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Minnesota Agencies

Information on Minnesota State Agencies, Boards, Task Forces, and Commissions

Compiled by the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library


Legislative Task Force on Child Protection (2015-2020)

Active dates:2015-2020
Function:

To review the efforts being made to implement the recommendations of the Governor's Task Force on the Protection of Children, including a review of the roles and functions of the Office of Ombudsperson for Families; to expand the efforts into related areas of the child welfare system; to work with the commissioner of human services and community partners to establish and evaluate child protection grants to address disparities in child welfare pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, section 256E.28; and to identify additional areas within the child welfare system that need to be addressed by the legislature.

The task force, in cooperation with the Commissioner of Human Services, shall issue a report to the Legislature and Governor by February 1 of each year. The report must contain information on the progress toward implementation of changes to the child protection system, recommendations for additional legislative changes and procedures affecting child protection and child welfare, and funding needs to implement recommended changes.

History:

The task force met eight times over a six month period beginning in August, 2015 and until their report was submitted in February, 2016. Originally the Task Force was set to expire the last day of the 2016 legislative session, however 2016 legislation extended the Task Force until December 31, 2020.

Other changes mandated by the 2016 legislation:

  • Membership changes, there will now be a total of 12 legislators on the Task Force.
  • Review and recommend alternatives to law enforcement responding to a maltreatment report by removing the child, and evaluate situations in which it may be appropriate for a social worker or other child protection worker to remove the child from the home.
  • Clarify the definition of "substantial child endangerment," and provide language in bill form by January 1, 2017.
  • The task force may establish a work group to review the Minnesota Assessment of Parenting Children and Youth, the tool used by Minnesota county and tribal social service agencies to determine Northstar Care for Children supplemental payment benefits.
  • An annual report is now required.

The Legislative Reference Library has the committee minute books for the Task Force's 2015 meetings.

Membership:

In 2015 there were eight members: the four legislators who served as members of the Governor's Task Force on the Protection of Children; two members from the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker, one from the majority party and one from the minority party; and two members from the Senate appointed by the Majority Leader, one from the majority party and one from the minority party.

The legislature changed the composition of membership in 2016. Now, 12 members serve on the Task Force: six members from the house of representatives appointed by the speaker, three from the majority party and three from the minority party; and 6 members from the senate, including three members appointed by the senate majority leader, and three members appointed by the senate minority leader.

2015/2016 membership: Reps. Ron Kresha and Joe Mullery, Senators Kathy Sheran and Julie Rosen, (who served on the Governor's Task Force on the Protection of Children), as well as Reps. Peggy Bennett and Tom Anzelc, and Senators Jeff Hayden and Carla Nelson.

2017/2018 membership: Rep. Ron Kresha (co-chair), Senator Michelle Fischbach (co-chair), Rep. Peggy Bennett (co-vice chair), Senator Julie Rosen (co-vice chair), Reps. Jim Nash, Rena Moran, Dave Pinto, and Linda Slocum, and Senators Chris Eaton, Jeff Hayden, Tony Lourey, and Andrew Mathews.

2018 updated membership: Reps. Ron Kresha (co-chair), Peggy Bennett (co-vice chair), Jim Nash, Dave Pinto, Rena Moran, and Linda Slocum; Senators Julie Rosen (co-chair), Andrew Mathews (co-vice chair), Chris Eaton, Mark Johnson, Tony Lourey, and Jeff Hayden

2019/2020 membership: Reps. Rena Moran (co-chair), Lisa Demuth, Hodan Hassan, Ginny Klevorn, Ron Kresha, and Tama Theis; Senators Julie Rosen (co-chair), Andrew Mathews (co-vice chair), Chris Eaton, Jeff Hayden, John Hoffman, and Mark Johnson.

Note: The Legislative Reference Library may have additional reports on or by this group available through our catalog.
Record last updated: 06/28/2022
 

All information on this group from the Library’s collection of agency notebooks has been digitized. These materials are incorporated into the “documents/articles” section of the record. Please contact a librarian with any questions. The Minnesota Agencies database is a work in progress.

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