SF 4335

02/25/26  REVISOR  DTT/AD  26-07297        as introduced
  SENATE
  STATE OF MINNESOTA
  NINETY-FOURTH SESSION  S.F. No. 4335
  (SENATE AUTHORS: CHAMPION and Abeler)
  DATE       D-PG  OFFICIAL STATUS
  03/11/2026      6590 Introduction and first reading
  Referred to Health and Human Services
  03/26/2026      7103 Author added Abeler
1.1A bill for an act
1.2relating to children and families; modifying the Minnesota African American
1.3Family Preservation and Child Welfare Disproportionality Act; appropriating
1.4money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 260.68, subdivision 2.
1.5    BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.6Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 260.68, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
1.7Subd. 2. Case review. (a) Each responsible social services agency The commissioner
1.8    shall conduct a review of all child welfare cases for African American and other
1.9    disproportionately represented children handled by the agency. Each responsible social
1.10   services agency responsible social services agencies. Responsible social services agencies
1.11   must provide the commissioner with any information requested for the purposes of this
1.12   subdivision in a form and within a time frame prescribed by the commissioner. The
1.13   commissioner shall create a summary report of trends identified under paragraphs (b) and
1.14   (c), a summary of remediation plan plans developed as provided in paragraph (d), and an
1.15   update on implementation of any previous remediation plans. The commissioner shall
1.16   provide the first report shall be provided to the African American Child Well-Being Advisory
1.17   Council, the commissioner responsible social services agencies, and the chairs and ranking
1.18   minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over child welfare by
1.19   October 1, 2029 2031, and annually thereafter. For purposes of determining outcomes in
1.20   this subdivision, responsible social services agencies shall use guidance from the
1.21   commissioner. The commissioner shall provide guidance starting on November 1, 2028,
1.22   and annually thereafter.
1.23(b) The case review must include:
Section 1.  1
 02/25/26  REVISOR  DTT/AD  26-07297  as introduced
2.1      (1) the number of African American and disproportionately represented children
2.2  represented in the county child welfare system;
2.3      (2) the number and sources of maltreatment reports received and reports screened in for
2.4  investigation or referred for family assessment and the race of the children and parents or
2.5  custodians involved in each report;
2.6      (3) the number and race of children and parents or custodians who receive in-home
2.7  preventive case management services;
2.8      (4) the number and race of children whose parents or custodians are referred to
2.9  community-based, culturally appropriate, strength-based, or trauma-informed services;
2.10     (5) the number and race of children removed from their homes;
2.11     (6) the number and race of children reunified with their parents or custodians;
2.12     (7) the number and race of children whose parents or custodians are offered family group
2.13 decision-making services;
2.14     (8) the number and race of children whose parents or custodians are offered the parent
2.15 support outreach program;
2.16     (9) the number and race of children in foster care or out-of-home placement at the time
2.17 that the data is gathered;
2.18     (10) the number and race of children who achieve permanency through a transfer of
2.19 permanent legal and physical custody to a relative or an adoption; and
2.20     (11) the number and race of children who are under the guardianship of the commissioner
2.21 or awaiting a permanency disposition.
2.22     (c) The required case review must also:
2.23     (1) identify barriers to reunifying children with their families;
2.24     (2) identify the family conditions that led to the out-of-home placement;
2.25     (3) identify any barriers to accessing culturally informed mental health or substance use
2.26 disorder treatment services for the parents or children;
2.27     (4) document efforts to identify fathers and maternal and paternal relatives and to provide
2.28 services to custodial and noncustodial fathers, if appropriate; and
2.29     (5) document and summarize court reviews of active efforts.
 Section 1.  2
 02/25/26  REVISOR  DTT/AD  26-07297  as introduced
3.1      (d) For any responsible social services agency that has the commissioner identifies in a
3.2  case review as showing disproportionality and disparities in child welfare outcomes for
3.3  African American and other disproportionately represented children and the children's
3.4  families, compared to the agency's overall outcomes, the commissioner must include in
3.5  their case review summary report develop a remediation plan with the agency with
3.6  measurable outcomes to identify, address, and reduce the factors that led to the
3.7  disproportionality and disparities in the agency's child welfare outcomes. The remediation
3.8  plan shall also include information about how the responsible social services agency will
3.9  achieve and document trauma-informed, positive child well-being outcomes through
3.10 remediation efforts.
3.11   Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION; COUNTY IMPLEMENTATION OF MINNESOTA
3.12 AFRICAN AMERICAN FAMILY PRESERVATION AND CHILD WELFARE
3.13 DISPROPORTIONALITY ACT.
3.14     $....... in fiscal year 2027 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of
3.15 children, youth, and families to distribute to responsible social services agencies for support
3.16 for staffing and service provision related to the implementation of the Minnesota African
3.17 American Family Preservation and Child Welfare Disproportionality Act.
 Sec. 2.  3