1.1 A bill for an act
1.2 relating to public health; requiring establishment of a task force on prevention of
1.3 female genital mutilation; requiring a report; appropriating money;proposing
1.4 coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 144.
1.5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.6 Section 1. [144.3875] TASK FORCE ON PREVENTION OF FEMALE GENITAL
1.7 MUTILATION.
1.8 Subdivision 1.Task force established. The commissioner of health, in consultation
1.9 with the commissioner of public safety, must establish and administer a task force to
1.10 strengthen education and outreach on the harms caused by female genital mutilation and to
1.11 coordinate and strengthen enforcement of state and federal laws prohibiting female genital
1.12 mutilation.
1.13 Subd. 2.Membership; chairperson. The commissioner must appoint up to 15 members
1.14 to the task force. Task force members must include survivors of female genital mutilation,
1.15 leaders of Minnesota communities in which female genital mutilation has been practiced
1.16 as a traditional or religious practice, public health professionals, and law enforcement
1.17 personnel. The commissioner must appoint members to the task force by November 1, 2025,
1.18 and the commissioner must convene the first meeting of the task force by January 1, 2026.
1.19 At the task force's first meeting and annually thereafter, members of the task force must
1.20 elect a chairperson from among its members.
1.21 Subd. 3.Terms, compensation, removal of members, expiration, meetings. Terms,
1.22 compensation, and removal of members are governed by section 15.059. Notwithstanding
2.1 section 15.059, this task force does not expire. The task force must meet at least four times
2.2 per year and may meet more frequently at the call of the chairperson.
2.3 Subd. 4.Duties. The task force must:
2.4 (1) develop strategies to provide the public and communities impacted by female genital
2.5 mutilation with accurate medical and legal information about female genital mutilation and
2.6 the criminal penalties and other impacts for parents and guardians who consent to female
2.7 genital mutilation for a child;
2.8 (2) raise public awareness about the physical and emotional harms caused by female
2.9 genital mutilation by:
2.10 (i) developing partnerships to educate students in an age-appropriate manner in elementary
2.11 schools, secondary schools, and postsecondary institutions; and
2.12 (ii) developing partnerships to educate health care providers, mental health providers,
2.13 and law enforcement personnel;
2.14 (3) provide information to the public and communities impacted by female genital
2.15 mutilation on state law that requires reasonable efforts to provide culturally appropriate
2.16 services to prevent removal of a child and promote family reunification if the child's interests,
2.17 health, and safety can be assured;
2.18 (4) improve data collection and coordination regarding female genital mutilation among
2.19 state and local law enforcement agencies, the Departments of Public Safety and Health, and
2.20 local health departments;
2.21 (5) develop and recommend resources to protect children from female genital mutilation
2.22 and support families in their efforts to protect children from community pressure to have
2.23 female genital mutilation performed; and
2.24 (6) perform other duties as determined by the task force.
2.25 Subd. 5.Meeting space; administrative support. The commissioner must provide
2.26 meeting space and administrative support to the task force.
2.27 Subd. 6.Annual report. The commissioner of health, in consultation with the
2.28 commissioner of public safety, must annually report on the activities of the task force to
2.29 the governor, the attorney general, and the chairs and ranking minority members of the
2.30 legislative committees with jurisdiction over public health and public safety. The report
2.31 shall contain information on the education provided and outreach engaged in on female
3.1 genital mutilation in Minnesota. Section 144.05, subdivision 7, does not apply to reports
3.2 required under this subdivision.
3.3 Sec. 2. APPROPRIATIONS.
3.4 $....... in fiscal year 2026 and $....... in fiscal year 2027 are appropriated from the general
3.5 fund to the commissioner of health for purposes of the task force on prevention of female
3.6 genital mutilation under Minnesota Statutes, section 144.3875.
