This bill amends the Minnesota African American Family Preservation and Child Welfare Disproportionality Act by modifying the case review process for child welfare cases involving African American and other disproportionately represented children. The responsibility for conducting these reviews is shifted from each responsible social services agency to the commissioner, who will oversee the process and require agencies to provide necessary information. The bill also mandates that the commissioner develop measurable outcomes with the agencies to address and reduce factors contributing to disproportionality in child welfare outcomes. Additionally, the bill specifies that the commissioner will provide a summary of remediation plans and updates on their implementation.

Furthermore, the bill includes an appropriation of funds for fiscal year 2027 from the general fund to support responsible social services agencies in staffing and service provision related to the implementation of the act. This financial support aims to enhance the effectiveness of the agencies in addressing the disparities in child welfare outcomes for African American and other disproportionately represented children.

Statutes affected:
Introduction: 260.68