drug counselor may have engaged in conduct violating this chapter.

 

Subd. 6.  Self-reporting.  An alcohol and drug counselor shall report to the board any personal action that would require that a report be filed with the board by any person, health care facility, business, or organization under subdivisions 1 and 3 to 5.  The alcohol and drug counselor shall also report the revocation, suspension, restriction, limitation, or other disciplinary action in this state and report the filing of charges regarding the practitioner's license or right of practice in another state or jurisdiction.

 

Subd. 7.  Permission to report.  A person who has knowledge of any conduct constituting grounds for disciplinary action relating to the practice of alcohol and drug counseling under this chapter may report the violation to the board.

 

Subd. 8.  Client complaints to the board.  A provider shall, upon request, provide information regarding the procedure for filing a complaint with the board and shall, upon request, assist with filing a complaint.  A provider shall not attempt to dissuade a client from filing a complaint with the board, or require that the client waive the right to file a complaint with the board as a condition for providing services.


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Subd. 9.  Deadlines; forms.  Reports required by subdivisions 1 and 3 to 6 must be submitted no later than 30 days after the reporter learns of the occurrence of the reportable event or transaction.  The board may provide forms for the submission of the reports required by this section and may require that reports be submitted on the forms provided.

 

Sec. 42.  REPORT; BOARD OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND THERAPY.

 

(a) The Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy shall convene a working group to evaluate the feasibility of a tiered licensure system for alcohol and drug counselors in Minnesota.  This evaluation shall include proposed scopes of practice for each tier, specific degree and other education and examination requirements for each tier, the clinical settings in which each tier of practitioner would be utilized, and any other issues the board deems necessary.

 

(b) Members of the working group shall include, but not be limited to, members of the board, licensed alcohol and drug counselors, alcohol and drug counselor temporary permit holders, faculty members from two- and four-year education programs, professional organizations, and employers.

 

(c) The board shall present its written report, including any proposed legislation, to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over health and human services no later than December 15, 2015.

 

(d) The working group is not subject to the provisions of Minnesota Statutes, section 15.059.

 

Sec. 43.  REVISOR'S INSTRUCTION.

 

The revisor of statutes shall consult with the Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy to make any necessary cross-reference changes that are needed as a result of the passage of this act.

 

Sec. 44.  REPEALER.

 

(a) Minnesota Statutes 2010, sections 148C.01, subdivisions 1, 1a, 2, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g, 4, 4a, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 11a, 12, 12a, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18; 148C.015; 148C.03, subdivisions 1 and 4; 148C.0351, subdivisions 1, 3, and 4; 148C.0355; 148C.04, subdivisions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5a, 6, and 7; 148C.044; 148C.045; 148C.05, subdivisions 1, 1a, 5, and 6; 148C.055; 148C.07; 148C.075; 148C.08; 148C.09, subdivisions 1, 1a, 2, and 4; 148C.091; 148C.093; 148C.095; 148C.099; 148C.10, subdivisions 1, 2, and 3; 148C.11; and 148C.12, subdivisions 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15, are repealed.

 

(b) Minnesota Rules, parts 4747.0010; 4747.0020; 4747.0030, subparts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 24, and 29; 4747.0040; 4747.0050; 4747.0060; 4747.0070, subparts 1, 2, 3, and 6; 4747.0200; 4747.0400, subpart 1; 4747.0700; 4747.0800; 4747.0900; 4747.1100, subparts 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9; 4747.1400, subparts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, and 13; 4747.1500; 6310.3100, subpart 2; 6310.3600; and 6310.3700, subpart 1, are repealed.

 

Sec. 45.  EFFECTIVE DATE.

 

This article is effective August 1, 2012.

 

ARTICLE 5

LICENSED PROFESSIONAL COUNSELING

 

Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 148B.5301, subdivision 1, is amended to read:


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Subdivision 1.  General requirements.  (a) To be licensed as a licensed professional clinical counselor (LPCC), an applicant must provide satisfactory evidence to the board that the applicant:

 

(1) is at least 18 years of age;

 

(2) is of good moral character;

 

(3) has completed a master's or doctoral degree program in counseling or a related field, as determined by the board based on the criteria in items (i) to (x), that includes a minimum of 48 semester hours or 72 quarter hours and a supervised field experience in counseling that is not fewer than 700 hours.  The degree must be from a counseling program recognized by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education Programs (CACREP) or from an institution of higher education that is accredited by a regional accrediting organization recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).  Specific academic course content and training must include coursework in each of the following subject areas:

 

(i) helping relationship, including counseling theory and practice;

 

(ii) human growth and development;

 

(iii) lifestyle and career development;

 

(iv) group dynamics, processes, counseling, and consulting;

 

(v) assessment and appraisal;

 

(vi) social and cultural foundations, including multicultural issues;

 

(vii) principles of etiology, treatment planning, and prevention of mental and emotional disorders and dysfunctional behavior;

 

(viii) family counseling and therapy;

 

(ix) research and evaluation; and

 

(x) professional counseling orientation and ethics;

 

(4) has demonstrated competence in professional counseling by passing the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE), administered by the National Board for Certified Counselors, Inc. (NBCC) and ethical, oral, and situational examinations as prescribed by the board.  In lieu of the NCMHCE, applicants who have taken and passed the National Counselor Examination (NCE) administered by the NBCC, or another board-approved examination, need only take and pass the Examination of Clinical Counseling Practice (ECCP) administered by the NBCC;

 

(5) has earned graduate-level semester credits or quarter-credit equivalents in the following clinical content areas as follows:

 

(i) six credits in diagnostic assessment for child or adult mental disorders; normative development; and psychopathology, including developmental psychopathology;

 

(ii) three credits in clinical treatment planning, with measurable goals;


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(iii) six credits in clinical intervention methods informed by research evidence and community standards of practice;

 

(iv) three credits in evaluation methodologies regarding the effectiveness of interventions;

 

(v) three credits in professional ethics applied to clinical practice; and

 

(vi) three credits in cultural diversity; and

 

(6) has demonstrated successful completion of 4,000 hours of supervised, post-master's degree professional practice in the delivery of clinical services in the diagnosis and treatment of child and adult mental illnesses and disorders, conducted according to subdivision 2.

 

(b) If coursework in paragraph (a) was not completed as part of the degree program required by paragraph (a), clause (3), the coursework must be taken and passed for credit, and must be earned from a counseling program or institution that meets the requirements of paragraph (a), clause (3).

 

Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 148B.5301, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:

 

Subd. 3a.  Conversion from licensed professional counselor to licensed professional clinical counselor.  (a) Until August 1, 2014, an individual currently licensed in the state of Minnesota as a licensed professional counselor may convert to a LPCC by providing evidence satisfactory to the board that the applicant has met the following requirements:

 

(1) is at least 18 years of age;

 

(2) is of good moral character;

 

(3) has a license that is active and in good standing;

 

(4) has no complaints pending, uncompleted disciplinary orders, or corrective action agreements;

 

(5) has completed a master's or doctoral degree program in counseling or a related field, as determined by the board, and whose degree was from a counseling program recognized by CACREP or from an institution of higher education that is accredited by a regional accrediting organization recognized by CHEA;

 

(6) has earned 24 graduate-level semester credits or quarter-credit equivalents in clinical coursework which includes content in the following clinical areas:

 

(i) diagnostic assessment for child and adult mental disorders; normative development; and psychopathology, including developmental psychopathology;

 

(ii) clinical treatment planning, with measurable goals;

 

(iii) clinical intervention methods informed by research evidence and community standards of practice;

 

(iv) evaluation methodologies regarding the effectiveness of interventions;

 

(v) professional ethics applied to clinical practice; and

 

(vi) cultural diversity;


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(7) has demonstrated, to the satisfaction of the board, successful completion of 4,000 hours of supervised, post-master's degree professional practice in the delivery of clinical services in the diagnosis and treatment of child and adult mental illnesses and disorders; and

 

(8) has paid the LPCC application and licensure fees required in section 148B.53, subdivision 3.

 

(b) If the coursework in paragraph (a) was not completed as part of the degree program required by paragraph (a), clause (5), the coursework must be taken and passed for credit, and must be earned from a counseling program or institution that meets the requirements in paragraph (a), clause (5).

 

(c) This subdivision expires August 1, 2014.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective retroactively from August 1, 2011.

 

Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 148B.5301, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 4.  Conversion to licensed professional clinical counselor after August 1, 2011 2014.  After August 1, 2014, an individual licensed in the state of Minnesota as a licensed professional counselor may convert to a LPCC by providing evidence satisfactory to the board that the applicant has met the requirements of subdivisions 1 and 2, subject to the following:

 

(1) the individual's license must be active and in good standing;

 

(2) the individual must not have any complaints pending, uncompleted disciplinary orders, or corrective action agreements; and

 

(3) the individual has paid the LPCC application and licensure fees required in section 148B.53, subdivision 3.

 

Sec. 4.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 148B.54, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 2.  Continuing education.  At the completion of the first four years of licensure, a licensee must provide evidence satisfactory to the board of completion of 12 additional postgraduate semester credit hours or its equivalent in counseling as determined by the board, except that no licensee shall be required to show evidence of greater than 60 semester hours or its equivalent.  In addition to completing the requisite graduate coursework, each licensee shall also complete in the first four years of licensure a minimum of 40 hours of continuing education activities approved by the board under Minnesota Rules, part 2150.2540.  Graduate credit hours successfully completed in the first four years of licensure may be applied to both the graduate credit requirement and to the requirement for 40 hours of continuing education activities.  A licensee may receive 15 continuing education hours per semester credit hour or ten continuing education hours per quarter credit hour.  Thereafter, at the time of renewal, each licensee shall provide evidence satisfactory to the board that the licensee has completed during each two-year period at least the equivalent of 40 clock hours of professional postdegree continuing education in programs approved by the board and continues to be qualified to practice under sections 148B.50 to 148B.593.

 

Sec. 5.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 148B.54, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 3.  Relicensure following termination.  An individual whose license was terminated prior to August 1, 2010, and who can demonstrate completion of the graduate credit requirement in subdivision 2, does not need to comply with the continuing education requirement of Minnesota Rules, part 2150.2520, subpart 4, or with the continuing education requirements for relicensure following termination in Minnesota Rules, part 2150.0130, subpart 2.  This section does not apply to an individual whose license has been canceled.

 

Sec. 6.  EFFECTIVE DATE.

 

Sections 1 to 5 are effective August 1, 2012, unless a different effective date is specified.


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ARTICLE 6

HEALTH BOARDS

 

Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 148.10, subdivision 7, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 7.  Conviction of a felony-level criminal sexual conduct offense.  (a) Except as provided in paragraph (e) (f), the board shall not grant or renew a license to practice chiropractic to any person who has been convicted on or after August 1, 2010, of any of the provisions of sections 609.342, subdivision 1, 609.343, subdivision 1, 609.344, subdivision 1, paragraphs (c) to (o), or 609.345, subdivision 1, paragraphs (b) to (o).

 

(b) The board shall not grant or renew a license to practice chiropractic to any person who has been convicted in any other state or country on or after August 1, 2011, of an offense where the elements of the offense are substantially similar to any of the offenses listed in paragraph (a).

 

(b) (c) A license to practice chiropractic is automatically revoked if the licensee is convicted of an offense listed in paragraph (a) of this section.

 

(c) (d) A license to practice chiropractic that has been denied or revoked under this subdivision is not subject to chapter 364.

 

(d) (e) For purposes of this subdivision, "conviction" means a plea of guilty, a verdict of guilty by a jury, or a finding of guilty by the court, unless the court stays imposition or execution of the sentence and final disposition of the case is accomplished at a nonfelony level.

 

(e) (f) The board may establish criteria whereby an individual convicted of an offense listed in paragraph (a) of this subdivision may become licensed provided that the criteria:

 

(1) utilize a rebuttable presumption that the applicant is not suitable for licensing or credentialing;

 

(2) provide a standard for overcoming the presumption; and

 

(3) require that a minimum of ten years has elapsed since the applicant was released from any incarceration or supervisory jurisdiction related to the offense.

 

The board shall not consider an application under this paragraph if the board determines that the victim involved in the offense was a patient or a client of the applicant at the time of the offense.

 

Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 214.09, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:

 

Subd. 5.  Health-related boards.  No current member of a health-related licensing board may seek a paid employment position with that board.

 

Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 214.103, is amended to read:

 

214.103 HEALTH-RELATED LICENSING BOARDS; COMPLAINT, INVESTIGATION, AND HEARING.

 

Subdivision 1.  Application.  For purposes of this section, "board" means "health-related licensing board" and does not include the non-health-related licensing boards.  Nothing in this section supersedes section 214.10, subdivisions 2a, 3, 8, and 9, as they apply to the health-related licensing boards.


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Subd. 1a.  Notifications and resolution.  (a) No more than 14 calendar days after receiving a complaint regarding a licensee, the board shall notify the complainant that the board has received the complaint and shall provide the complainant with the written description of the board's complaint process.  The board shall periodically, but no less than every 120 days, notify the complainant of the status of the complaint consistent with section 13.41.

 

(b) Except as provided in paragraph (d), no more than 60 calendar days after receiving a complaint regarding a licensee, the board must notify the licensee that the board has received a complaint and inform the licensee of:

 

(1) the substance of the complaint;

 

(2) the sections of the law that have allegedly been violated;

 

(3) the sections of the professional rules that have allegedly been violated; and

 

(4) whether an investigation is being conducted.

 

(c) The board shall periodically, but no less than every 120 days, notify the licensee of the status of the complaint consistent with section 13.41.

 

(d) Paragraphs (b) and (c) do not apply if the board determines that such notice would compromise the board's investigation and that such notice cannot reasonably be accomplished within this time.

 

(e) No more than one year after receiving a complaint regarding a licensee, the board must resolve or dismiss the complaint unless the board determines that resolving or dismissing the complaint cannot reasonably be accomplished in this time and is not in the public interest.

 

(f) Failure to make notifications or to resolve the complaint within the time established in this subdivision shall not deprive the board of jurisdiction to complete the investigation or to take corrective, disciplinary, or other action against the licensee that is authorized by law.  Such a failure by the board shall not be the basis for a licensee's request for the board to dismiss a complaint, and shall not be considered by an administrative law judge, the board, or any reviewing court.

 

Subd. 2.  Receipt of complaint.  The boards shall receive and resolve complaints or other communications, whether oral or written, against regulated persons.  Before resolving an oral complaint, the executive director or a board member designated by the board to review complaints may shall require the complainant to state the complaint in writing or authorize transcribing the complaint.  The executive director or the designated board member shall determine whether the complaint alleges or implies a violation of a statute or rule which the board is empowered to enforce.  The executive director or the designated board member may consult with the designee of the attorney general as to a board's jurisdiction over a complaint.  If the executive director or the designated board member determines that it is necessary, the executive director may seek additional information to determine whether the complaint is jurisdictional or to clarify the nature of the allegations by obtaining records or other written material, obtaining a handwriting sample from the regulated person, clarifying the alleged facts with the complainant, and requesting a written response from the subject of the complaint.

 

Subd. 3.  Referral to other agencies.  The executive director shall forward to another governmental agency any complaints received by the board which do not relate to the board's jurisdiction but which relate to matters within the jurisdiction of another governmental agency.  The agency shall advise the executive director of the disposition of the complaint.  A complaint or other information received by another governmental agency relating to a statute or rule which a board is empowered to enforce must be forwarded to the executive director of the board to be processed in accordance with this section.  Governmental agencies may coordinate and conduct joint investigations of complaints that involve more than one governmental agency.


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Subd. 4.  Role of the attorney general.  The executive director or the designated board member shall forward a complaint and any additional information to the designee of the attorney general when the executive director or the designated board member determines that a complaint is jurisdictional and:

 

(1) requires investigation before the executive director or the designated board member may resolve the complaint;

 

(2) that attempts at resolution for disciplinary action or the initiation of a contested case hearing is appropriate;

 

(3) that an agreement for corrective action is warranted; or

 

(4) that the complaint should be dismissed, consistent with subdivision 8.

 

Subd. 5.  Investigation by attorney general.  (a) If the executive director or the designated board member determines that investigation is necessary before resolving the complaint, the executive director shall forward the complaint and any additional information to the designee of the attorney general.  The designee of the attorney general shall evaluate the communications forwarded and investigate as appropriate. 

 

(b) The designee of the attorney general may also investigate any other complaint forwarded under subdivision 3 when the designee of the attorney general determines that investigation is necessary. 

 

(c) In the process of evaluation and investigation, the designee shall consult with or seek the assistance of the executive director or the designated board member.  The designee may also consult with or seek the assistance of other qualified persons who are not members of the board who the designee believes will materially aid in the process of evaluation or investigation. 

 

(d) Upon completion of the investigation, the designee shall forward the investigative report to the executive director with recommendations for further consideration or dismissal.

 

Subd. 6.  Attempts at resolution.  (a) At any time after receipt of a complaint, the executive director or the designated board member may attempt to resolve the complaint with the regulated person.  The available means for resolution include a conference or any other written or oral communication with the regulated person.  A conference may be held for the purposes of investigation, negotiation, education, or conciliation.  Neither the executive director nor any member of a board's staff shall be a voting member in any attempts at resolutions which may result in disciplinary or corrective action.  The results of attempts at resolution with the regulated person may include a recommendation to the board for disciplinary action, an agreement between the executive director or the designated board member and the regulated person for corrective action, or the dismissal of a complaint.  If attempts at resolution are not in the public interest or are not satisfactory to the executive director or the designated board member, then the executive director or the designated board member may initiate a contested case hearing may be initiated.

 

(1) The designee of the attorney general shall represent the board in all attempts at resolution which the executive director or the designated board member anticipate may result in disciplinary action.  A stipulation between the executive director or the designated board member and the regulated person shall be presented to the board for the board's consideration.  An approved stipulation and resulting order shall become public data.

 

(2) The designee of the attorney general shall represent the board upon the request of the executive director or the designated board member in all attempts at resolution which the executive director or the designated board member anticipate may result in corrective action.  Any agreement between the executive director or the designated board member and the regulated person for corrective action shall be in writing and shall be reviewed by the designee of the attorney general prior to its execution.  The agreement for corrective action shall provide for dismissal of the complaint upon successful completion by the regulated person of the corrective action.


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(b) Upon receipt of a complaint alleging sexual contact or sexual conduct with a client, the board must forward the complaint to the designee of the attorney general for an investigation.  If, after it is investigated, the complaint appears to provide a basis for disciplinary action, the board shall resolve the complaint by disciplinary action or initiate a contested case hearing.  Notwithstanding paragraph (a), clause (2), a board may not take corrective action or dismiss a complaint alleging sexual contact or sexual conduct with a client unless, in the opinion of the executive director, the designated board member, and the designee of the attorney general, there is insufficient evidence to justify disciplinary action.

 

Subd. 7.  Contested case hearing.  If the executive director or the designated board member determines that attempts at resolution of a complaint are not in the public interest or are not satisfactory to the executive director or the designated board member, the executive director or the designated board member, after consultation with the designee of the attorney general, and the concurrence of a second board member, may initiate a contested case hearing under chapter 14.  The designated board member or any board member who was consulted during the course of an investigation may participate at the contested case hearing.  A designated or consulted board member may not deliberate or vote in any proceeding before the board pertaining to the case.

 

Subd. 8.  Dismissal and reopening of a complaint.  (a) A complaint may not be dismissed without the concurrence of at least two board members and, upon the request of the complainant, a review by a representative of the attorney general's office.  The designee of the attorney general must review before dismissal any complaints which allege any violation of chapter 609, any conduct which would be required to be reported under section 626.556 or 626.557, any sexual contact or sexual conduct with a client, any violation of a federal law, any actual or potential inability to practice the regulated profession or occupation by reason of illness, use of alcohol, drugs, chemicals, or any other materials, or as a result of any mental or physical condition, any violation of state medical assistance laws, or any disciplinary action related to credentialing in another jurisdiction or country which was based on the same or related conduct specified in this subdivision.

 

(b) The board may reopen a dismissed complaint if the board receives newly discovered information that was not available to the board during the initial investigation of the complaint, or if the board receives a new complaint that indicates a pattern of behavior or conduct.

 

Subd. 9.  Information to complainant.  A board shall furnish to a person who made a complaint a written description of the board's complaint process, and actions of the board relating to the complaint.

 

Subd. 10.  Prohibited participation by board member.  A board member who has actual bias or a current or former direct financial or professional connection with a regulated person may not vote in board actions relating to the regulated person.

 

Sec. 4.  [214.108] HEALTH-RELATED LICENSING BOARDS; LICENSEE GUIDANCE.

 

A health-related licensing board may offer guidance to current licensees about the application of laws and rules the board is empowered to enforce.  This guidance shall not bind any court or other adjudicatory body.

 

Sec. 5.  [214.109] RECORD KEEPING.

 

(a) A board may take administrative action against a regulated person whose records do not meet the standards of professional practice.  Action taken under this paragraph shall not be considered disciplinary action.

 

(b) Records that are fraudulent or could result in patient harm may be handled through disciplinary or other corrective action.


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Sec. 6.  Laws 2010, chapter 349, section 1, the effective date, is amended to read:

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective for new licenses issued or renewed on or after August 1, 2010.

 

ARTICLE 7

DENTISTRY

 

Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 150A.06, subdivision 1c, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 1c.  Specialty dentists.  (a) The board may grant a specialty license in the specialty areas of dentistry that are recognized by the American Dental Association.

 

(b) An applicant for a specialty license shall:

 

(1) have successfully completed a postdoctoral specialty education program accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association, or have announced a limitation of practice before 1967;

 

(2) have been certified by a specialty examining board approved by the Minnesota Board of Dentistry, or provide evidence of having passed a clinical examination for licensure required for practice in any state or Canadian province, or in the case of oral and maxillofacial surgeons only, have a Minnesota medical license in good standing;

 

(3) have been in active practice or a postdoctoral specialty education program or United States government service at least 2,000 hours in the 36 months prior to applying for a specialty license;

 

(4) if requested by the board, be interviewed by a committee of the board, which may include the assistance of specialists in the evaluation process, and satisfactorily respond to questions designed to determine the applicant's knowledge of dental subjects and ability to practice;

 

(5) if requested by the board, present complete records on a sample of patients treated by the applicant.  The sample must be drawn from patients treated by the applicant during the 36 months preceding the date of application.  The number of records shall be established by the board.  The records shall be reasonably representative of the treatment typically provided by the applicant;

 

(6) at board discretion, pass a board-approved English proficiency test if English is not the applicant's primary language;

 

(7) pass all components of the National Dental Board Dental Examinations;

 

(8) pass the Minnesota Board of Dentistry jurisprudence examination;

 

(9) abide by professional ethical conduct requirements; and

 

(10) meet all other requirements prescribed by the Board of Dentistry.

 

(c) The application must include:

 

(1) a completed application furnished by the board;

 

(2) at least two character references from two different dentists, one of whom must be a dentist practicing in the same specialty area, and the other the director of the specialty program attended;


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(3) a licensed physician's statement attesting to the applicant's physical and mental condition;

 

(4) a statement from a licensed ophthalmologist or optometrist attesting to the applicant's visual acuity;

 

(5) a nonrefundable fee; and

 

(6) a notarized, unmounted passport-type photograph, three inches by three inches, taken not more than six months before the date of application.

 

(d) A specialty dentist holding a specialty license is limited to practicing in the dentist's designated specialty area.  The scope of practice must be defined by each national specialty board recognized by the American Dental Association.

 

(e) A specialty dentist holding a general dentist license is limited to practicing in the dentist's designated specialty area if the dentist has announced a limitation of practice.  The scope of practice must be defined by each national specialty board recognized by the American Dental Association.

 

(f) All specialty dentists who have fulfilled the specialty dentist requirements and who intend to limit their practice to a particular specialty area may apply for a specialty license.

 

Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 150A.06, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 3.  Waiver of examination.  (a) All or any part of the examination for dentists or dental hygienists, except that pertaining to the law of Minnesota relating to dentistry and the rules of the board, may, at the discretion of the board, be waived for an applicant who presents a certificate of qualification from having passed all components of the National Board of Dental Examiners Examinations or evidence of having maintained an adequate scholastic standing as determined by the board, in dental school as to dentists, or dental hygiene school as to dental hygienists.

 

(b) The board shall waive the clinical examination required for licensure for any dentist applicant who is a graduate of a dental school accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association, who has successfully completed passed all components of the National Dental Board Examination Dental Examinations, and who has satisfactorily completed a Minnesota-based postdoctoral general dentistry residency program (GPR) or an advanced education in general dentistry (AEGD) program after January 1, 2004.  The postdoctoral program must be accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association, be of at least one year's duration, and include an outcome assessment evaluation assessing the resident's competence to practice dentistry.  The board may require the applicant to submit any information deemed necessary by the board to determine whether the waiver is applicable.  The board may waive the clinical examination for an applicant who meets the requirements of this paragraph and has satisfactorily completed an accredited postdoctoral general dentistry residency program located outside of Minnesota.

 

Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 150A.06, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 4.  Licensure by credentials.  (a) Any dentist or dental hygienist may, upon application and payment of a fee established by the board, apply for licensure based on the applicant's performance record in lieu of passing an examination approved by the board according to section 150A.03, subdivision 1, and be interviewed by the board to determine if the applicant:

 

(1) has passed all components of the National Board Dental Examinations;

 

(1) (2) has been in active practice at least 2,000 hours within 36 months of the application date, or passed a board-approved reentry program within 36 months of the application date;


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(2) (3) currently has a license in another state or Canadian province and is not subject to any pending or final disciplinary action, or if not currently licensed, previously had a license in another state or Canadian province in good standing that was not subject to any final or pending disciplinary action at the time of surrender;

 

(3) (4) is of good moral character and abides by professional ethical conduct requirements;

 

(4) (5) at board discretion, has passed a board-approved English proficiency test if English is not the applicant's primary language; and

 

(5) (6) meets other credentialing requirements specified in board rule.

 

(b) An applicant who fulfills the conditions of this subdivision and demonstrates the minimum knowledge in dental subjects required for licensure under subdivision 1 or 2 must be licensed to practice the applicant's profession.

 

(c) If the applicant does not demonstrate the minimum knowledge in dental subjects required for licensure under subdivision 1 or 2, the application must be denied.  When denying a license, the board may notify the applicant of any specific remedy that the applicant could take which, when passed, would qualify the applicant for licensure.  A denial does not prohibit the applicant from applying for licensure under subdivision 1 or 2.

 

(d) A candidate whose application has been denied may appeal the decision to the board according to subdivision 4a.

 

Sec. 4.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 150A.06, subdivision 6, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 6.  Display of name and certificates.  (a) The initial license and subsequent renewal, or current registration certificate, of every dentist, a dental therapist, dental hygienist, or dental assistant shall be conspicuously displayed in every office in which that person practices, in plain sight of patients.  When available from the board, the board shall allow the display of a wallet-sized initial license and wallet-sized subsequent renewal certificate only at nonprimary practice locations instead of displaying an original-sized initial license and subsequent renewal certificate.

 

(b) Near or on the entrance door to every office where dentistry is practiced, the name of each dentist practicing there, as inscribed on the current license certificate, shall be displayed in plain sight.

 

Sec. 5.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 150A.09, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 3.  Current address, change of address.  Every dentist, dental therapist, dental hygienist, and dental assistant shall maintain with the board a correct and current mailing address and electronic mail address.  For dentists engaged in the practice of dentistry, the postal address shall be that of the location of the primary dental practice.  Within 30 days after changing postal or electronic mail addresses, every dentist, dental therapist, dental hygienist, and dental assistant shall provide the board written notice of the new address either personally or by first class mail.

 

Sec. 6.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 150A.105, subdivision 7, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 7.  Use of dental assistants.  (a) A licensed dental therapist may supervise dental assistants to the extent permitted in the collaborative management agreement and according to section 150A.10, subdivision 2.

 

(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), a licensed dental therapist is limited to supervising no more than four registered licensed dental assistants or nonregistered nonlicensed dental assistants at any one practice setting.


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Sec. 7.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 150A.106, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

 

Subdivision 1.  General.  In order to be certified by the board to practice as an advanced dental therapist, a person must:

 

(1) complete a dental therapy education program;

 

(2) pass an examination to demonstrate competency under the dental therapy scope of practice;

 

(3) be licensed as a dental therapist;

 

(4) complete 2,000 hours of dental therapy clinical practice under direct or indirect supervision;

 

(5) graduate from a master's advanced dental therapy education program;

 

(6) pass a board-approved certification examination to demonstrate competency under the advanced scope of practice; and

 

(7) submit an application and fee for certification as prescribed by the board.

 

Sec. 8.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 150A.14, is amended to read:

 

150A.14 IMMUNITY.

 

Subdivision 1.  Reporting immunity.  A person, health care facility, business, or organization is immune from civil liability or criminal prosecution for submitting a report in good faith to the board under section 150A.13, or for cooperating with an investigation of a report or with staff of the board relative to violations or alleged violations of section 150A.08.  Reports are confidential data on individuals under section 13.02, subdivision 3, and are privileged communications. 

 

Subd. 2.  Program Investigation immunity.  (a) Members of the board, persons employed by the board, and board consultants retained by the board are immune from civil liability and criminal prosecution for any actions, transactions, or publications in the execution of, or relating to, their duties under section 150A.13 sections 150A.02 to 150A.21, 214.10, and 214.103. 

 

(b) For purposes of this section, a member of the board or a consultant described in paragraph (a) is considered a state employee under section 3.736, subdivision 9."

 

Delete the title and insert:

 

"A bill for an act relating to state government; implementing changes to the sunset review; changing certain agency requirements; requiring posting of convictions of felonies or gross misdemeanors and malpractice settlements or judgments for a regulated practitioner; requiring certain information on regulated practitioners; requiring a study; prohibiting transfer of certain funds; requiring reports; setting fees; abolishing the Combative Sports Commission and transferring combative sports duties to the commissioner of labor and industry; establishing a Combative Sports Advisory Council; requiring a review of the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice; regulating alcohol and drug counselors; changing requirements for licensed professional clinical counselors; changing provisions for health-related licensing boards; changing provisions for the practice of dentistry; appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2010, sections 3.922, by adding a subdivision; 3.9223, subdivision 7; 3.9225, subdivision 7; 3.9226, subdivision 7; 147.01, subdivision 4; 147.111, by adding a subdivision; 148.10, subdivision 7; 148.102, by adding a subdivision; 148.261, subdivision 1; 148.263, by adding a subdivision; 148B.07, by adding


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a subdivision; 148B.5301, subdivisions 1, 4, by adding a subdivision; 148B.54, subdivisions 2, 3; 148C.095, by adding a subdivision; 148E.285, by adding a subdivision; 150A.06, subdivisions 1c, 3, 4, 6; 150A.09, subdivision 3; 150A.105, subdivision 7; 150A.106, subdivision 1; 150A.13, by adding a subdivision; 150A.14; 153.24, by adding a subdivision; 214.06, subdivisions 1, 1a, by adding a subdivision; 214.09, by adding a subdivision; 214.103; 341.21, by adding a subdivision; 341.28, subdivision 1; 341.37; Minnesota Statutes 2011 Supplement, sections 3D.04; 3D.06; 3D.21, subdivisions 1, 2; Laws 2010, chapter 349, section 1; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapters 3D; 16B; 214; 341; proposing coding for new law as Minnesota Statutes, chapter 148F; repealing Minnesota Statutes 2010, sections 138A.01; 138A.02; 138A.03; 138A.04; 138A.05; 138A.06; 148C.01, subdivisions 1, 1a, 2, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g, 4, 4a, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 11a, 12, 12a, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18; 148C.015; 148C.03, subdivisions 1, 4; 148C.0351, subdivisions 1, 3, 4; 148C.0355; 148C.04, subdivisions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5a, 6, 7; 148C.044; 148C.045; 148C.05, subdivisions 1, 1a, 5, 6; 148C.055; 148C.07; 148C.075; 148C.08; 148C.09, subdivisions 1, 1a, 2, 4; 148C.091; 148C.093; 148C.095; 148C.099; 148C.10, subdivisions 1, 2, 3; 148C.11; 148C.12, subdivisions 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15; 341.21, subdivisions 3, 4a; 341.22; 341.23; 341.24; 341.26; Minnesota Rules, parts 4747.0010; 4747.0020; 4747.0030, subparts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 24, 29; 4747.0040; 4747.0050; 4747.0060; 4747.0070, subparts 1, 2, 3, 6; 4747.0200; 4747.0400, subpart 1; 4747.0700; 4747.0800; 4747.0900; 4747.1100, subparts 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9; 4747.1400, subparts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13; 4747.1500; 6310.3100, subpart 2; 6310.3600; 6310.3700, subpart 1."

 

 

With the recommendation that when so amended the bill pass and be re-referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

      The report was adopted.

 

 

Davids from the Committee on Taxes to which was referred:

 

H. F. No. 2690, A bill for an act relating to taxation; making technical, administrative, and clarifying changes to individual income, corporate franchise, estate, property, sales and use, special, mineral, and various taxes and tax-related provisions; amending Minnesota Statutes 2010, sections 13.4965, subdivision 3; 16A.46; 270.41, subdivision 5; 270C.42, subdivision 2; 272.01, subdivision 2; 273.124, subdivision 13; 273.1315, subdivisions 1, 2; 273.19, subdivision 1; 273.39; 279.06, subdivision 1; 287.20, by adding a subdivision; 287.385, subdivision 7; 289A.02, by adding a subdivision; 289A.10, by adding a subdivision; 289A.12, by adding a subdivision; 289A.18, by adding a subdivision; 289A.20, subdivision 3, by adding a subdivision; 289A.26, subdivisions 3, 4, 7, 9; 289A.38, subdivisions 7, 8, 9; 289A.42, subdivision 2; 289A.55, subdivision 9; 289A.60, subdivisions 4, 24; 290.01, subdivisions 6b, 19d; 290.0921, subdivision 3; 290.095, subdivision 3; 290.17, subdivision 4; 290A.25; 290B.04, subdivision 2; 296A.22; 297E.14, subdivision 7; 297F.09, subdivision 9; 297F.18, subdivision 7; 297G.09, subdivision 8; 297G.17, subdivision 7; 297I.05, subdivision 11; 297I.80, subdivision 1; 298.018, subdivision 2; Minnesota Statutes 2011 Supplement, sections 270C.34, subdivision 1; 272.02, subdivision 97; 273.13, subdivision 23; 290.01, subdivisions 19b, 19c; 291.03, subdivision 11; 298.01, subdivision 3; 373.01, subdivision 1; Laws 2011, First Special Session chapter 7, article 10, section 7; repealing Minnesota Statutes 2010, sections 272.69; 273.11, subdivision 22.

 

Reported the same back with the following amendments:

 

Delete everything after the enacting clause and insert:

 

"ARTICLE 1

ESTATE TAXES

 

Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 289A.10, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:


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Subd. 1a.  Recapture tax return required.  If a disposition or cessation as provided by section 291.03, subdivision 11, paragraph (a), has occurred, the qualified heir, as defined under section 291.03, subdivision 8, paragraph (c), or personal representative of the decedent's estate must submit a recapture tax return to the commissioner.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective for estates of decedents dying after June 30, 2011.

 

Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 289A.12, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:

 

Subd. 18.  Returns by qualified heirs.  Within 24 months and within 36 months after a decedent's death, a qualified heir, as defined under section 291.03, subdivision 8, paragraph (c), must file a return with the commissioner relating to the qualified property received from the decedent.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective for estates of decedents dying after June 30, 2011.

 

Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 289A.18, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:

 

Subd. 3a.  Recapture tax return.  A recapture tax return is due within six months after the date of the disposition or cessation as provided by section 291.03, subdivision 11, paragraph (a).

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective for estates of decedents dying after June 30, 2011.

 

Sec. 4.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 289A.20, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 3.  Estate tax.  Taxes imposed by chapter 291 section 291.03, subdivision 1, take effect at and upon the death of the person whose estate is subject to taxation and are due and payable on or before the expiration of nine months from that death.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective for estates of decedents dying after June 30, 2011.

 

Sec. 5.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 289A.20, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:

 

Subd. 3a.  Recapture tax.  Taxes imposed by section 291.03, subdivision 11, paragraph (b), are due and payable on or before the expiration of six months from the date of disposition or cessation as provided by section 291.03, subdivision 11, paragraph (a).

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective for estates of decedents dying after June 30, 2011.

 

Sec. 6.  Minnesota Statutes 2011 Supplement, section 291.03, subdivision 8, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 8.  Definitions.  (a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the meanings given in this subdivision.

 

(b) "Family member" means a family member as defined in section 2032A(e)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code or a trust whose present beneficiaries are all family members as defined in section 2032A(e)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code.

 

(c) "Qualified heir" means a family member who acquired qualified property from upon the death of the decedent and satisfies the requirement under subdivision 9, clause (6) (7), or subdivision 10, clause (4) (5), for the property.


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(d) "Qualified property" means qualified small business property under subdivision 9 and qualified farm property under subdivision 10.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective for estates of decedents dying after June 30, 2011.

 

Sec. 7.  Minnesota Statutes 2011 Supplement, section 291.03, subdivision 9, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 9.  Qualified small business property.  Property satisfying all of the following requirements is qualified small business property:

 

(1) The value of the property was included in the federal adjusted taxable estate.

 

(2) The property consists of the assets of a trade or business or shares of stock or other ownership interests in a corporation or other entity engaged in a trade or business.  The decedent or the decedent's spouse must have materially participated in the trade or business within the meaning of section 469 of the Internal Revenue Code during the taxable year that ended before the date of the decedent's death.  Shares of stock in a corporation or an ownership interest in another type of entity do not qualify under this subdivision if the shares or ownership interests are traded on a public stock exchange at any time during the three-year period ending on the decedent's date of death.  For purposes of this subdivision, an ownership interest includes the interest the decedent is deemed to own under sections 2036, 2037, and 2038 of the Internal Revenue Code.

 

(3) During the decedent's taxable year that ended before the decedent's death, the trade or business must not have been a passive activity within the meaning of section 469(c) of the Internal Revenue Code and the decedent or the decedent's spouse must have materially participated in the trade or business within the meaning of section 469(h) of the Internal Revenue Code, excluding section 469(h)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and any other provision provided by Treasury Department regulation that substitutes material participation in prior taxable years for material participation in the taxable year that ended before the decedent's death.

 

(3) (4) The gross annual sales of the trade or business were $10,000,000 or less for the last taxable year that ended before the date of the death of the decedent.

 

(4) (5) The property does not consist of cash or, cash equivalents, publicly traded securities, or assets not used in the operation of the trade or business.  For property consisting of shares of stock or other ownership interests in an entity, the amount value of cash or, cash equivalents, publicly traded securities, or assets not used in the operation of the trade or business held by the corporation or other entity must be deducted from the value of the property qualifying under this subdivision in proportion to the decedent's share of ownership of the entity on the date of death.

 

(5) (6) The decedent continuously owned the property, including property the decedent is deemed to own under sections 2036, 2037, and 2038 of the Internal Revenue Code, for the three-year period ending on the date of death of the decedent.  In the case of a sole proprietor, if the property replaced similar property within the three-year period, the replacement property will be treated as having been owned for the three-year period ending on the date of death of the decedent.

 

(6) A family member continuously uses the property in the operation of the trade or business for three years following the date of death of the decedent.

 

(7) For three years following the date of death of the decedent, the trade or business is not a passive activity within the meaning of section 469(c) of the Internal Revenue Code and a family member materially participates in the operation of the trade or business within the meaning of section 469(h) of the Internal Revenue Code, excluding section 469(h)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and any other provision provided by Treasury Department regulation that substitutes material participation in prior taxable years for material participation in the three years following the date of death of the decedent.


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(7) (8) The estate and the qualified heir elect to treat the property as qualified small business property and agree, in the form prescribed by the commissioner, to pay the recapture tax under subdivision 11, if applicable.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective for estates of decedents dying after June 30, 2011.

 

Sec. 8.  Minnesota Statutes 2011 Supplement, section 291.03, subdivision 10, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 10.  Qualified farm property.  Property satisfying all of the following requirements is qualified farm property:

 

(1) The value of the property was included in the federal adjusted taxable estate.

 

(2) The property consists of agricultural land as defined by section 500.24, subdivision 2, paragraph (g), and owned by a farm meeting the requirements of person or entity that is not excluded from owning agricultural land by section 500.24, and was classified for property tax purposes as the homestead of the decedent or the decedent's spouse or both under section 273.124, and as class 2a property under section 273.13, subdivision 23.

 

(3) For property taxes payable in the year of decedent's death, the decedent's interest in the property was classified as the homestead of the decedent or the decedent's spouse or both under section 273.124, and as class 2a property under section 273.13, subdivision 23.

 

(4) The decedent continuously owned the property, including property the decedent is deemed to own under sections 2036, 2037, and 2038 of the Internal Revenue Code, for the three-year period ending on the date of death of the decedent either by ownership of the agricultural land or pursuant to holding an interest in an entity that is not excluded from owning agricultural land under section 500.24.

 

(4) A family member continuously uses the property in the operation of the trade or business (5) The property is classified for property tax purposes as class 2a property under section 273.13, subdivision 23, for three years following the date of death of the decedent.

 

(5) (6) The estate and the qualified heir elect to treat the property as qualified farm property and agree, in a form prescribed by the commissioner, to pay the recapture tax under subdivision 11, if applicable.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective for estates of decedents dying after June 30, 2011.

 

Sec. 9.  Minnesota Statutes 2011 Supplement, section 291.03, subdivision 11, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 11.  Recapture tax.  (a) If, within three years after the decedent's death and before the death of the qualified heir, the qualified heir disposes of any interest in the qualified property, other than by a disposition to a family member or qualifying entity, or a family member ceases to use the qualified property which was acquired or passed from the decedent satisfy the requirement under subdivision 9, clause (7); or 10, clause (5), an additional estate tax is imposed on the property.  In the case of a sole proprietor, if the qualified heir replaces qualified small business property excluded under subdivision 9 with similar property, then the qualified heir will not be treated as having disposed of an interest in the qualified property.

 

(b) The amount of the additional tax equals the amount of the exclusion claimed with respect to the qualified interest disposed of by the estate under subdivision 8, paragraph (d), multiplied by 16 percent.

 

(c) The additional tax under this subdivision is due on the day which is six months after the date of the disposition or cessation in paragraph (a).


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(c) For purposes of paragraph (a), "qualifying entity" means a corporation or other entity owned by a family member or family members that is not excluded from owning agricultural land under section 500.24.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective for estates of decedents dying after June 30, 2011.

 

ARTICLE 2

OBSOLETE PROVISIONS

 

Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 16C.16, subdivision 7, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 7.  Economically disadvantaged areas.  (a) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b), the commissioner may award up to a six percent preference in the amount bid on state procurement to small businesses located in an economically disadvantaged area.

 

(b) The commissioner may award up to a four percent preference in the amount bid on state construction to small businesses located in an economically disadvantaged area.

 

(c) A business is located in an economically disadvantaged area if:

 

(1) the owner resides in or the business is located in a county in which the median income for married couples is less than 70 percent of the state median income for married couples;

 

(2) the owner resides in or the business is located in an area designated a labor surplus area by the United States Department of Labor; or

 

(3) the business is a certified rehabilitation facility or extended employment provider as described in chapter 268A.

 

(d) The commissioner may designate one or more areas designated as targeted neighborhoods under section 469.202 or as border city enterprise zones under section 469.167 469.166 as economically disadvantaged areas for purposes of this subdivision if the commissioner determines that this designation would further the purposes of this section.  If the owner of a small business resides or is employed in a designated area, the small business is eligible for any preference provided under this subdivision.

 

(e) The Department of Revenue shall gather data necessary to make the determinations required by paragraph (c), clause (1), and shall annually certify counties that qualify under paragraph (c), clause (1).  An area designated a labor surplus area retains that status for 120 days after certified small businesses in the area are notified of the termination of the designation by the United States Department of Labor.

 

Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 41A.036, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 2.  Small business development loans; preferences.  The following eligible small businesses have preference among all business applicants for small business development loans:

 

(1) businesses located in rural areas of the state that are experiencing the most severe unemployment rates in the state;

 

(2) businesses that are likely to expand and provide additional permanent employment in rural areas of the state, or enhance the quality of existing jobs in those areas;

 

(3) businesses located in border communities that experience a competitive disadvantage due to location;


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(4) businesses that have been unable to obtain traditional financial assistance due to a disadvantageous location, minority ownership, or other factors rather than due to the business having been considered a poor financial risk;

 

(5) businesses that utilize state resources and reduce state dependence on outside resources, and that produce products or services consistent with the long-term social and economic needs of the state; and

 

(6) businesses located in designated border city enterprise zones, as described in section 469.168 469.166.

 

Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 117.025, subdivision 10, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 10.  Public service corporation.  "Public service corporation" means a utility, as defined by section 216E.01, subdivision 10; gas, electric, telephone, or cable communications company; cooperative association; natural gas pipeline company; crude oil or petroleum products pipeline company; municipal utility; municipality when operating its municipally owned utilities; joint venture created pursuant to section 452.25 or 452.26; or municipal power or gas agency.  Public service corporation also means a municipality or public corporation when operating an airport under chapter 360 or 473, a common carrier, a watershed district, or a drainage authority.  Public service corporation also means an entity operating a regional distribution center within an international economic development zone designated under section 469.322.

 

Sec. 4.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 270B.14, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 3.  Administration of enterprise, job opportunity, and biotechnology and health sciences industry zone programs.  The commissioner may disclose return information relating to the taxes imposed by chapters 290 and 297A to the Department of Employment and Economic Development or a municipality receiving an with a border city enterprise zone designation as defined under section 469.169 469.166, but only as necessary to administer the funding limitations under section 469.169, subdivision 7, or to the Department of Employment and Economic Development and appropriate officials from the local government units in which a qualified business is located but only as necessary to enforce the job opportunity building zone benefits under section 469.315, or biotechnology and health sciences industry zone benefits under section 469.336.

 

Sec. 5.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 272.02, subdivision 77, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 77.  Property of housing and redevelopment authorities.  Property of projects of housing and redevelopment authorities are exempt to the extent permitted by sections section 469.042, subdivision 1, and 469.043, subdivisions 2 and 5.

 

Sec. 6.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 273.13, subdivision 24, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 24.  Class 3.  (a) Commercial and industrial property and utility real and personal property is class 3a.

 

(1) Except as otherwise provided, each parcel of commercial, industrial, or utility real property has a class rate of 1.5 percent of the first tier of market value, and 2.0 percent of the remaining market value.  In the case of contiguous parcels of property owned by the same person or entity, only the value equal to the first-tier value of the contiguous parcels qualifies for the reduced class rate, except that contiguous parcels owned by the same person or entity shall be eligible for the first-tier value class rate on each separate business operated by the owner of the property, provided the business is housed in a separate structure.  For the purposes of this subdivision, the first tier means the first $150,000 of market value.  Real property owned in fee by a utility for transmission line right-of-way shall be classified at the class rate for the higher tier.


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For purposes of this subdivision, parcels are considered to be contiguous even if they are separated from each other by a road, street, waterway, or other similar intervening type of property.  Connections between parcels that consist of power lines or pipelines do not cause the parcels to be contiguous.  Property owners who have contiguous parcels of property that constitute separate businesses that may qualify for the first-tier class rate shall notify the assessor by July 1, for treatment beginning in the following taxes payable year.

 

(2) All personal property that is:  (i) part of an electric generation, transmission, or distribution system; or (ii) part of a pipeline system transporting or distributing water, gas, crude oil, or petroleum products; and (iii) not described in clause (3), and all railroad operating property has a class rate as provided under clause (1) for the first tier of market value and the remaining market value.  In the case of multiple parcels in one county that are owned by one person or entity, only one first tier amount is eligible for the reduced rate.

 

(3) The entire market value of personal property that is:  (i) tools, implements, and machinery of an electric generation, transmission, or distribution system; (ii) tools, implements, and machinery of a pipeline system transporting or distributing water, gas, crude oil, or petroleum products; or (iii) the mains and pipes used in the distribution of steam or hot or chilled water for heating or cooling buildings, has a class rate as provided under clause (1) for the remaining market value in excess of the first tier.

 

(b) Employment property defined in section 469.166, during the period provided in section 469.170, shall constitute class 3b.  The class rates for class 3b property are determined under paragraph (a).

 

Sec. 7.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 273.1398, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 4.  Disparity reduction credit.  (a) Beginning with taxes payable in 1989, class 4a, and class 3a, and class 3b property qualifies for a disparity reduction credit if:  (1) the property is located in a border city that has an enterprise zone designated pursuant to section 469.168, subdivision 4, as defined in section 469.166; (2) the property is located in a city with a population greater than 2,500 and less than 35,000 according to the 1980 decennial census; (3) the city is adjacent to a city in another state or immediately adjacent to a city adjacent to a city in another state; and (4) the adjacent city in the other state has a population of greater than 5,000 and less than 75,000 according to the 1980 decennial census.

 

(b) The credit is an amount sufficient to reduce (i) the taxes levied on class 4a property to 2.3 percent of the property's market value and (ii) the tax on class 3a and class 3b property to 2.3 percent of market value.

 

(c) The county auditor shall annually certify the costs of the credits to the Department of Revenue.  The department shall reimburse local governments for the property taxes forgone as the result of the credits in proportion to their total levies.

 

Sec. 8.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 276A.01, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 3.  Commercial-industrial property.  "Commercial-industrial property" means the following categories of property, as defined in section 273.13, excluding that portion of the property (i) that may, by law, constitute the tax base for a tax increment pledged pursuant to section 469.042 or 469.162 or sections 469.174 to 469.178, certification of which was requested prior to May 1, 1996, to the extent and while the tax increment is so pledged; or (ii) that is exempt from taxation under section 272.02:

 

(1) that portion of class 5 property consisting of unmined iron ore and low-grade iron-bearing formations as defined in section 273.14, tools, implements, and machinery, except the portion of high voltage transmission lines, the value of which is deducted from net tax capacity under section 273.425; and


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(2) that portion of class 3 and class 5 property which is either used or zoned for use for any commercial or industrial purpose, including property that becomes taxable under section 298.25, except for such property which is, or, in the case of property under construction, will when completed be used exclusively for residential occupancy and the provision of services to residential occupants thereof.  Property must be considered as used exclusively for residential occupancy only if each of not less than 80 percent of its occupied residential units is, or, in the case of property under construction, will when completed be occupied under an oral or written agreement for occupancy over a continuous period of not less than 30 days.

 

If the classification of property prescribed by section 273.13 is modified by legislative amendment, the references in this subdivision are to the successor class or classes of property, or portions thereof, that include the kinds of property designated in this subdivision.

 

Sec. 9.  Minnesota Statutes 2011 Supplement, section 290.01, subdivision 19b, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 19b.  Subtractions from federal taxable income.  For individuals, estates, and trusts, there shall be subtracted from federal taxable income:

 

(1) net interest income on obligations of any authority, commission, or instrumentality of the United States to the extent includable in taxable income for federal income tax purposes but exempt from state income tax under the laws of the United States;

 

(2) if included in federal taxable income, the amount of any overpayment of income tax to Minnesota or to any other state, for any previous taxable year, whether the amount is received as a refund or as a credit to another taxable year's income tax liability;

 

(3) the amount paid to others, less the amount used to claim the credit allowed under section 290.0674, not to exceed $1,625 for each qualifying child in grades kindergarten to 6 and $2,500 for each qualifying child in grades 7 to 12, for tuition, textbooks, and transportation of each qualifying child in attending an elementary or secondary school situated in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, or Wisconsin, wherein a resident of this state may legally fulfill the state's compulsory attendance laws, which is not operated for profit, and which adheres to the provisions of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and chapter 363A.  For the purposes of this clause, "tuition" includes fees or tuition as defined in section 290.0674, subdivision 1, clause (1).  As used in this clause, "textbooks" includes books and other instructional materials and equipment purchased or leased for use in elementary and secondary schools in teaching only those subjects legally and commonly taught in public elementary and secondary schools in this state.  Equipment expenses qualifying for deduction includes expenses as defined and limited in section 290.0674, subdivision 1, clause (3).  "Textbooks" does not include instructional books and materials used in the teaching of religious tenets, doctrines, or worship, the purpose of which is to instill such tenets, doctrines, or worship, nor does it include books or materials for, or transportation to, extracurricular activities including sporting events, musical or dramatic events, speech activities, driver's education, or similar programs.  No deduction is permitted for any expense the taxpayer incurred in using the taxpayer's or the qualifying child's vehicle to provide such transportation for a qualifying child.  For purposes of the subtraction provided by this clause, "qualifying child" has the meaning given in section 32(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code;

 

(4) income as provided under section 290.0802;

 

(5) to the extent included in federal adjusted gross income, income realized on disposition of property exempt from tax under section 290.491;

 

(6) to the extent not deducted or not deductible pursuant to section 408(d)(8)(E) of the Internal Revenue Code in determining federal taxable income by an individual who does not itemize deductions for federal income tax purposes for the taxable year, an amount equal to 50 percent of the excess of charitable contributions over $500 allowable as a deduction for the taxable year under section 170(a) of the Internal Revenue Code, under the provisions of Public Law 109-1 and Public Law 111-126;


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(7) for individuals who are allowed a federal foreign tax credit for taxes that do not qualify for a credit under section 290.06, subdivision 22, an amount equal to the carryover of subnational foreign taxes for the taxable year, but not to exceed the total subnational foreign taxes reported in claiming the foreign tax credit.  For purposes of this clause, "federal foreign tax credit" means the credit allowed under section 27 of the Internal Revenue Code, and "carryover of subnational foreign taxes" equals the carryover allowed under section 904(c) of the Internal Revenue Code minus national level foreign taxes to the extent they exceed the federal foreign tax credit;

 

(8) in each of the five tax years immediately following the tax year in which an addition is required under subdivision 19a, clause (7), or 19c, clause (15), in the case of a shareholder of a corporation that is an S corporation, an amount equal to one-fifth of the delayed depreciation.  For purposes of this clause, "delayed depreciation" means the amount of the addition made by the taxpayer under subdivision 19a, clause (7), or subdivision 19c, clause (15), in the case of a shareholder of an S corporation, minus the positive value of any net operating loss under section 172 of the Internal Revenue Code generated for the tax year of the addition.  The resulting delayed depreciation cannot be less than zero;

 

(9) job opportunity building zone income as provided under section 469.316;

 

(10) to the extent included in federal taxable income, the amount of compensation paid to members of the Minnesota National Guard or other reserve components of the United States military for active service, excluding compensation for services performed under the Active Guard Reserve (AGR) program.  For purposes of this clause, "active service" means (i) state active service as defined in section 190.05, subdivision 5a, clause (1); or (ii) federally funded state active service as defined in section 190.05, subdivision 5b, but "active service" excludes service performed in accordance with section 190.08, subdivision 3;

 

(11) to the extent included in federal taxable income, the amount of compensation paid to Minnesota residents who are members of the armed forces of the United States or United Nations for active duty performed under United States Code, title 10; or the authority of the United Nations;

 

(12) an amount, not to exceed $10,000, equal to qualified expenses related to a qualified donor's donation, while living, of one or more of the qualified donor's organs to another person for human organ transplantation.  For purposes of this clause, "organ" means all or part of an individual's liver, pancreas, kidney, intestine, lung, or bone marrow; "human organ transplantation" means the medical procedure by which transfer of a human organ is made from the body of one person to the body of another person; "qualified expenses" means unreimbursed expenses for both the individual and the qualified donor for (i) travel, (ii) lodging, and (iii) lost wages net of sick pay, except that such expenses may be subtracted under this clause only once; and "qualified donor" means the individual or the individual's dependent, as defined in section 152 of the Internal Revenue Code.  An individual may claim the subtraction in this clause for each instance of organ donation for transplantation during the taxable year in which the qualified expenses occur;

 

(13) in each of the five tax years immediately following the tax year in which an addition is required under subdivision 19a, clause (8), or 19c, clause (16) (15), in the case of a shareholder of a corporation that is an S corporation, an amount equal to one-fifth of the addition made by the taxpayer under subdivision 19a, clause (8), or 19c, clause (16) (15), in the case of a shareholder of a corporation that is an S corporation, minus the positive value of any net operating loss under section 172 of the Internal Revenue Code generated for the tax year of the addition.  If the net operating loss exceeds the addition for the tax year, a subtraction is not allowed under this clause;

 

(14) to the extent included in the federal taxable income of a nonresident of Minnesota, compensation paid to a service member as defined in United States Code, title 10, section 101(a)(5), for military service as defined in the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, Public Law 108-189, section 101(2);

 

(15) international economic development zone income as provided under section 469.325;


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(16) to the extent included in federal taxable income, the amount of national service educational awards received from the National Service Trust under United States Code, title 42, sections 12601 to 12604, for service in an approved Americorps National Service program;

 

(17) (16) to the extent included in federal taxable income, discharge of indebtedness income resulting from reacquisition of business indebtedness included in federal taxable income under section 108(i) of the Internal Revenue Code.  This subtraction applies only to the extent that the income was included in net income in a prior year as a result of the addition under section 290.01, subdivision 19a, clause (16); and

 

(18) (17) the amount of the net operating loss allowed under section 290.095, subdivision 11, paragraph (c).

 

Sec. 10.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 290.01, subdivision 29, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 29.  Taxable income.  The term "taxable income" means:

 

(1) for individuals, estates, and trusts, the same as taxable net income;

 

(2) for corporations, the taxable net income less

 

(i) the net operating loss deduction under section 290.095;

 

(ii) the dividends received deduction under section 290.21, subdivision 4;

 

(iii) the exemption for operating in a job opportunity building zone under section 469.317; and

 

(iv) the exemption for operating in a biotechnology and health sciences industry zone under section 469.337; and

 

(v) the exemption for operating in an international economic development zone under section 469.326.

 

Sec. 11.  Minnesota Statutes 2011 Supplement, section 290.06, subdivision 2c, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 2c.  Schedules of rates for individuals, estates, and trusts.  (a) The income taxes imposed by this chapter upon married individuals filing joint returns and surviving spouses as defined in section 2(a) of the Internal Revenue Code must be computed by applying to their taxable net income the following schedule of rates:

 

(1) On the first $25,680, 5.35 percent;

 

(2) On all over $25,680, but not over $102,030, 7.05 percent;

 

(3) On all over $102,030, 7.85 percent.

 

Married individuals filing separate returns, estates, and trusts must compute their income tax by applying the above rates to their taxable income, except that the income brackets will be one-half of the above amounts.

 

(b) The income taxes imposed by this chapter upon unmarried individuals must be computed by applying to taxable net income the following schedule of rates:

 

(1) On the first $17,570, 5.35 percent;

 

(2) On all over $17,570, but not over $57,710, 7.05 percent;


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(3) On all over $57,710, 7.85 percent.

 

(c) The income taxes imposed by this chapter upon unmarried individuals qualifying as a head of household as defined in section 2(b) of the Internal Revenue Code must be computed by applying to taxable net income the following schedule of rates:

 

(1) On the first $21,630, 5.35 percent;

 

(2) On all over $21,630, but not over $86,910, 7.05 percent;

 

(3) On all over $86,910, 7.85 percent.

 

(d) In lieu of a tax computed according to the rates set forth in this subdivision, the tax of any individual taxpayer whose taxable net income for the taxable year is less than an amount determined by the commissioner must be computed in accordance with tables prepared and issued by the commissioner of revenue based on income brackets of not more than $100.  The amount of tax for each bracket shall be computed at the rates set forth in this subdivision, provided that the commissioner may disregard a fractional part of a dollar unless it amounts to 50 cents or more, in which case it may be increased to $1.

 

(e) An individual who is not a Minnesota resident for the entire year must compute the individual's Minnesota income tax as provided in this subdivision.  After the application of the nonrefundable credits provided in this chapter, the tax liability must then be multiplied by a fraction in which:

 

(1) the numerator is the individual's Minnesota source federal adjusted gross income as defined in section 62 of the Internal Revenue Code and increased by the additions required under section 290.01, subdivision 19a, clauses (1), (5), (6), (7), (8), (9), (12), (13), and (16) to (18), and reduced by the Minnesota assignable portion of the subtraction for United States government interest under section 290.01, subdivision 19b, clause (1), and the subtractions under section 290.01, subdivision 19b, clauses (8), (9), (13), (14), (15), (17), (16), and (18) (17), after applying the allocation and assignability provisions of section 290.081, clause (a), or 290.17; and

 

(2) the denominator is the individual's federal adjusted gross income as defined in section 62 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, increased by the amounts specified in section 290.01, subdivision 19a, clauses (1), (5), (6), (7), (8), (9), (12), (13), and (16) to (18), and reduced by the amounts specified in section 290.01, subdivision 19b, clauses (1), (8), (9), (13), (14), (15), (17) (16), and (18) (17).

 

Sec. 12.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 290.067, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

 

Subdivision 1.  Amount of credit.  (a) A taxpayer may take as a credit against the tax due from the taxpayer and a spouse, if any, under this chapter an amount equal to the dependent care credit for which the taxpayer is eligible pursuant to the provisions of section 21 of the Internal Revenue Code subject to the limitations provided in subdivision 2 except that in determining whether the child qualified as a dependent, income received as a Minnesota family investment program grant or allowance to or on behalf of the child must not be taken into account in determining whether the child received more than half of the child's support from the taxpayer, and the provisions of section 32(b)(1)(D) of the Internal Revenue Code do not apply.

 

(b) If a child who has not attained the age of six years at the close of the taxable year is cared for at a licensed family day care home operated by the child's parent, the taxpayer is deemed to have paid employment-related expenses.  If the child is 16 months old or younger at the close of the taxable year, the amount of expenses deemed to have been paid equals the maximum limit for one qualified individual under section 21(c) and (d) of the Internal Revenue Code.  If the child is older than 16 months of age but has not attained the age of six years at the close of the taxable year, the amount of expenses deemed to have been paid equals the amount the licensee would charge for the care of a child of the same age for the same number of hours of care.


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(c) If a married couple:

 

(1) has a child who has not attained the age of one year at the close of the taxable year;

 

(2) files a joint tax return for the taxable year; and

 

(3) does not participate in a dependent care assistance program as defined in section 129 of the Internal Revenue Code, in lieu of the actual employment related expenses paid for that child under paragraph (a) or the deemed amount under paragraph (b), the lesser of (i) the combined earned income of the couple or (ii) the amount of the maximum limit for one qualified individual under section 21(c) and (d) of the Internal Revenue Code will be deemed to be the employment related expense paid for that child.  The earned income limitation of section 21(d) of the Internal Revenue Code shall not apply to this deemed amount.  These deemed amounts apply regardless of whether any employment-related expenses have been paid.

 

(d) If the taxpayer is not required and does not file a federal individual income tax return for the tax year, no credit is allowed for any amount paid to any person unless:

 

(1) the name, address, and taxpayer identification number of the person are included on the return claiming the credit; or

 

(2) if the person is an organization described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and exempt from tax under section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code, the name and address of the person are included on the return claiming the credit.

 

In the case of a failure to provide the information required under the preceding sentence, the preceding sentence does not apply if it is shown that the taxpayer exercised due diligence in attempting to provide the information required.

 

In the case of a nonresident, part-year resident, or a person who has earned income not subject to tax under this chapter including earned income excluded pursuant to section 290.01, subdivision 19b, clause (9) or (15), the credit determined under section 21 of the Internal Revenue Code must be allocated based on the ratio by which the earned income of the claimant and the claimant's spouse from Minnesota sources bears to the total earned income of the claimant and the claimant's spouse.

 

For residents of Minnesota, the subtractions for military pay under section 290.01, subdivision 19b, clauses (10) and (11), are not considered "earned income not subject to tax under this chapter."

 

For residents of Minnesota, the exclusion of combat pay under section 112 of the Internal Revenue Code is not considered "earned income not subject to tax under this chapter."

 

Sec. 13.  Minnesota Statutes 2011 Supplement, section 290.0671, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

 

Subdivision 1.  Credit allowed.  (a) An individual is allowed a credit against the tax imposed by this chapter equal to a percentage of earned income.  To receive a credit, a taxpayer must be eligible for a credit under section 32 of the Internal Revenue Code.

 

(b) For individuals with no qualifying children, the credit equals 1.9125 percent of the first $4,620 of earned income.  The credit is reduced by 1.9125 percent of earned income or adjusted gross income, whichever is greater, in excess of $5,770, but in no case is the credit less than zero.


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(c) For individuals with one qualifying child, the credit equals 8.5 percent of the first $6,920 of earned income and 8.5 percent of earned income over $12,080 but less than $13,450.  The credit is reduced by 5.73 percent of earned income or adjusted gross income, whichever is greater, in excess of $15,080, but in no case is the credit less than zero.

 

(d) For individuals with two or more qualifying children, the credit equals ten percent of the first $9,720 of earned income and 20 percent of earned income over $14,860 but less than $16,800.  The credit is reduced by 10.3 percent of earned income or adjusted gross income, whichever is greater, in excess of $17,890, but in no case is the credit less than zero.

 

(e) For a nonresident or part-year resident, the credit must be allocated based on the percentage calculated under section 290.06, subdivision 2c, paragraph (e).

 

(f) For a person who was a resident for the entire tax year and has earned income not subject to tax under this chapter, including income excluded under section 290.01, subdivision 19b, clause (9) or (15), the credit must be allocated based on the ratio of federal adjusted gross income reduced by the earned income not subject to tax under this chapter over federal adjusted gross income.  For purposes of this paragraph, the subtractions for military pay under section 290.01, subdivision 19b, clauses (10) and (11), are not considered "earned income not subject to tax under this chapter."

 

For the purposes of this paragraph, the exclusion of combat pay under section 112 of the Internal Revenue Code is not considered "earned income not subject to tax under this chapter."

 

(g) For tax years beginning after December 31, 2007, and before December 31, 2010, the $5,770 in paragraph (b), the $15,080 in paragraph (c), and the $17,890 in paragraph (d), after being adjusted for inflation under subdivision 7, are each increased by $3,000 for married taxpayers filing joint returns.  For tax years beginning after December 31, 2008, the commissioner shall annually adjust the $3,000 by the percentage determined pursuant to the provisions of section 1(f) of the Internal Revenue Code, except that in section 1(f)(3)(B), the word "2007" shall be substituted for the word "1992." For 2009, the commissioner shall then determine the percent change from the 12 months ending on August 31, 2007, to the 12 months ending on August 31, 2008, and in each subsequent year, from the 12 months ending on August 31, 2007, to the 12 months ending on August 31 of the year preceding the taxable year.  The earned income thresholds as adjusted for inflation must be rounded to the nearest $10.  If the amount ends in $5, the amount is rounded up to the nearest $10.  The determination of the commissioner under this subdivision is not a rule under the Administrative Procedure Act.

 

(h) For tax years beginning after December 31, 2010, and before January 1, 2012, the $5,770 in paragraph (b), the $15,080 in paragraph (c), and the $17,890 in paragraph (d), after being adjusted for inflation under subdivision 7, are each increased by $5,000 for married taxpayers filing joint returns.  For tax years beginning after December 31, 2010, and before January 1, 2012, the commissioner shall annually adjust the $5,000 by the percentage determined pursuant to the provisions of section 1(f) of the Internal Revenue Code, except that in section 1(f)(3)(B), the word "2008" shall be substituted for the word "1992." For 2011, the commissioner shall then determine the percent change from the 12 months ending on August 31, 2008, to the 12 months ending on August 31, 2010.  The earned income thresholds as adjusted for inflation must be rounded to the nearest $10.  If the amount ends in $5, the amount is rounded up to the nearest $10.  The determination of the commissioner under this subdivision is not a rule under the Administrative Procedure Act.

 

(i) The commissioner shall construct tables showing the amount of the credit at various income levels and make them available to taxpayers.  The tables shall follow the schedule contained in this subdivision, except that the commissioner may graduate the transition between income brackets.


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Sec. 14.  Minnesota Statutes 2011 Supplement, section 290.091, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 2.  Definitions.  For purposes of the tax imposed by this section, the following terms have the meanings given:

 

(a) "Alternative minimum taxable income" means the sum of the following for the taxable year:

 

(1) the taxpayer's federal alternative minimum taxable income as defined in section 55(b)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code;

 

(2) the taxpayer's itemized deductions allowed in computing federal alternative minimum taxable income, but excluding:

 

(i) the charitable contribution deduction under section 170 of the Internal Revenue Code;

 

(ii) the medical expense deduction;

 

(iii) the casualty, theft, and disaster loss deduction; and

 

(iv) the impairment-related work expenses of a disabled person;

 

(3) for depletion allowances computed under section 613A(c) of the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to each property (as defined in section 614 of the Internal Revenue Code), to the extent not included in federal alternative minimum taxable income, the excess of the deduction for depletion allowable under section 611 of the Internal Revenue Code for the taxable year over the adjusted basis of the property at the end of the taxable year (determined without regard to the depletion deduction for the taxable year);

 

(4) to the extent not included in federal alternative minimum taxable income, the amount of the tax preference for intangible drilling cost under section 57(a)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code determined without regard to subparagraph (E);

 

(5) to the extent not included in federal alternative minimum taxable income, the amount of interest income as provided by section 290.01, subdivision 19a, clause (1); and

 

(6) the amount of addition required by section 290.01, subdivision 19a, clauses (7) to (9), (12), (13), and (16) to (18);

 

less the sum of the amounts determined under the following:

 

(1) interest income as defined in section 290.01, subdivision 19b, clause (1);

 

(2) an overpayment of state income tax as provided by section 290.01, subdivision 19b, clause (2), to the extent included in federal alternative minimum taxable income;

 

(3) the amount of investment interest paid or accrued within the taxable year on indebtedness to the extent that the amount does not exceed net investment income, as defined in section 163(d)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code.  Interest does not include amounts deducted in computing federal adjusted gross income;

 

(4) amounts subtracted from federal taxable income as provided by section 290.01, subdivision 19b, clauses (6), (8) to (15) (14), and (17) (16); and

 

(5) the amount of the net operating loss allowed under section 290.095, subdivision 11, paragraph (c).


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In the case of an estate or trust, alternative minimum taxable income must be computed as provided in section 59(c) of the Internal Revenue Code.

 

(b) "Investment interest" means investment interest as defined in section 163(d)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

 

(c) "Net minimum tax" means the minimum tax imposed by this section.

 

(d) "Regular tax" means the tax that would be imposed under this chapter (without regard to this section and section 290.032), reduced by the sum of the nonrefundable credits allowed under this chapter.

 

(e) "Tentative minimum tax" equals 6.4 percent of alternative minimum taxable income after subtracting the exemption amount determined under subdivision 3.

 

Sec. 15.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 290.0921, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 3.  Alternative minimum taxable income.  "Alternative minimum taxable income" is Minnesota net income as defined in section 290.01, subdivision 19, and includes the adjustments and tax preference items in sections 56, 57, 58, and 59(d), (e), (f), and (h) of the Internal Revenue Code.  If a corporation files a separate company Minnesota tax return, the minimum tax must be computed on a separate company basis.  If a corporation is part of a tax group filing a unitary return, the minimum tax must be computed on a unitary basis.  The following adjustments must be made.

 

(1) For purposes of the depreciation adjustments under section 56(a)(1) and 56(g)(4)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code, the basis for depreciable property placed in service in a taxable year beginning before January 1, 1990, is the adjusted basis for federal income tax purposes, including any modification made in a taxable year under section 290.01, subdivision 19e, or Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 290.09, subdivision 7, paragraph (c).

 

For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2000, the amount of any remaining modification made under section 290.01, subdivision 19e, or Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 290.09, subdivision 7, paragraph (c), not previously deducted is a depreciation allowance in the first taxable year after December 31, 2000.

 

(2) The portion of the depreciation deduction allowed for federal income tax purposes under section 168(k) of the Internal Revenue Code that is required as an addition under section 290.01, subdivision 19c, clause (15), is disallowed in determining alternative minimum taxable income.

 

(3) The subtraction for depreciation allowed under section 290.01, subdivision 19d, clause (17), is allowed as a depreciation deduction in determining alternative minimum taxable income.

 

(4) The alternative tax net operating loss deduction under sections 56(a)(4) and 56(d) of the Internal Revenue Code does not apply.

 

(5) The special rule for certain dividends under section 56(g)(4)(C)(ii) of the Internal Revenue Code does not apply.

 

(6) The special rule for dividends from section 936 companies under section 56(g)(4)(C)(iii) does not apply.

 

(7) The tax preference for depletion under section 57(a)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code does not apply.

 

(8) The tax preference for intangible drilling costs under section 57(a)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code must be calculated without regard to subparagraph (E) and the subtraction under section 290.01, subdivision 19d, clause (4).

 

(9) The tax preference for tax exempt interest under section 57(a)(5) of the Internal Revenue Code does not apply.


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(10) The tax preference for charitable contributions of appreciated property under section 57(a)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code does not apply.

 

(11) For purposes of calculating the tax preference for accelerated depreciation or amortization on certain property placed in service before January 1, 1987, under section 57(a)(7) of the Internal Revenue Code, the deduction allowable for the taxable year is the deduction allowed under section 290.01, subdivision 19e.

 

For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2000, the amount of any remaining modification made under section 290.01, subdivision 19e, not previously deducted is a depreciation or amortization allowance in the first taxable year after December 31, 2004.

 

(12) For purposes of calculating the adjustment for adjusted current earnings in section 56(g) of the Internal Revenue Code, the term "alternative minimum taxable income" as it is used in section 56(g) of the Internal Revenue Code, means alternative minimum taxable income as defined in this subdivision, determined without regard to the adjustment for adjusted current earnings in section 56(g) of the Internal Revenue Code.

 

(13) For purposes of determining the amount of adjusted current earnings under section 56(g)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, no adjustment shall be made under section 56(g)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code with respect to (i) the amount of foreign dividend gross-up subtracted as provided in section 290.01, subdivision 19d, clause (1), (ii) the amount of refunds of income, excise, or franchise taxes subtracted as provided in section 290.01, subdivision 19d, clause (9), or (iii) the amount of royalties, fees or other like income subtracted as provided in section 290.01, subdivision 19d, clause (10).

 

(14) Alternative minimum taxable income excludes the income from operating in a job opportunity building zone as provided under section 469.317.

 

(15) Alternative minimum taxable income excludes the income from operating in a biotechnology and health sciences industry zone as provided under section 469.337.

 

(16) Alternative minimum taxable income excludes the income from operating in an international economic development zone as provided under section 469.326.

 

Items of tax preference must not be reduced below zero as a result of the modifications in this subdivision.

 

Sec. 16.  Minnesota Statutes 2011 Supplement, section 290.0922, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 2.  Exemptions.  The following entities are exempt from the tax imposed by this section:

 

(1) corporations exempt from tax under section 290.05;

 

(2) real estate investment trusts;

 

(3) regulated investment companies or a fund thereof; and

 

(4) entities having a valid election in effect under section 860D(b) of the Internal Revenue Code;

 

(5) town and farmers' mutual insurance companies;

 

(6) cooperatives organized under chapter 308A or 308B that provide housing exclusively to persons age 55 and over and are classified as homesteads under section 273.124, subdivision 3; and


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(7) a qualified business as defined under section 469.310, subdivision 11, if for the taxable year all of its property is located in a job opportunity building zone designated under section 469.314 and all of its payroll is a job opportunity building zone payroll under section 469.310; and.

 

(8) an entity, if for the taxable year all of its property is located in an international economic development zone designated under section 469.322, and all of its payroll is international economic development zone payroll under section 469.321.  The exemption under this clause applies to taxable years beginning during the duration of the international economic development zone.

 

Entities not specifically exempted by this subdivision are subject to tax under this section, notwithstanding section 290.05.

 

Sec. 17.  Minnesota Statutes 2011 Supplement, section 290.0922, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 3.  Definitions.  (a) "Minnesota sales or receipts" means the total sales apportioned to Minnesota pursuant to section 290.191, subdivision 5, the total receipts attributed to Minnesota pursuant to section 290.191, subdivisions 6 to 8, and/or the total sales or receipts apportioned or attributed to Minnesota pursuant to any other apportionment formula applicable to the taxpayer.

 

(b) "Minnesota property" means total Minnesota tangible property as provided in section 290.191, subdivisions 9 to 11, any other tangible property located in Minnesota, but does not include:  (1) the property of a qualified business as defined under section 469.310, subdivision 11, that is located in a job opportunity building zone designated under section 469.314, and (2) property of a qualified business located in a biotechnology and health sciences industry zone designated under section 469.334, or (3) for taxable years beginning during the duration of the zone, property of a qualified business located in the international economic development zone designated under section 469.322.  Intangible property shall not be included in Minnesota property for purposes of this section.  Taxpayers who do not utilize tangible property to apportion income shall nevertheless include Minnesota property for purposes of this section.  On a return for a short taxable year, the amount of Minnesota property owned, as determined under section 290.191, shall be included in Minnesota property based on a fraction in which the numerator is the number of days in the short taxable year and the denominator is 365.

 

(c) "Minnesota payrolls" means total Minnesota payrolls as provided in section 290.191, subdivision 12, but does not include:  (1) the job opportunity building zone payroll under section 469.310, subdivision 8, of a qualified business as defined under section 469.310, subdivision 11, and (2) biotechnology and health sciences industry zone payrolls under section 469.330, subdivision 8, or (3) for taxable years beginning during the duration of the zone, international economic development zone payrolls under section 469.321, subdivision 9.  Taxpayers who do not utilize payrolls to apportion income shall nevertheless include Minnesota payrolls for purposes of this section.

 

Sec. 18.  Minnesota Statutes 2011 Supplement, section 297A.75, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

 

Subdivision 1.  Tax collected.  The tax on the gross receipts from the sale of the following exempt items must be imposed and collected as if the sale were taxable and the rate under section 297A.62, subdivision 1, applied.  The exempt items include:

 

(1) capital equipment exempt under section 297A.68, subdivision 5;

 

(2) building materials for an agricultural processing facility exempt under section 297A.71, subdivision 13;

 

(3) building materials for mineral production facilities exempt under section 297A.71, subdivision 14;

 

(4) building materials for correctional facilities under section 297A.71, subdivision 3;


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(5) building materials used in a residence for disabled veterans exempt under section 297A.71, subdivision 11;

 

(6) elevators and building materials exempt under section 297A.71, subdivision 12;

 

(7) building materials for the Long Lake Conservation Center exempt under section 297A.71, subdivision 17;

 

(8) materials and supplies for qualified low-income housing under section 297A.71, subdivision 23;

 

(9) materials, supplies, and equipment for municipal electric utility facilities under section 297A.71, subdivision 35;

 

(10) equipment and materials used for the generation, transmission, and distribution of electrical energy and an aerial camera package exempt under section 297A.68, subdivision 37;

 

(11) tangible personal property and taxable services and construction materials, supplies, and equipment exempt under section 297A.68, subdivision 41;

 

(12) commuter rail vehicle and repair parts under section 297A.70, subdivision 3, clause (11);

 

(13) (12) materials, supplies, and equipment for construction or improvement of projects and facilities under section 297A.71, subdivision 40;

 

(14) (13) materials, supplies, and equipment for construction or improvement of a meat processing facility exempt under section 297A.71, subdivision 41;

 

(15) (14) materials, supplies, and equipment for construction, improvement, or expansion of an aerospace defense manufacturing facility exempt under section 297A.71, subdivision 42; and

 

(16) (15) enterprise information technology equipment and computer software for use in a qualified data center exempt under section 297A.68, subdivision 42.

 

Sec. 19.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 469.015, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 4.  Exceptions.  (a) An authority need not require competitive bidding in the following circumstances:

 

(1) in the case of a contract for the acquisition of a low-rent housing project:

 

(i) for which financial assistance is provided by the federal government;

 

(ii) which does not require any direct loan or grant of money from the municipality as a condition of the federal financial assistance; and

 

(iii) for which the contract provides for the construction of the project upon land that is either owned by the authority for redevelopment purposes or not owned by the authority at the time of the contract but the contract provides for the conveyance or lease to the authority of the project or improvements upon completion of construction;

 

(2) with respect to a structured parking facility:

 

(i) constructed in conjunction with, and directly above or below, a development; and


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(ii) financed with the proceeds of tax increment or parking ramp general obligation or revenue bonds; and

 

(3) until August 1, 2009, with respect to a facility built for the purpose of facilitating the operation of public transit or encouraging its use:

 

(i) constructed in conjunction with, and directly above or below, a development; and

 

(ii) financed with the proceeds of parking ramp general obligation or revenue bonds or with at least 60 percent of the construction cost being financed with funding provided by the federal government; and

 

(4) in the case of any building in which at least 75 percent of the usable square footage constitutes a housing development project if:

 

(i) the project is financed with the proceeds of bonds issued under section 469.034 or from nongovernmental sources;

 

(ii) the project is either located on land that is owned or is being acquired by the authority only for development purposes, or is not owned by the authority at the time the contract is entered into but the contract provides for conveyance or lease to the authority of the project or improvements upon completion of construction; and

 

(iii) the authority finds and determines that elimination of the public bidding requirements is necessary in order for the housing development project to be economical and feasible.

 

(b) An authority need not require a performance bond for the following projects:

 

(1) a contract described in paragraph (a), clause (1);

 

(2) a construction change order for a housing project in which 30 percent of the construction has been completed;

 

(3) a construction contract for a single-family housing project in which the authority acts as the general construction contractor; or

 

(4) a services or materials contract for a housing project.

 

For purposes of this paragraph, "services or materials contract" does not include construction contracts.

 

Sec. 20.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 469.033, subdivision 7, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 7.  Inactive authorities; transfer of funds; dissolution.  The authority may transfer to the city in and for which it was created all property, assets, cash or other funds held or used by the authority which were derived from the special benefit tax for redevelopment levied pursuant to subdivision 6 prior to March 6, 1953, whenever collected.  Upon any such transfer, an authority shall not thereafter levy the tax or exercise the redevelopment powers of sections 469.001 to 469.047.  All cash or other funds transferred to the city shall be used exclusively for permanent improvements in the city or the retirement of debts or bonds incurred for permanent improvements in the city.  An authority which transfers its property, assets, cash, or other funds derived from the special benefit tax for redevelopment and which has not entered into a contract with the federal government with respect to any low-rent public housing project prior to March 6, 1953, shall be dissolved as herein provided in this subdivision.  After a public hearing after ten days' published notice thereof in a newspaper of general circulation in the city, the governing body of a city in and for which an authority has been created may dissolve the authority if the authority has not entered into any contract with the federal government or any agency or instrumentality thereof for a loan or a


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grant with respect to any urban redevelopment or low-rent public housing project that remains in effect.  The resolution or ordinance dissolving the authority shall be published in the same manner in which ordinances are published in the city and the authority shall be dissolved when the resolution or ordinance becomes finally effective.  The clerk of the governing body of the municipality shall furnish to the commissioner of employment and economic development a certified copy of the resolution or ordinance of the governing body dissolving the authority.  All property, records, assets, cash, or other funds held or used by an authority shall be transferred to and become the property of the municipality and cash or other funds shall be used as herein provided.  Upon dissolution of an authority, all rights of an authority against any person, firm, or corporation shall accrue to and be enforced by the municipality.

 

Sec. 21.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 469.166, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 3.  Border city enterprise zone.  "Border city enterprise zone" means an area in the state designated as such an enterprise zone by the commissioner in the cities of Breckenridge, Dilworth, East Grand Forks, Moorhead, or Ortonville.

 

Sec. 22.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 469.166, subdivision 5, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 5.  Municipality.  "Municipality" means a city, or a county for an area located outside the boundaries of a city.  If an area lies in two or more cities or in both incorporated and unincorporated areas, "municipality" shall include an entity formed pursuant to section 471.59 by the governing bodies of the cities with jurisdiction over the incorporated area and the counties with jurisdiction over the unincorporated area.

 

Sec. 23.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 469.166, subdivision 6, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 6.  Governing body.  "Governing body" means the county board in the case of a county, the city council or other body designated by its the charter in the case of a of the city, or the tribal or federal agency recognized as the governing body of an Indian reservation by the United States Secretary of the Interior.

 

Sec. 24.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 469.167, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 2.  Duration.  The designation of an area as an a border city enterprise zone shall be effective for seven years after the date of designation, except that enterprise zones in border cities eligible to receive allocations for tax reductions under section 469.169, subdivisions 7 and 8, and under section 469.171, subdivision 6a or 6b, shall be is effective until terminated by resolution adopted by the city in which the border city enterprise zone is located.

 

Sec. 25.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 469.171, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

 

Subdivision 1.  Authorized types.  (a) The following types of tax reductions may be approved by the commissioner for businesses located in an a border city enterprise zone, after the governing body of the border city has designated an area or areas, each consisting of at least 100 acres, of the city not in excess of a total of 400 acres in which the tax reductions may be provided:

 

(1) an exemption from the general sales tax imposed by chapter 297A for purchases of construction materials or equipment for use in the zone if the purchase was made after the date of application for the zone;

 

(2) a credit against the income tax of an employer for additional workers employed in the zone, other than workers employed in construction, up to a maximum of $3,000 per employee per year;

 

(3) an income tax credit for a percentage of the cost of debt financing to construct new or expanded facilities in the zone; and


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(4) a state paid property tax credit for a portion of the property taxes paid by a new commercial or industrial facility or the additional property taxes paid by an expansion of an existing commercial or industrial facility in the zone.

 

(b) An application for a tax reduction under this subdivision may not be approved unless the governing body finds that the construction or improvement of the facility is not likely to have the effect of transferring existing employment from a location outside of the municipality but within the state.

 

Sec. 26.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 469.171, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 4.  Restriction.  The tax reductions provided by this section shall not apply to (1) a facility the primary purpose of which is one of the following:  retail food and beverage services, automobile sales or service, or the provision of recreation or entertainment, or a private or commercial golf course, country club, massage parlor, tennis club, skating facility including roller skating, skateboard, and ice skating, racquet sports facility, including any handball or racquetball court, hot tub facility, suntan facility, or racetrack; (2) property of a public utility; (3) property used in the operation of a financial institution; (4) property owned by a fraternal or veterans' organization; or (5) property of a business operating under a franchise agreement that requires the business to be located in the state; except that, in an enterprise zone designated under section 469.168, subdivision 4, paragraph (c), that is not in a city of the first class, tax reductions may be provided to a retail food or beverage facility or an automobile sales or service facility, or a business operating under a franchise agreement that requires the business to be located in this state except for such a franchised retail food or beverage facility.

 

Sec. 27.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 469.171, subdivision 7, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 7.  Duration.  Each tax reduction provided to a business pursuant to this subdivision shall terminate not longer than five years after the effective date of the tax reduction for the business unless the business is located in a border city enterprise zone designated under section 469.168, subdivision 4, paragraph (c), that is not a city of the first class.  Each tax reduction provided to a business that is located in a border city enterprise zone designated under section 469.168, subdivision 4, paragraph (c), that is not located in a city of the first class, may be provided until the allocations provided under subdivision 6a, and under section 469.169, subdivisions 7 and 8, have been expended.  Subject to the limitation in this subdivision, the tax reductions may be provided after expiration of the zone's designation.

 

Sec. 28.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 469.171, subdivision 9, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 9.  Recapture.  Any business that (1) receives tax reductions authorized by subdivisions 1 to 8, classification as employment property pursuant to section 469.170, or an alternative local contribution under section 469.169, subdivision 5; and (2) ceases to operate its facility located within the border city enterprise zone shall repay the amount of the tax reduction or local contribution received during the two years immediately before it ceased to operate in the zone.

 

The repayment must be paid to the state to the extent it represents a tax reduction under subdivisions 1 to 8 and to the municipality to the extent it represents a property tax reduction or other local contribution.  Any amount repaid to the state must be credited to the amount certified as available for tax reductions in the zone pursuant to section 469.169, subdivision 7 the city's allocation.  Any amount repaid to the municipality must be used by the municipality for economic development purposes.  The commissioner of revenue may seek repayment of tax credits from a business ceasing to operate within an enterprise zone by utilizing any remedies available for the collection of tax.


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Sec. 29.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 469.171, subdivision 11, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 11.  Limitations; last eight months of duration.  This subdivision applies only to state tax reductions first authorized by the municipality to be provided to a business within eight months of the expiration of the border city enterprise zone's designation.

 

Before agreeing with a business to provide tax reductions, the municipality must submit the proposed tax reductions to the commissioner for approval.  The commissioner shall review and analyze the proposal in light of, at least:  (1) the proposed investment that the business will make in the zone, (2) the number and quality of new jobs that will be created in the zone, (3) the overall positive impact on economic activity in the zone, and (4) the extent to which the impacts in clauses (1) to (3) are dependent upon providing the state tax reductions to the business.  The commissioner shall disapprove the proposal if the commissioner determines the public benefits of increased investment and employment resulting from the tax reductions is disproportionately small relative to the cost of the state tax reductions.  If the commissioner disapproves of the proposal, the tax reductions are not allowed to the business.

 

If the municipality submits the proposal to the commissioner before expiration of the zone designation, the authority to grant the tax reductions continues until the commissioner acts on the proposal.

 

Sec. 30.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 469.172, is amended to read:

 

469.172 DEVELOPMENT AND REDEVELOPMENT POWERS.

 

Notwithstanding any contrary provision of law or charter, any city of the first or second class that contains an a border city enterprise zone or that has been designated as an enterprise zone may, in addition to its other powers, exercise the powers granted to a governmental subdivision by sections 469.001 to 469.047, 469.048 to 469.068, and 469.109 to 469.113.  Section 469.059, subdivision 15, shall apply applies to the city in the exercise of the powers granted pursuant to this section.  It may exercise the powers assigned to redevelopment agencies pursuant to sections 469.152 to 469.165, without limitation to further the purposes of sections 469.001 to 469.047, 469.048 to 469.068, and 469.109 to 469.134.  It may exercise the powers set forth in sections 469.001 to 469.047, 469.048 to 469.068, and 469.109 to 469.164 without limitation to further the purposes and policies set forth in sections 469.152 to 469.165.  It may exercise the powers granted by this subdivision and any other development or redevelopment powers authorized by other laws, including sections 469.124 to 469.134 and 469.152 to 469.165, independently or in conjunction with each other as though all the powers had been granted to a single entity.  Any project undertaken to accomplish the purposes of sections 469.001 to 469.047 that qualifies as single-family housing under section 462C.02, subdivision 4, shall be is subject to the provisions of chapter 462C.

 

Upon expiration of the designation of the enterprise zone, the powers granted by this subdivision may be exercised only with respect to any project, program, or activity commenced or established prior to that date.  The powers granted by this subdivision may only be exercised within the zone.

 

Sec. 31.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 469.173, subdivision 5, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 5.  Information sharing.  Pursuant to section 270B.14, subdivision 3, the commissioner of revenue may share information with the commissioner or with a municipality receiving an enterprise zone designation, insofar as necessary to administer the funding limitations provided by section 469.169, subdivision 7.

 

Sec. 32.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 469.173, subdivision 6, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 6.  Zone boundary realignment.  The commissioner may approve specific applications by a municipality to amend the boundaries of a border city enterprise zone or of an area or areas designated pursuant to section 469.171, subdivision 5, at any time.  Boundaries of a zone may not be amended to create noncontiguous


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subdivisions.  If the commissioner approves the amended boundaries, the change is effective on the date of approval.  Notwithstanding the area limitation under section 469.168, subdivision 3, the commissioner may approve a specific application to amend the boundaries of an enterprise zone which is located within five municipalities and was designated in 1984, to increase its area to not more than 800 acres, and may approve an additional specific application to amend the boundaries of that enterprise zone to include a sixth municipality or to further increase its area to include all or part of the territory of a town that surrounds one of the five municipalities, or both.

 

Notwithstanding the area limitation under section 469.168, subdivision 3, the commissioner may approve a specific application to amend the boundaries of an enterprise zone that is located within four municipalities to include a fifth municipality.  The addition of the fifth municipality may only be approved after the existing municipalities, by adoption of a resolution by each municipality's governing board, agree to the addition of the fifth municipality.

 

Sec. 33.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 469.174, subdivision 20, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 20.  Internal Revenue Code.  "Internal Revenue Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended through December 31, 1993.

 

Sec. 34.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 469.174, subdivision 25, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 25.  Increment.  "Increment," "tax increment," "tax increment revenues," "revenues derived from tax increment," and other similar terms for a district include:

 

(1) taxes paid by the captured net tax capacity, but excluding any excess taxes, as computed under section 469.177;

 

(2) the proceeds from the sale or lease of property, tangible or intangible, to the extent the property was purchased by the authority with tax increments;

 

(3) principal and interest received on loans or other advances made by the authority with tax increments;

 

(4) interest or other investment earnings on or from tax increments; and

 

(5) repayments or return of tax increments made to the authority under agreements for districts for which the request for certification was made after August 1, 1993; and

 

(6) the market value homestead credit paid to the authority under section 273.1384.

 

Sec. 35.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 469.176, subdivision 7, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 7.  Parcels not includable in districts.  (a) The authority may request inclusion in a tax increment financing district and the county auditor may certify the original tax capacity of a parcel or a part of a parcel that qualified under the provisions of section 273.111 or, 273.112, 273.114, or chapter 473H for taxes payable in any of the five calendar years before the filing of the request for certification only for:

 

(1) a district in which 85 percent or more of the planned buildings and facilities (determined on the basis of square footage) are a qualified manufacturing facility or a qualified distribution facility or a combination of both; or

 

(2) a housing district.

 

(b)(1) A distribution facility means buildings and other improvements to real property that are used to conduct activities in at least each of the following categories:


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(i) to store or warehouse tangible personal property;

 

(ii) to take orders for shipment, mailing, or delivery;

 

(iii) to prepare personal property for shipment, mailing, or delivery; and

 

(iv) to ship, mail, or deliver property.

 

(2) A manufacturing facility includes space used for manufacturing or producing tangible personal property, including processing resulting in the change in condition of the property, and space necessary for and related to the manufacturing activities.

 

(3) To be a qualified facility, the owner or operator of a manufacturing or distribution facility must agree to pay and pay 90 percent or more of the employees of the facility at a rate equal to or greater than 160 percent of the federal minimum wage for individuals over the age of 20.

 

Sec. 36.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 469.1763, subdivision 6, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 6.  Pooling permitted for deficits.  (a) This subdivision applies only to districts for which the request for certification was made before August 1, 2001, and without regard to whether the request for certification was made prior to August 1, 1979.

 

(b) The municipality for the district may transfer available increments from another tax increment financing district located in the municipality, if the transfer is necessary to eliminate a deficit in the district to which the increments are transferred.  The municipality may transfer increments as provided by this subdivision without regard to whether the transfer or expenditure is authorized by the tax increment financing plan for the district from which the transfer is made.  A deficit in the district for purposes of this subdivision means the lesser of the following two amounts:

 

(1)(i) the amount due during the calendar year to pay preexisting obligations of the district; minus

 

(ii) the total increments collected or to be collected from properties located within the district that are available for the calendar year including amounts collected in prior years that are currently available; plus

 

(iii) total increments from properties located in other districts in the municipality including amounts collected in prior years that are available to be used to meet the district's obligations under this section, excluding this subdivision, or other provisions of law (but excluding a special tax under section 469.1791 and the grant program under Laws 1997, chapter 231, article 1, section 19, or Laws 2001, First Special Session chapter 5); or

 

(2) the reduction in increments collected from properties located in the district for the calendar year as a result of the changes in class rates in Laws 1997, chapter 231, article 1; Laws 1998, chapter 389, article 2; and Laws 1999, chapter 243, and Laws 2001, First Special Session chapter 5, or the elimination of the general education tax levy under Laws 2001, First Special Session chapter 5.

 

The authority may compute the deficit amount under clause (1) only (without regard to the limit under clause (2)) if the authority makes an irrevocable commitment, by resolution, to use increments from the district to which increments are to be transferred and any transferred increments are only used to pay preexisting obligations and administrative expenses for the district that are required to be paid under section 469.176, subdivision 4h, paragraph (a).

 

(c) A preexisting obligation means:


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(1) bonds issued and sold before August 1, 2001, or bonds issued pursuant to a binding contract requiring the issuance of bonds entered into before July 1, 2001, and bonds issued to refund such bonds or to reimburse expenditures made in conjunction with a signed contractual agreement entered into before August 1, 2001, to the extent that the bonds are secured by a pledge of increments from the tax increment financing district; and

 

(2) binding contracts entered into before August 1, 2001, to the extent that the contracts require payments secured by a pledge of increments from the tax increment financing district.

 

(d) The municipality may require a development authority, other than a seaway port authority, to transfer available increments including amounts collected in prior years that are currently available for any of its tax increment financing districts in the municipality to make up an insufficiency in another district in the municipality, regardless of whether the district was established by the development authority or another development authority.  This authority applies notwithstanding any law to the contrary, but applies only to a development authority that:

 

(1) was established by the municipality; or

 

(2) the governing body of which is appointed, in whole or part, by the municipality or an officer of the municipality or which consists, in whole or part, of members of the governing body of the municipality.  The municipality may use this authority only after it has first used all available increments of the receiving development authority to eliminate the insufficiency and exercised any permitted action under section 469.1792, subdivision 3, for preexisting districts of the receiving development authority to eliminate the insufficiency.

 

(e) The authority under this subdivision to spend tax increments outside of the area of the district from which the tax increments were collected:

 

(1) is an exception to the restrictions under section 469.176, subdivisions 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, 4i, and 4j; the expenditure limits under section 469.176, subdivision 1c; and the other provisions of this section; and the percentage restrictions under subdivision 2 must be calculated after deducting increments spent under this subdivision from the total increments for the district; and

 

(2) applies notwithstanding the provisions of the Tax Increment Financing Act in effect for districts for which the request for certification was made before June 30, 1982, or any other law to the contrary.

 

(f) If a preexisting obligation requires the development authority to pay an amount that is limited to the increment from the district or a specific development within the district and if the obligation requires paying a higher amount to the extent that increments are available, the municipality may determine that the amount due under the preexisting obligation equals the higher amount and may authorize the transfer of increments under this subdivision to pay up to the higher amount.  The existence of a guarantee of obligations by the individual or entity that would receive the payment under this paragraph is disregarded in the determination of eligibility to pool under this subdivision.  The authority to transfer increments under this paragraph may only be used to the extent that the payment of all other preexisting obligations in the municipality due during the calendar year have been satisfied.

 

(g) For transfers of increments made in calendar year 2005 and later, the reduction in increments as a result of the elimination of the general education tax levy for purposes of paragraph (b), clause (2), for a taxes payable year equals the general education tax rate for the school district under Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 273.1382, subdivision 1, for taxes payable in 2001, multiplied by the captured tax capacity of the district for the current taxes payable year.


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Sec. 37.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 469.1764, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

 

Subdivision 1.  Scope; application.  (a) This section applies to a tax increment financing district or area added to a district, if the request for certification of the district or the area added to the district was made after July 31, 1979, and before July 1, 1982.

 

(b) This section, section 469.1763, subdivision 6, and any special law applying to the district are the exclusive authority to spend tax increments on activities located outside of the geographic area of a tax increment financing district that is subject to this section.

 

(c) This section does not apply to increments from a district that is subject to the provisions of this section, if:

 

(1) the district was decertified before the enactment of this section and all increments spent on activities located outside of the geographic area of the district were repaid and distributed as excess increments under section 469.176, subdivision 2; or

 

(2) the use of increments on activities located outside of the geographic area of the district consists solely of payment of debt service on bonds under section 469.129, subdivision 2, before its repeal, and any bonds issued to refund bonds issued under that subdivision.

 

Sec. 38.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 469.177, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

 

Subdivision 1.  Original net tax capacity.  (a) Upon or after adoption of a tax increment financing plan, the auditor of any county in which the district is situated shall, upon request of the authority, certify the original net tax capacity of the tax increment financing district and that portion of the district overlying any subdistrict as described in the tax increment financing plan and shall certify in each year thereafter the amount by which the original net tax capacity has increased or decreased as a result of a change in tax exempt status of property within the district and any subdistrict, reduction or enlargement of the district or changes pursuant to subdivision 4.  The auditor shall certify the amount within 30 days after receipt of the request and sufficient information to identify the parcels included in the district.  The certification relates to the taxes payable year as provided in subdivision 6.

 

(b) If the classification under section 273.13 of property located in a district changes to a classification that has a different assessment ratio, the original net tax capacity of that property must be redetermined at the time when its use is changed as if the property had originally been classified in the same class in which it is classified after its use is changed.

 

(c) The amount to be added to the original net tax capacity of the district as a result of previously tax exempt real property within the district becoming taxable equals the net tax capacity of the real property as most recently assessed pursuant to section 273.18 or, if that assessment was made more than one year prior to the date of title transfer rendering the property taxable, the net tax capacity assessed by the assessor at the time of the transfer.  If improvements are made to tax exempt property after the municipality approves the district and before the parcel becomes taxable, the assessor shall, at the request of the authority, separately assess the estimated market value of the improvements.  If the property becomes taxable, the county auditor shall add to original net tax capacity, the net tax capacity of the parcel, excluding the separately assessed improvements.  If substantial taxable improvements were made to a parcel after certification of the district and if the property later becomes tax exempt, in whole or part, as a result of the authority acquiring the property through foreclosure or exercise of remedies under a lease or other revenue agreement or as a result of tax forfeiture, the amount to be added to the original net tax capacity of the district as a result of the property again becoming taxable is the amount of the parcel's value that was included in original net tax capacity when the parcel was first certified.  The amount to be added to the original net tax capacity of the district as a result of enlargements equals the net tax capacity of the added real property as most recently certified by the commissioner of revenue as of the date of modification of the tax increment financing plan pursuant to section 469.175, subdivision 4.


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(d) If the net tax capacity of a property increases because the property no longer qualifies under the Minnesota Agricultural Property Tax Law, section 273.111; the Minnesota Open Space Property Tax Law, section 273.112; or the Metropolitan Agricultural Preserves Act, chapter 473H, the Rural Preserve Property Tax Program under section 273.114, or because platted, unimproved property is improved or market value is increased after approval of the plat under section 273.11, subdivision 14, 14a, or 14b, the increase in net tax capacity must be added to the original net tax capacity.

 

(e) The amount to be subtracted from the original net tax capacity of the district as a result of previously taxable real property within the district becoming tax exempt, or a reduction in the geographic area of the district, shall be the amount of original net tax capacity initially attributed to the property becoming tax exempt or being removed from the district.  If the net tax capacity of property located within the tax increment financing district is reduced by reason of a court-ordered abatement, stipulation agreement, voluntary abatement made by the assessor or auditor or by order of the commissioner of revenue, the reduction shall be applied to the original net tax capacity of the district when the property upon which the abatement is made has not been improved since the date of certification of the district and to the captured net tax capacity of the district in each year thereafter when the abatement relates to improvements made after the date of certification.  The county auditor may specify reasonable form and content of the request for certification of the authority and any modification thereof pursuant to section 469.175, subdivision 4.

 

(f) If a parcel of property contained a substandard building or improvements described in section 469.174, subdivision 10, paragraph (e), that were demolished or removed and if the authority elects to treat the parcel as occupied by a substandard building under section 469.174, subdivision 10, paragraph (b), or by improvements under section 469.174, subdivision 10, paragraph (e), the auditor shall certify the original net tax capacity of the parcel using the greater of (1) the current net tax capacity of the parcel, or (2) the estimated market value of the parcel for the year in which the building or other improvements were demolished or removed, but applying the class rates for the current year.

 

(g) For a redevelopment district qualifying under section 469.174, subdivision 10, paragraph (a), clause (4), as a qualified disaster area, the auditor shall certify the value of the land as the original tax capacity for any parcel in the district that contains a building that suffered substantial damage as a result of the disaster or emergency.

 

Sec. 39.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 469.1793, is amended to read:

 

469.1793 DEVELOPER OBLIGATIONS CONTINUED.

 

If a developer or other private entity agreed to make payments to the authority or municipality to reimburse the municipality for the state aid offset under Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 273.1399, the obligation continues in effect, notwithstanding the repeal of section 273.1399.  Payments received by the development authority are increments for purposes of the state grant program under section 469.1799.

 

Sec. 40.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 469.1813, subdivision 6b, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 6b.  Extended duration limit.  (a) Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision 6, a political subdivision may grant an abatement for a period of up to 20 years, if the abatement is for a qualified business.

 

(b) To be a qualified business for purposes of this subdivision, at least 50 percent of the payroll of the operations of the business that qualify for the abatement must be for employees engaged in one of the following lines of business or any combination of them:

 

(1) manufacturing;

 

(2) agricultural processing;


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(3) mining;

 

(4) research and development;

 

(5) warehousing; or

 

(6) qualified high technology.

 

Alternatively, a qualified business also includes a taxpayer whose real and personal property is subject to valuation under Minnesota Rules, chapter 8100.

 

(c)(1) "Manufacturing" means the material staging and production of tangible personal property by procedures commonly regarded as manufacturing, processing, fabrication, or assembling which changes some existing material into new shapes, new qualities, or new combinations.

 

(2) "Mining" has the meaning given in section 613(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

 

(3) "Agricultural processing" means transforming, packaging, sorting, or grading livestock or livestock products, agricultural commodities, or plants or plant products into goods that are used for intermediate or final consumption including goods for nonfood use.

 

(4) "Research and development" means qualified research as defined in section 41(d) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

 

(5) "Qualified high technology" means one or more of the following activities:

 

(i) advanced computing, which is any technology used in the design and development of any of the following:

 

(A) computer hardware and software;

 

(B) data communications; and

 

(C) information technologies;

 

(ii) advanced materials, which are materials with engineered properties created through the development of specialized process and synthesis technology;

 

(iii) biotechnology, which is any technology that uses living organisms, cells, macromolecules, microorganisms, or substances from living organisms to make or modify a product, improve plants or animals, or develop microorganisms for useful purposes;

 

(iv) electronic device technology, which is any technology that involves microelectronics, semiconductors, electronic equipment, and instrumentation, radio frequency, microwave, and millimeter electronics, and optical and optic-electrical devices, or data and digital communications and imaging devices;

 

(v) engineering or laboratory testing related to the development of a product;

 

(vi) technology that assists in the assessment or prevention of threats or damage to human health or the environment, including, but not limited to, environmental cleanup technology, pollution prevention technology, or development of alternative energy sources;


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(vii) medical device technology, which is any technology that involves medical equipment or products other than a pharmaceutical product that has therapeutic or diagnostic value and is regulated; or

 

(viii) advanced vehicles technology which is any technology that involves electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, or alternative fuel vehicles, or components used in the construction of electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, or alternative fuel vehicles.  An electric vehicle is a road vehicle that draws propulsion energy only from an onboard source of electrical energy.  A hybrid vehicle is a road vehicle that can draw propulsion energy from both a consumable fuel and a rechargeable energy storage system.

 

(d) The authority to grant new abatements under this subdivision expires on July 1, 2004, except that the authority to grant new abatements for real and personal property subject to valuation under Minnesota Rules, chapter 8100, does not expire.

 

Sec. 41.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 473F.02, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 3.  Commercial-industrial property.  "Commercial-industrial property" means the following categories of property, as defined in section 273.13, excluding that portion of such property (1) which may, by law, constitute the tax base for a tax increment pledged under section 469.042 or 469.162, certification of which was requested prior to August 1, 1979, to the extent and while such tax increment is so pledged; or (2) which is exempt from taxation under section 272.02:

 

(a) That portion of class 3 property defined in Minnesota Statutes 1971, section 273.13, consisting of stocks of merchandise and furniture and fixtures used therewith; manufacturers' materials and manufactured articles; and tools, implements and machinery, whether fixtures or otherwise.

 

(b) That portion of class 4 property defined in Minnesota Statutes 1971, section 273.13, which is either used or zoned for use for any commercial or industrial purpose, except for such property which is, or, in the case of property under construction, will when completed be used exclusively for residential occupancy and the provision of services to residential occupants thereof.  Property shall be considered as used exclusively for residential occupancy only if each of not less than 80 percent of its occupied residential units is, or, in the case of property under construction, will when completed be occupied under an oral or written agreement for occupancy over a continuous period of not less than 30 days.

 

If the classification of property prescribed by section 273.13 is modified by legislative amendment, the references in this subdivision shall be to such successor class or classes of property, or portions thereof, as embrace the kinds of property designated in this subdivision.

 

Sec. 42.  REPEALER.

 

Minnesota Statutes 2010, sections 272.02, subdivision 83; 290.06, subdivisions 24 and 32; 297A.68, subdivision 41; 469.042, subdivisions 2, 3, and 4; 469.043; 469.059, subdivision 13; 469.129; 469.134; 469.162, subdivision 2; 469.1651; 469.166, subdivisions 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12; 469.167, subdivisions 1 and 3; 469.168; 469.169, subdivisions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 13; 469.170, subdivisions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e, 6, 7, and 8; 469.171, subdivisions 2, 5, 6a, and 6b; 469.173, subdivisions 1 and 3; 469.1765; 469.1791; 469.1799, subdivision 2; 469.301, subdivisions 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5; 469.302; 469.303; 469.304; 469.321; 469.3215; 469.322; 469.323; 469.324; 469.325; 469.326; 469.327; 469.328; 469.329; and 473.680, are repealed.

 

Sec. 43.  EFFECTIVE DATE.

 

This act is effective August 1, 2012, and the tax increment financing provisions apply to all districts, regardless of when the request for certification was made.


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ARTICLE 3

PUBLIC FINANCE

 

Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 216C.436, subdivision 7, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 7.  Repayment.  An implementing entity that finances an energy improvement under this section must:

 

(1) secure payment with a lien against the benefited qualifying real property; and

 

(2) collect repayments as a special assessment as provided for in section 429.101 or by charter, provided that special assessments may be made payable in up to 20 equal annual installments.

 

If the implementing entity is an authority, the local government that authorized the authority to act as implementing entity shall impose and collect special assessments necessary to pay debt service on bonds issued by the implementing entity under subdivision 8, and shall transfer all collections of the assessments upon receipt to the authority.

 

Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 216C.436, subdivision 8, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 8.  Bond issuance; repayment.  (a) An implementing entity may issue revenue bonds as provided in chapter 475 for the purposes of this section, provided that the revenue bonds must not be payable more than 20 years from the date of issuance.

 

(b) The bonds must be payable as to both principal and interest solely from the revenues from the assessments established in subdivision 7.

 

(c) No holder of bonds issued under this subdivision may compel any exercise of the taxing power of the implementing entity that issued the bonds to pay principal or interest on the bonds, and if the implementing entity is an authority, no holder of the bonds may compel any exercise of the taxing power of the local government.  Bonds issued under this subdivision are not a debt or obligation of the issuer or any local government that issued them, nor is the payment of the bonds enforceable out of any money other than the revenue pledged to the payment of the bonds.

 

Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 373.40, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

 

Subdivision 1.  Definitions.  For purposes of this section, the following terms have the meanings given.

 

(a) "Bonds" means an obligation as defined under section 475.51.

 

(b) "Capital improvement" means acquisition or betterment of public lands, buildings, or other improvements within the county for the purpose of a county courthouse, administrative building, health or social service facility, correctional facility, jail, law enforcement center, hospital, morgue, library, park, qualified indoor ice arena, roads and bridges, public works facilities, fairgrounds buildings, and records and data storage facilities and the acquisition of development rights in the form of conservation easements under chapter 84C.  An improvement must have an expected useful life of five years or more to qualify.  "Capital improvement" does not include a recreation or sports facility building (such as, but not limited to, a gymnasium, ice arena, racquet sports facility, swimming pool, exercise room or health spa), unless the building is part of an outdoor park facility and is incidental to the primary purpose of outdoor recreation.

 

(c) "Metropolitan county" means a county located in the seven-county metropolitan area as defined in section 473.121 or a county with a population of 90,000 or more.


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(d) "Population" means the population established by the most recent of the following (determined as of the date the resolution authorizing the bonds was adopted):

 

(1) the federal decennial census,

 

(2) a special census conducted under contract by the United States Bureau of the Census, or

 

(3) a population estimate made either by the Metropolitan Council or by the state demographer under section 4A.02.

 

(e) "Qualified indoor ice arena" means a facility that meets the requirements of section 373.43.

 

(f) "Tax capacity" means total taxable market value, but does not include captured market value.

 

Sec. 4.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 373.40, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 2.  Application of election requirement.  (a) Bonds issued by a county to finance capital improvements under an approved capital improvement plan are not subject to the election requirements of section 375.18 or 475.58.  The bonds must be approved by vote of at least three-fifths of the members of the county board.  In the case of a metropolitan county, the bonds must be approved by vote of at least two-thirds of the members of the county board. 

 

(b) Before issuance of bonds qualifying under this section, the county must publish a notice of its intention to issue the bonds and the date and time of a hearing to obtain public comment on the matter.  The notice must be published in the official newspaper of the county or in a newspaper of general circulation in the county.  The notice must be published at least 14 ten, but not more than 28, days before the date of the hearing.

 

(c) A county may issue the bonds only upon obtaining the approval of a majority of the voters voting on the question of issuing the obligations, if a petition requesting a vote on the issuance is signed by voters equal to five percent of the votes cast in the county in the last county general election and is filed with the county auditor within 30 days after the public hearing.  The commissioner of revenue shall prepare a suggested form of the question to be presented at the election.  If the county elects not to submit the question to the voters, the county shall not propose the issuance of bonds under this section for the same purpose and in the same amount for a period of 365 days from the date of receipt of the petition.  If the question of issuing the bonds is submitted and not approved by the voters, the provisions of section 475.58, subdivision 1a, apply.

 

Sec. 5.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 373.40, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 4.  Limitations on amount.  A county may not issue bonds under this section if the maximum amount of principal and interest to become due in any year on all the outstanding bonds issued pursuant to this section (including the bonds to be issued) will equal or exceed 0.12 percent of taxable market value of property in the county.  Calculation of the limit must be made using the taxable market value for the taxes payable year in which the obligations are issued and sold, provided that, for purposes of determining the principal and interest due in any year, the county may deduct the amount of interest expected to be paid or reimbursed to the county by the federal government in that year on any outstanding bonds or the bonds to be issued.  This section does not limit the authority to issue bonds under any other special or general law.

 

Sec. 6.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 474A.02, subdivision 23a, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 23a.  Qualified bonds.  "Qualified bonds" means the specific type or types of obligations that are subject to the annual volume cap.  Qualified bonds include the following types of obligations as defined in federal tax law:


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(a) "public facility bonds" means "exempt facility bonds" as defined in federal tax law, except for residential rental project bonds, which are those obligations issued to finance airports, docks and wharves, mass commuting facilities, facilities for the furnishing of water, sewage facilities, solid waste disposal facilities, facilities for the local furnishing of electric energy or gas, local district heating or cooling facilities, and qualified hazardous waste facilities.  New bonds and other obligations are ineligible to receive state allocations or entitlement authority for public facility projects under this section if they have been issued:

 

(1) for the purpose of refinancing, refunding, or otherwise defeasing existing debt; and

 

(2) more than one calendar year prior to the date of application;

 

(b) "residential rental project bonds" which are those obligations issued to finance qualified residential rental projects;

 

(c) "mortgage bonds";

 

(d) "small issue bonds" issued to finance manufacturing projects and the acquisition or improvement of agricultural real or personal property under sections 41C.01 to 41C.13;

 

(e) "student loan bonds" issued by or on behalf of the Minnesota Office of Higher Education;

 

(f) "redevelopment bonds";

 

(g) "governmental bonds" with a nonqualified amount in excess of $15,000,000 as set forth in section 141(b)5 of federal tax law; and

 

(h) "enterprise zone facility bonds" issued to finance facilities located within empowerment zones or enterprise communities, as authorized under Public Law 103-66, section 13301 section 1394 of the Internal Revenue Code.

 

Sec. 7.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 475.521, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 2.  Election requirement.  (a) Bonds issued by a municipality to finance capital improvements under an approved capital improvements plan are not subject to the election requirements of section 475.58.  The bonds must be approved by an affirmative vote of three-fifths of the members of a five-member governing body.  In the case of a governing body having more or less than five members, the bonds must be approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the members of the governing body.

 

(b) Before the issuance of bonds qualifying under this section, the municipality must publish a notice of its intention to issue the bonds and the date and time of the hearing to obtain public comment on the matter.  The notice must be published in the official newspaper of the municipality or in a newspaper of general circulation in the municipality.  Additionally, the notice may be posted on the official Web site, if any, of the municipality.  The notice must be published at least 14 ten but not more than 28 days before the date of the hearing.

 

(c) A municipality may issue the bonds only after obtaining the approval of a majority of the voters voting on the question of issuing the obligations, if a petition requesting a vote on the issuance is signed by voters equal to five percent of the votes cast in the municipality in the last municipal general election and is filed with the clerk within 30 days after the public hearing.  The commissioner of revenue shall prepare a suggested form of the question to be presented at the election.  If the municipality elects not to submit the question to the voters, the municipality shall not propose the issuance of bonds under this section for the same purpose and in the same amount for a period of 365 days from the date of receipt of the petition.  If the question of issuing the bonds is submitted and not approved by the voters, the provisions of section 475.58, subdivision 1a, apply.


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Sec. 8.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 475.521, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 4.  Limitations on amount.  A municipality may not issue bonds under this section if the maximum amount of principal and interest to become due in any year on all the outstanding bonds issued under this section, including the bonds to be issued, will equal or exceed 0.16 percent of the taxable market value of property in the municipality.  Calculation of the limit must be made using the taxable market value for the taxes payable year in which the obligations are issued and sold, provided that, for purposes of determining the principle and interest due in any year, the municipality may deduct the amount of interest expected to be paid or reimbursed to the municipality by the federal government in that year on any outstanding bonds or the bonds to be issued.  In the case of a municipality with a population of 2,500 or more, the bonds are subject to the net debt limits under section 475.53.  In the case of a shared facility in which more than one municipality participates, upon compliance by each participating municipality with the requirements of subdivision 2, the limitations in this subdivision and the net debt represented by the bonds shall be allocated to each participating municipality in proportion to its required financial contribution to the financing of the shared facility, as set forth in the joint powers agreement relating to the shared facility.  This section does not limit the authority to issue bonds under any other special or general law.

 

Sec. 9.  Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 475.58, subdivision 3b, is amended to read:

 

Subd. 3b.  Street reconstruction.  (a) A municipality may, without regard to the election requirement under subdivision 1, issue and sell obligations for street reconstruction, if the following conditions are met:

 

(1) the streets are reconstructed under a street reconstruction plan that describes the street reconstruction to be financed, the estimated costs, and any planned reconstruction of other streets in the municipality over the next five years, and the plan and issuance of the obligations has been approved by a vote of all of the members of the governing body present at the meeting following a public hearing for which notice has been published in the official newspaper at least ten days but not more than 28 days prior to the hearing; and

 

(2) if a petition requesting a vote on the issuance is signed by voters equal to five percent of the votes cast in the last municipal general election and is filed with the municipal clerk within 30 days of the public hearing, the municipality may issue the bonds only after obtaining the approval of a majority of the voters voting on the question of the issuance of the obligations.  If the municipality elects not to submit the question to the voters, the municipality shall not propose the issuance of bonds under this section for the same purpose and in the same amount for a period of 365 days from the date of receipt of the petition.  If the question of issuing the bonds is submitted and not approved by the voters, the provisions of subdivision 1a, apply.

 

(b) Obligations issued under this subdivision are subject to the debt limit of the municipality and are not excluded from net debt under section 475.51, subdivision 4.

 

(c) For purposes of this subdivision, street reconstruction includes utility replacement and relocation and other activities incidental to the street reconstruction, turn lanes and other improvements having a substantial public safety function, realignments, other modifications to intersect with state and county roads, and the local share of state and county road projects.

 

(d) Except in the case of turn lanes, safety improvements, realignments, intersection modifications, and the local share of state and county road projects, street reconstruction does not include the portion of project cost allocable to widening a street or adding curbs and gutters where none previously existed."

 

Delete the title and insert:

 

"A bill for an act relating to taxation; making technical, administrative, and clarifying changes to individual income, corporate franchise, estate, property, sales and use, special, mineral, and various taxes and tax-related provisions; amending Minnesota Statutes 2010, sections 16C.16, subdivision 7; 41A.036, subdivision 2; 117.025,


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subdivision 10; 216C.436, subdivisions 7, 8; 270B.14, subdivision 3; 272.02, subdivision 77; 273.13, subdivision 24; 273.1398, subdivision 4; 276A.01, subdivision 3; 289A.10, by adding a subdivision; 289A.12, by adding a subdivision; 289A.18, by adding a subdivision; 289A.20, subdivision 3, by adding a subdivision; 290.01, subdivision 29; 290.067, subdivision 1; 290.0921, subdivision 3; 373.40, subdivisions 1, 2, 4; 469.015, subdivision 4; 469.033, subdivision 7; 469.166, subdivisions 3, 5, 6; 469.167, subdivision 2; 469.171, subdivisions 1, 4, 7, 9, 11; 469.172; 469.173, subdivisions 5, 6; 469.174, subdivisions 20, 25; 469.176, subdivision 7; 469.1763, subdivision 6; 469.1764, subdivision 1; 469.177, subdivision 1; 469.1793; 469.1813, subdivision 6b; 473F.02, subdivision 3; 474A.02, subdivision 23a; 475.521, subdivisions 2, 4; 475.58, subdivision 3b; Minnesota Statutes 2011 Supplement, sections 290.01, subdivision 19b; 290.06, subdivision 2c; 290.0671, subdivision 1; 290.091, subdivision 2; 290.0922, subdivisions 2, 3; 291.03, subdivisions 8, 9, 10, 11; 297A.75, subdivision 1; repealing Minnesota Statutes 2010, sections 272.02, subdivision 83; 290.06, subdivisions 24, 32; 297A.68, subdivision 41; 469.042, subdivisions 2, 3, 4; 469.043; 469.059, subdivision 13; 469.129; 469.134; 469.162, subdivision 2; 469.1651; 469.166, subdivisions 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12; 469.167, subdivisions 1, 3; 469.168; 469.169, subdivisions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13; 469.170, subdivisions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e, 6, 7, 8; 469.171, subdivisions 2, 5, 6a, 6b; 469.173, subdivisions 1, 3; 469.1765; 469.1791; 469.1799, subdivision 2; 469.301, subdivisions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; 469.302; 469.303; 469.304; 469.321; 469.3215; 469.322; 469.323; 469.324; 469.325; 469.326; 469.327; 469.328; 469.329; 473.680."

 

 

With the recommendation that when so amended the bill pass.

 

      The report was adopted.

 

 

Davids from the Committee on Taxes to which was referred:

 

H. F. No. 2786, A bill for an act relating to local government aid; exempting certain cities from 2011 aid penalties.

 

Reported the same back with the following amendments:

 

Delete everything after the enacting clause and insert:

 

"Section 1.  2011 CITY AID PENALTIES.

 

Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 477A.017, subdivision 3, any city that did not meet the requirements for filing calendar year 2010 financial reports with the state auditor imposed under Minnesota Statutes, section 477A.017, subdivision 2, shall receive its 2011 aid payment as calculated pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, section 477A.013, subdivision 11.  The commissioner shall make payment to the cities of Bigfork, Biscay, Bluffton, Bovey, Dalton, Dennison, Echo, Elysian, Henriette, Hoffman, Holland, Jeffers, Lake Henry, McGregor, Nelson, Vesta, and Villard provided that the state auditor certifies that all forms for calendar year 2010 have been submitted by the city by May 31, 2012, no later than June 30, 2012.  Up to $794,597 of the fiscal year 2012 appropriation for local government aid in Minnesota Statutes 2011 Supplement, section 477A.013, subdivision 11, is available for the payment under this section.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE.  This section is effective the day following final enactment."

 

 

With the recommendation that when so amended the bill pass and be re-referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

      The report was adopted.


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Davids from the Committee on Taxes to which was referred:

 

H. F. No. 2792, A bill for an act relating to education; expanding lease levy to include administrative space; amending Minnesota Statutes 2011 Supplement, section 126C.40, subdivision 1.

 

Reported the same back with the recommendation that the bill pass and be re-referred to the Committee on Education Finance.

 

      The report was adopted.

 

 

Beard from the Committee on Transportation Policy and Finance to which was referred:

 

H. F. No. 2973, A bill for an act relating to transportation capital improvements; authorizing spending to acquire and better public land and buildings for trunk highway purposes; authorizing the sale and issuance of trunk highway bonds; appropriating money.

 

Reported the same back with the following amendments:

 

Page 2, after line 18, insert:

 

"This appropriation is only available if legislation is enacted in the 2012 legislative session authorizing the commissioner to collect a surcharge or additional registration tax on motor vehicles."

 

Page 2, after line 27, insert:

 

"Sec. 2.  FLOOD MITIGATION.

 

$10,000,000 is appropriated from the bond proceeds account in the trunk highway fund to the commissioner of transportation to provide supplemental funds for one project that, prior to the effective date of this section, has been awarded or allocated funding under the department's flood mitigation program.  Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.642, this appropriation is available until expended."

 

Page 2, line 29, delete "$15,000" and insert "$2,610,000"

 

Page 3, line 4, delete "$16,115,000" and insert "$28,710,000"

 

Renumber the sections in sequence

 

Amend the title as follows:

 

Page 1, line 3, after the semicolon, insert "providing supplemental funds for flood mitigation;"

 

 

With the recommendation that when so amended the bill pass and be re-referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

      The report was adopted.


Journal of the House - 98th Day - Monday, April 2, 2012 - Top of Page 7820


 

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