Compiled by Mariel Carlson, MSW, Graduate Assistant

The legislative session has officially ended as of Monday, May 23 at midnight, according to the constitutional mandate. This means that legislation which was not passed by the House and Senate is not able to be passed unless the governor declares a special session. The governor may call the legislature to a special session if they were not able to complete vital work during the regular legislative session or circumstances crop up post-legislative session that require addressing. However, the governor has no authority to dictate time or scope of the special session, and all bills must be introduced as new proposed legislation in the special session.

National News
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has declared $1.4 million for foster youth housing assistance. This is part of the Foster Youth to Independence (FYI) initiative. This legislation is especially important for youth ages 18 to 24, transitioning out of the foster care system, when they are currently experiencing or at high risk of experiencing homelessness.

You can continue to follow CASCW’s curated bill tracking account on the Minnesota State Legislature website to keep tabs on what’s happening specifically related to child welfare in the next session or if a special session is proclaimed by the governor. You will also find information on House and Senate hearings (all streamed virtually).

Final Updates

  • HF4065 / SF3816 – This is the Health & Human Services omnibus bill which was passed on the final day of session and presented to the governor on 5/24. The House and Senate could not agree on supplemental budget appropriations, so the House bill is only policy-related. Representatives reported that the House made six offers on amendments to the Senate during conference committee negotiations but could not reach an agreement. House members appeared hopeful that a special session will occur when they can finalize budget appropriations in a finance bill.

This bill includes the following:

    • Authority for the commissioner to authorize funds for respite care for foster care youth.
    • Telehealth supervision for professionals working to attain licensure
    • Naloxone training for substance use disorder (SUD) programs
    • Children’s hospital can provide psychiatric beds
    • Extending transitional housing for adults and families experiencing homelessness from 24 to 36 months

HF2725 – A bill that expands mobile crisis service teams, appropriation of $2 million for school mental health programs for both insured and uninsured students, $1.6 million in loan forgiveness for mental health professionals, and $1 million for a licensed community mental health center specializing in services for African American children and families – was passed on 5/22 and was presented to the governor.

Child Welfare Legislation Highlights

Some of the following child welfare-related legislation that passed over the course of the session:

  • HF3845 / SF4209 – Office and Board of Foster Youth Ombudsperson and Established
  • HF2671 / SF2736 – Established Juvenile Court Guardianship for youth ages 18 to 21 at-risk for abuse or human trafficking, effective 08/01/2022
  • HF2914 / SF2876 – A bill that allows telecommunication for services including supervision and virtual foster care visits was presented to the governor and approved on 3/24 with various effective dates.

In sum, while many budget items did not pass, there were significant policy and appropriations  made which will support children and families either at risk of entering the child welfare system or who are currently involved in the system.

Thanks for following us throughout the past five months and stay tuned for our updates in the upcoming legislative sessions!