HF4675

Purpose

Establish a Human Services Systems Steering Committee to advise on the management, development, and operations of all human services information technology systems. The committee’s goal is to guide how these IT systems are run across counties, the Department of Human Services, and related agencies.

Establishment and Membership

• The steering committee is created to provide recommendations on administration, operations, and development of human services IT systems.
• It covers any IT system used by counties, the Department of Human Services, or the Department of Children, Youth and Families.
• Members:
  • 2 members appointed by the Commissioner of Human Services
  • 2 members appointed by the Commissioner of Children, Youth and Families
  • 6 members appointed jointly by three county groups: the Association of Minnesota Counties, the Minnesota InterCounty Association, and the Minnesota Association of County Social Service Administrators
  • 2 nonvoting members appointed by the Commissioner of Information Technology Services
• Co-chairs: One member appointed from the joint county group appointees and one member appointed from the nonvoting IT appointees must serve as cochairpersons.
• Costs for the steering committee are paid from the budgets of the Department of Human Services, the Department of Information Technology Services, and the Department of Children and Families.
• The committee meets at least quarterly and must allow for public oral and written testimony; all votes are recorded.

Duties of the Steering Committee

• Provide recommendations on how current human services IT systems are run and how new systems should be developed.
• For each system, set goals and priorities, allocate resources, make major decisions, and track total funding and expenditures from all sources.

Meetings and Transparency

• Meetings occur at least quarterly.
• Public testimony and comments are allowed during meetings.
• Voting is recorded with each member’s vote identified.

Implementation of Changes

• No major changes to current human services IT systems or new systems can be implemented without the steering committee’s recommendations and county consultation.
• Changes recommended and approved by at least seven steering committee members must be implemented by the commissioners of Human Services and Children, Youth and Families.

Reporting Requirements

• Beginning January 30, 2027, and each January 30 thereafter, the steering committee must report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over human services systems.
• The report must include:
  • For each system: funding and expenditures by source, including the previous calendar year
  • Recommendations from the steering committee
  • A list of projects needed to improve human services systems
• Legislators must hold a public hearing on the report during the regular session in the year the report is submitted.

Funding and Appropriations (Sec. 2)

System-focused IT updates (Fiscal Year 2027) - Source: General fund appropriation to the Commissioner of Information Technology Systems, used in collaboration with counties. - Projects: 1) Expand Data Depot to all Minnesota counties and Tribal Nations 2) Expand BlueZone Scripting Collaborative to all Minnesota counties and Tribal Nations 3) Pilot and expand artificial intelligence tools for human services to all counties and Tribal Nations 4) Develop new user interfaces to replace character-based green screens for the MAXIS and PRISM systems via an integration layer 5) Complete the renewal self-service portal in the Minnesota Eligibility Technology System (METS) 6) Copy all state human services policies and procedures into the data warehouse and keep them updated 7) Enable METS to note when a recipient is pregnant a second time 8) Determine the funds needed to support the integration layer tool and full implementation for MAXIS and PRISM, in collaboration with Minnesota Management and Budget 9) Fully fund the work verification vendor system for child support, health care, and public assistance programs - Note: This is a one-time appropriation.

Policy-focused IT updates (Fiscal Year 2027) - Source: General fund appropriation to the Commissioner of Information Technology Systems to align county IT systems with legislative changes, in collaboration with counties. - Projects: 1) Create an automated MAXIS process to confirm health care program eligibility 2) Eliminate duplicative data entry by county workers by integrating MNBenefits with MAXIS and enabling electronic updates 3) Update MAXIS so shelter and utility panels are updated whenever the address panel is updated for SNAP 4) Move to a simplified SNAP reporting method requiring changes on a six-month timeline 5) Update MAXIS coding for timelimited SNAP recipients and integrate with related panels 6) Update MAXIS eligibility results to reflect current noncitizen eligibility policy for health care programs and SNAP 7) Remove the need for county workers to enter and approve General Assistance (GA) and SNAP applications separately, including enabling translation between GA and SNAP within MAXIS 8) Initiate a review and modernization of client notices generated by MAXIS and METS to ensure clarity, accuracy, and compliance, and improve functionality so notices auto-populate correct information 9) Enable automatic case noting in MAXIS - Note: This is a one-time appropriation.

Significant Changes to Existing Law (Summary) - Establishes a formal, ongoing governance body (the Human Services Systems Steering Committee) to oversee the development and operation of all human services IT systems. - Creates a structured, multi-stakeholder membership with specific appointment rules and co-chair leadership. - Introduces mandatory quarterly meetings with public input and formal voting records. - Requires a public, annual reporting process to legislative leaders, including system funding, recommendations, and project lists. - Expands and accelerates modernization of major IT systems (MAXIS, PRISM, METS) and related data infrastructure (Data Depot, Data Warehouse) with a focus on efficiency, automation, accessibility, and better integration across agencies and counties. - Provides one-time funding for both system-focused upgrades (data, AI pilots, new interfaces) and policy/process updates (eligibility automation, streamlined SNAP reporting, notices, and case noting).

Relevant Terms - Human Services Systems Steering Committee - human services information technology systems - counties, Department of Human Services, Department of Information Technology Services, Department of Children Youth and Families - Data Depot - BlueZone Scripting Collaborative - artificial intelligence tools (in development for human services) - MAXIS - PRISM - METS (Minnesota Eligibility Technology System) - data warehouse - integration layer tool - eligibility and enrollment (health care, SNAP, GA) - noncitizen eligibility - shelter and utility panels - six-month SNAP reporting - automated case noting - notices (client notices) - work verification vendor system - one-time appropriation - public hearings and transparency in governance - county information technology collaboration - Minnesota Management and Budget (MMB)