Human Services Finance and Policy

This bill clarifies how nursing facilities in Breckenridge and Moorhead, Minnesota, calculate rate adjustments to match payments given to similar facilities in neighboring states. It requires these facilities to apply annually for a payment add-on that covers the difference between their current rates and the lowest rates offered to comparable facilities across state lines. The law also sets specific deadlines for submitting applications and allows the commissioner to waive them in extraordinary cases. Finally, the changes apply retroactively starting January 1, 2026, ensuring that eligible facilities receive the adjusted rates for that period and future years.

This bill modifies Minnesota's assisted living facility regulations and tax rules while adjusting who can recover legal fees in certain proceedings. It raises the revenue threshold for small businesses eligible to recover fees and expenses in legal proceedings from $7 million to $13.5 million, and includes individual owners of those businesses in this eligibility. The bill also exempts assisted living facilities from the state provider tax and updates requirements for how facilities must allow residents to request assistance for health and safety needs. Additionally, it creates an exception for residents with moderate to severe cognitive impairment who cannot reliably use alerting devices, allowing facilities to not provide 24/7 request assistance systems for those specific individuals.

This bill allocates $350,000 from the state's general fund to provide a one-time grant for a pilot program supporting families affected by substance use disorder. The funding will enable Thrive Family Recovery Resources to offer peer services, education, resource navigation, and general support to these families. By January 20, 2027, the commissioner of human services must submit a report evaluating the pilot program's results and recommending whether to continue funding through an ongoing grant. The legislation is a one-time appropriation that does not establish permanent funding for the program.

This bill would allow nursing homes and assisted living facilities in Minnesota to permit residents to consume and display alcoholic beverages under specific conditions. The changes require that alcohol be consumed only by residents during resident-focused activities, with no one under 21 allowed to drink and all staff serving alcohol being at least 18 years old. Additionally, the bill prohibits selling alcohol or treating it as part of a commercial transaction within these facilities. The legislation directly affects nursing home operators, assisted living facility managers, and the residents who live in these care settings.

HF 2799 appropriates $3 million from the general fund for fiscal year 2026 to establish the Minnesota Age in Place Network through a grant to Age Well at Home. This funding directly supports low- to moderate-income older homeowners by covering home modifications and safety renovations (like grab bars or ramps) at their owner-occupied properties, with each project capped at $20,000. Up to 10% of the grant can cover administrative costs for the network’s setup and maintenance. The bill provides concrete funding for specific home safety improvements, targeting vulnerable older residents in Minnesota.