Human Services

This bill modifies Minnesota laws regarding assisted living facilities and fee awards in state proceedings. It raises the revenue threshold for small businesses eligible to receive fees and expenses in certain legal actions from $7 million to $13.5 million. The legislation requires assisted living facilities to provide residents with a 24/7 means to request health and safety assistance, though this requirement does not apply to residents with moderate to severe cognitive impairment who cannot reliably use alerting devices. Additionally, the bill exempts assisted living facilities from the provider tax and updates the definition of health care provider for state purposes.

This bill modifies the due date for a required report on Minnesota's pediatric hospital-to-home transition pilot program. It changes the deadline from December 15, 2026, to October 15, 2027, for the commissioner of human services to submit the report. The report must summarize the program's impact on reducing delayed discharges, avoidable rehospitalizations, unnecessary emergency visits, and missed school days for pediatric patients on medical assistance. The change only affects the report timeline, not the program's design or funding.

This bill modifies Minnesota's senior nutrition programs to better support older adults' physical and mental health by expanding funding and service options. It establishes a new food delivery support account to provide grants to nonprofit organizations for transporting home-delivered meals, groceries, and purchased food to older adults with limited mobility, disabilities, or resources. The legislation allows area agencies on aging to use funds for a broader range of services including transportation to grocery stores, medically tailored meals, nutrition counseling, and partnerships with community partners like schools and hospitals. Additionally, the bill permits unused nutrition support funds to be transferred to congregate dining and home-delivered meal programs, ensuring flexible use of resources to address local needs.

This bill requires nonemergency medical transportation providers in Minnesota to equip their vehicles with global positioning systems and rear-facing cameras. The legislation mandates that these providers compile trip data and keep camera recordings for two years to improve oversight and safety. While the text includes broader updates to transportation regulations, this specific measure focuses on enhancing tracking and recording capabilities for vehicles serving healthcare program beneficiaries. The changes apply to private and public transportation companies but exempt publicly operated transit systems, volunteers, and not-for-hire vehicles.

This bill allows patients in Minnesota hospitals, hospice facilities, and birth centers to use electronic monitoring devices in their rooms to help prevent abuse. It specifically applies to vulnerable patients - including the elderly, young children, individuals with disabilities, neurodivergent conditions, or impaired cognition - during stays longer than 24 hours. The policy follows existing rules for such devices, enabling patients to install them without facility permission. This change directly affects patient safety during extended care stays in covered facilities.