Purpose

To improve child safety for programs funded by the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund. The bill requires that certain recipients—specifically those that are children’s service providers funded from the trust fund—perform criminal background checks on staff and volunteers who may have access to children and to certify to the relevant commission that these checks are done.

Key Provisions

• Requires criminal background checks for all employees, contractors, and volunteers who have or may have access to a child served by a recipient.
• Applies to recipients of an appropriation from the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund that are defined as children’s service providers.
• Recipients must certify to the commission that they perform these background checks.

Covered Entities and Definitions

• Applies to “recipients of an appropriation from the trust fund that is a children’s service provider,” as defined in Minnesota Statutes section 299C.61 subdivision 5.
• Background checks are to cover all individuals with access to a child receiving services from the provider.

Compliance and Certification

• Recipients must certify to the commission that criminal background checks are being performed on applicable staff, contractors, and volunteers.
• Certification is tied to the work plan required by Minnesota Statutes section 116P.05 subdivision 2.

Relationship to Work Plan

• The background check requirement is integrated into the work plan process for trust fund recipients, ensuring compliance is reviewed as part of planned activities.

Significance and Changes to Law

• Adds a new mandatory safety and screening obligation for a subset of trust fund recipients (children’s service providers).
• Establishes an ongoing verification mechanism (certification to the commission) rather than a one-time check.
• Likely increases oversight of organizations funded from the environment and natural resources trust fund that work with children.

Possible Implementation Considerations

• What constitutes acceptable background checks (scope, timing, frequency) may need further detail.
• How certifications are reviewed and enforced by the commission.
• How the definition of “children’s service provider” interacts with existing funding and reporting requirements.

Relevant Terms criminal background checks employees contractors volunteers access to a child children’s service provider Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund Minnesota Statutes chapter 116P work plan section 116P.05 subdivision 2 commission certify / certification approval / oversight 299C.61 subdivision 5