HF4523

Purpose

This bill aims to modernize Minnesota’s human services IT systems. It creates pilot projects to update state technology, improve efficiency, reduce errors, strengthen program integrity, and prevent fraud. It also sets up funding, governance, and reporting to guide these modernization efforts.

Key Provisions

• Pilot projects for systems modernization

  • The Commissioner of Information Technology Services and a systems modernization pilot project advisory group will fund counties and Tribes to modernize state human services IT systems.
  • Goals include better efficiency, lower error rates, stronger program integrity, and fraud prevention.

• Advisory group and governance

  • The advisory group must include:
  • Three members from the Association of Minnesota Counties
  • Three members from the Minnesota Association of County Social Services Administrators
  • The Commissioner of Human Services (or their designee)
  • The Commissioner of Children Youth and Families (or their designee)
  • The Commissioner of Information Technology Services (or their designee)
  • Two representatives from the Legislature (one appointed by the Speaker of the House and one by the House minority leader)
  • Two Senators (one appointed by the Senate Majority Leader and one by the Senate Minority Leader)
  • The IT Services Commissioner must provide administrative support and meeting space for the group.

• Eligible pilot projects and focus areas

  • All pilot projects must be approved by the advisory group.
  • Funding priorities include updates to MAXIS, PRISM, MMIS, ISDS, METS, and SSIS, and may cover:
  • Creating a state data warehouse access collaborative to share data across counties
  • Evaluating and using artificial intelligence tools to help recipients get benefits and answer eligibility questions
  • Expanding access to income verification services and updated income data
  • Expanding data sources for asset verification and automating use of outside data
  • Configuring systems or using products to generate automatic case notes
  • Developing and testing a third-party product that overlays a web app on the state mainframes to simplify navigation and improve case processing accuracy

• Outcomes, reporting, and future planning

  • By January 15, 2028, the IT Services Commissioner and the advisory group must submit a report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over health, human services, and children and families.
  • The report must cover:
  • The number of pilot projects funded and the amounts allocated
  • Recipients and purposes of the funds
  • Findings, results, or outcomes from the pilots
  • Recommendations for implementing and funding broader systems modernization
  • Specific items such as automating eligibility in MAXIS for all enrollees (including seniors, people with disabilities, or those in Medicare Savings Programs), reducing duplicate data entry, updating shelter/utility changes when addresses change, simplifying SNAP reporting, updating MAXIS for federal policy changes, avoiding manual overrides by county workers, improving client notices in MAXIS and METS, and centralizing policy manuals in the state data warehouse

• Funding and account structure

  • A dedicated human services systems modernization pilot project account is created in the state government special revenue fund.
  • Money in this account may be appropriated to the IT Services Commissioner for eligible pilot projects with approval from the advisory group; funds stay in the account until expended.
  • In fiscal year 2027, money is transferred from the general fund to this account.

Significant Changes from current law (Overview)

• Establishment of formal “systems modernization pilot projects” with dedicated funding and a cross-agency advisory group.
• Specific prioritization of updates to major statewide systems (MAXIS, PRISM, MMIS, ISDS, METS, SSIS) and the creation of a state data warehouse access framework.
• Authorization of AI tools and third-party overlays to improve access, accuracy, and efficiency in benefits and eligibility processing.
• Mandatory reporting by a set deadline (January 15, 2028) with concrete details about pilots and recommended steps for broader rollout.
• Creation of a dedicated funding account in the state budget for these modernization efforts and a specified transfer from the general fund.

Timeline Highlights

• Pilot projects to be funded and implemented following advisory group approval.
• By January 15, 2028: a comprehensive report with findings, outcomes, and recommendations.

Stakeholder Involvement

• Involves county and tribal governments, state agencies (Human Services, Children Youth and Families, Information Technology Services), and legislative leadership.
• Aims to coordinate data sharing and system improvements across multiple state and local partners.

What Happens Next

• The advisory group and IT Services department will select and fund pilot projects.
• Evaluations will inform future investments and possible broader modernization across state human services systems.

Relevant Terms - systems modernization - pilot project - MAXIS - PRISM - MMIS - ISDS - METS - SSIS - state data warehouse - data warehouse access collaborative - income verification - asset verification - automated case notes - third-party product overlay - artificial intelligence (AI) tools - public benefits - eligibility - SNAP - beneficiary notices - eligibility reporting (six-month SNAP reporting) - state government special revenue fund - general fund transfer - advisory group - Association of Minnesota Counties - Minnesota Association of County Social Services Administrators - MAXIS and METS updates - fraud prevention - program integrity - data sharing across counties - automated eligibility validation - shelter and utility information

If you’d like, I can tailor this summary to a younger audience (simplified language) or create a quick one-page briefing for a community meeting.