Bill HF2665

1.1          A bill for an act
1.2          relating to human services; establishing a diaper distribution grant program;
1.3          requiring reports; appropriating money;proposing coding for new law in Minnesota
1.4          Statutes, chapter 256E.
1.5          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6          Section 1. [256E.38] DIAPER DISTRIBUTION GRANT PROGRAM.
1.7                          Subdivision 1.Establishment; purpose. The commissioner of human services shall
1.8          establish a diaper distribution program to award competitive grants to eligible applicants
1.9          to provide diapers to underresourced families statewide.
1.10                       Subd. 2.Eligibility. To be eligible for a grant under this section, an applicant must
1.11       demonstrate its capacity to distribute diapers statewide by having:
1.12       (1) a network of well-established partners for diaper distribution;
1.13       (2) the infrastructure needed to efficiently manage diaper procurement and distribution
1.14       statewide;
1.15       (3) relationships with national organizations that support and enhance the work of
1.16       addressing diaper need;
1.17       (4) the ability to engage in building community awareness of diaper need and advocate
1.18       for diaper need at local, state, and federal levels;
1.19       (5) a commitment to and demonstration of working with organizations across ideological
1.20       and political spectrums;
2.1          (6) the ability to address diaper need for children from birth through early childhood;
2.2          and
2.3          (7) a commitment to working within an equity framework by ensuring access to
2.4          organizations that provide culturally specific services or are located in communities with
2.5          high concentrations of poverty.
2.6                          Subd. 3.Application. Applicants must apply to the commissioner in a form and manner
2.7          prescribed by the commissioner. Applications must be filed at the times and for the periods
2.8          determined by the commissioner.
2.9                          Subd. 4.Eligible uses of grant money. An eligible applicant that receives grant money
2.10       under this section shall use the money for one or more of the following purposes:
2.11       (1) to purchase diapers and wipes;
2.12       (2) for warehouse and storage expenses, including onetime costs for equipment; and
2.13       (3) for related staffing needs, up to one full-time equivalent employee.
2.14                       Subd. 5.Enforcement. (a) An eligible applicant that receives grant money under this
2.15       section must:
2.16       (1) retain records documenting expenditure of the grant money;
2.17       (2) report to the commissioner on the use of the grant money; and
2.18       (3) comply with any additional requirements imposed by the commissioner.
2.19       (b) The commissioner may require that a report submitted under this subdivision include
2.20       an independent audit.
2.21                       Subd. 6.Reporting requirement. The commissioner shall report by February 1 each
2.22       year to the legislative committees with jurisdiction over early childhood on the diaper
2.23       distribution grant program, including the number of grants awarded to eligible applicants
2.24       and the number of diapers disbursed.

2.25       Sec. 2. APPROPRIATIONS; DIAPER DISTRIBUTION GRANT PROGRAM.
 2.26      $500,000 in fiscal year 2024 and $500,000 in fiscal year 2025 are appropriated from the
2.27       general fund to the commissioner of human services for the diaper distribution grant program
2.28       under Minnesota Statutes, section 256E.38.