The proposed bill, known as the "Tax-Exempt Accountability Law (TEAL)," aims to enhance transparency and accountability for nonprofit hospitals in Minnesota. It mandates that these hospitals provide detailed annual reports to the commissioner of health, including financial statements, community service information, and specific data on staffing and marketing expenditures. Notably, the bill introduces new reporting requirements for hospitals, such as data on the number of full-time registered nurses and other healthcare staff, as well as expenditures related to marketing and anti-union activities. Additionally, hospitals must conduct and publicly share community health needs assessments and implementation strategies to address identified health priorities.

The bill also amends existing statutes to clarify the definition of "community benefit" and "community care," ensuring that certain expenditures, particularly those related to marketing and anti-union efforts, are excluded from the calculation of community benefit. This aims to provide a clearer picture of the actual community contributions made by nonprofit hospitals. Overall, the legislation seeks to ensure that nonprofit hospitals fulfill their obligations to the communities they serve while providing the public and regulators with essential information about their operations and contributions.

Statutes affected:
Introduction: 144.698, 144.699