Climate change impact on mental health advisory task force established, and money appropriated.

HF 2359 establishes a Climate and Mental Health Advisory Task Force within Minnesota's Department of Health to study how climate change impacts mental health across the state. The 16-member task force includes legislative appointees and 12 community representatives specifically chosen to reflect vulnerable groups affected by climate change (such as Indigenous communities, farmers, people with disabilities, and those exposed to pollution). It will analyze mental health effects by demographics, identify communities most impacted now and in the future, and develop actionable recommendations for mitigation strategies. The bill appropriates a one-time sum for the task force in fiscal year 2026, available until June 2031, to support its work. This directly affects Minnesota residents, particularly those facing climate-related mental health challenges.