Purpose

The bill aims to protect people who receive public assistance from having their benefits canceled or reduced because of their vaccination status. It also protects the vaccination status of a person’s family members or those under their care.

Main Provisions

• Adds new language to two sections of Minnesota law (section 142A.03 and section 256.01) to prohibit the rescission of public assistance benefits based on vaccination status.
• Subdivision 35 (for section 142A.03):
  • The commissioner must not rescind any public assistance benefits distributed by the department due to a person’s vaccination status.
  • The commissioner must not rescind benefits based on the vaccination status of a person under that person’s care, including a parent, caregiver, guardian, legal custodian, or head of household.
• Subdivision 44 (for section 256.01):
  • The same protections apply: the commissioner must not rescind benefits due to a person’s vaccination status.
  • The protections also apply to the vaccination status of a person under the care of a parent, caregiver, guardian, legal custodian, or head of household.

What this changes in law

• Creates an explicit prohibition on terminating or reducing public assistance benefits on the basis of vaccination status, strengthening protections for recipients and for those under their care.
• Applies to benefits administered by the Department, and to individuals in the care of recipients (e.g., family members).

Practical implications

• Recipients and family members or dependents are shielded from benefit rescission linked to vaccination decisions.
• The policy signals a non-discrimination approach in the administration of public benefits regarding vaccination status.

Significant considerations

• The bill does not specify other eligibility criteria or conditions beyond the vaccination-status restriction.
• It directly ties to existing statutory sections (142A.03 and 256.01) by adding new subdivisions to establish this blanket protection.

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Relevant Terms vaccination status public assistance benefits rescinding / rescind commissioner department Minnesota Statutes 2024 section 142A.03 subdivision 35 section 256.01 subdivision 44 parent caregiver guardian legal custodian head of household benefits protected from rescission due to vaccination status