Purpose

• Establish a legislative working group to review and examine state and county demographic data to identify gaps in the availability and delivery of disability services for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities.

What the group is and does

• Creates an 18-member legislative working group to study data about gaps in disability services and how services are delivered to people with intellectual or developmental disabilities.
• The group will focus on gaps in areas such as case management, housing, work options, transportation, and the workforce for direct support professionals, as well as opportunities for life enrichment and day services.
• It will also look at long-term educational needs and how many people with these disabilities live with aging family members.

Membership

• 18 members total:
  • 16 members are lawmakers, appointed by the leaders of the caucuses from each chamber to serve on committees with primary jurisdiction over programs serving people with intellectual or developmental disabilities in the Department of Human Services, the Department of Labor and Industry, housing-related committees, and education-related committees.
  • 1 member appointed by the county board of the county with the densest population that is willing to participate.
  • 1 member appointed by the county board of the county with the largest geographic territory that is willing to participate.

Definitions (key terms)

• Direct support professional: an individual providing documented direct support services to a person with an intellectual or developmental disability.
• Disability services: services for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities provided by a county or paid for by a county, including county case management.
• Person with an intellectual or developmental disability: someone diagnosed with an intellectual or developmental disability or related condition, defined by multiple standards (DSM, CDC, NIH, Minnesota statutes/rules).
• Summary data: a defined data category used in state data systems (as referenced in Minnesota Statutes).

Appointments, vacancies, and compensation

• Appointments must be made within 30 days of the section’s effective date.
• If a vacancy occurs, it must be filled in a way that preserves the listed representation of the standing legislative committees and counties.
• Legislative members may receive per diem and expense reimbursements per the rules of their respective bodies; other members are eligible for per diem under Minnesota law.

Meetings and public access

• The chair (one member appointed by the Senate majority leader) must convene the first meeting by a specified date, and the group must meet at least monthly.
• Meetings must be open to the public.
• Administrative support and staff assistance will be provided by the Legislative Coordinating Commission.
• Meetings may be held in any publicly accessible location in the Capitol complex with remote testimony technology; meetings may also be held outside the Capitol, including rural areas, to gather input from self-advocates, families, guardians, counties, and disability service providers.

Duties and activities (fact finding, research, and recommendations)

• Develop expertise about the characteristics of people with intellectual or developmental disabilities.
• Review state and county data, including demographic summary data, to identify gaps and shortcomings in services such as case management, housing, work options, transportation, direct support professionals, life enrichment, and day services.
• Identify long-term educational needs.
• Identify how many people with these disabilities live with aging family members.

Reporting and deliverables

• By January 1, 2027, the group must produce a written report with recommendations for the standing legislative committees from which the group was drawn.
• The report must include:
  • A summary of the group’s work.
  • An itemized list describing identified disability services gaps and shortcomings across all 87 Minnesota counties.
  • Recommendations on how demographic data should be used in future decision-making about programs and disability services for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities.

Significant changes to existing law

• Creates a new Legislative Working Group on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and outlines its membership, duties, and reporting requirement.
• Establishes a formal process for appointing members, maintaining representation, monthly meetings, open meetings, and public input.
• Requires a statewide data review and a county-by-county gap analysis with a formal report to lawmakers, potentially informing future policy decisions.

Relevant terms - intellectual and developmental disabilities - disability services - direct support professional (DSP) - demographic data - summary data - case management - housing - work options - transportation - life enrichment - day services - aging family members - 87 counties - legislative working group - appointments and vacancies - per diem compensation - Legislative Coordinating Commission - public meetings / remote testimony - Minnesota Statutes references (summary data and per diem rules)