Minnesota Department of Health
July 2011
2011 Regular Legislative Summary
A number of bills of interest to the Minnesota
Department of Health were passed and signed
into law in the 2011 Legislative session. Below
are summaries of key policy items.
Cities Stadium Liquor License
(HF829/SF551*)
This law allows cities to issue on-sale wine and
malt liquor licenses for summer collegiate
baseball league games.
Well Contractor Licensing
Modifications (HF569*/SF588)
This law enables MDH-licensed well
contractors to install water service pipe and
certain plumbing fixtures outside of a facility
when installing a water supply well.
Nursing Home Bed Moratorium
Exception (HF937/SF626*)
The law allows for exceptions to the nursing
home bed moratorium when a natural disaster
or other event threatens health and safety and
requires a partial or complete evacuation of a
facility. Specifically it allows the
commissioner:
To add or removed beds from layaway
status to accommodate the movement of
residents.
To approve the addition of new licensed
and certified nursing home beds in
coordination with the commissioner of
Human Services. Clarifies the process of
declaring a “hardship area” necessary for
the addition.
To approve a request for consolidation of
nursing facilities.
Commissioner's Office
625 Robert Street North
St. Paul, MN 55155
www.health.state.mn.us
State Agency Value Initiative
(SAVI) (HF299*/SF543)
Note: This bill’s effective date is June 30, 2013
and allows funds to be carried over from the
2011-12 biennium.
This law allows 50% of an agency’s unspent
funds to be carried over into the next biennium.
The carry-over requires approval of a peerreviewed panel within the agency on the use of
the funds and cannot encumber the agency
beyond the carried-over funds.
Elevator Compliance Provisions
(HF664*/SF617)
This law allows facilities more time to comply
with elevator code upgrades. Now facilities
must be in compliance by the latter of January
29, 2012 or within three years after the
submission of a compliance plan. The bill lays
out requirements for the submission of a
compliance plan.
Vulnerable Adult Provisions
(HF447*/SF195)
This law makes a variety of changes to the
Vulnerable Adults Act and related statutes to:
Clarify lead agencies’ jurisdictions in
investigating purported abuse.
Strengthen the right of a vulnerable adult or
their guardian to participate in hearings
against perpetrators of maltreatment.
Increase the penalties for crimes against
vulnerable people from a criminal
misdemeanor to a gross misdemeanor.
Require a person convicted of criminal
abuse of a vulnerable adult to register as a
predatory offender.
2011 Legislative Summary – page 2
PrairieCare Hospital Moratorium
Exception (HF1018/SF742*)
This law authorizes an expansion of an existing
moratorium exception for PrairieCare from 20
to 50 inpatient psychiatric beds for children and
adolescents.
Natural Disaster Response
Provisions Modifications
(HF1088/SF1044*)
This law allows nursing homes to move beds
onto and off of layaway status when a natural
disaster, possible natural disaster or other event
threatens health and safety of nursing home
residents.
Swimming Pond Expiration Date
Removal (HF763*/SF491)
This law removes the expiration date on an
exemption for swimming ponds from meeting
certain requirements placed on swimming
pools. The removal of the expiration date was
recommended by an MDH report: “Swimming
Ponds in Minnesota: Report to the Minnesota
Legislature 2010”.
Food, Beverage and Lodging
Modifications – “Church Lady Bill”
(HF637/SF477*)
This law adds to the list of organizations
exempted from licensing, inspection and
enforcement of food safety requirements:
Faith-based organizations.
“Sportsman” organizations.
School concession stands and post-disaster
food service that serve non-potentially
hazardous foods.