The bill HF500 Second Engrossment modifies provisions related to the Nursing Home Workforce Standards Board in Minnesota. The key points of the bill include:

1. Board Voting Requirements

   • Changes the board's voting rules to require at least six affirmative votes (instead of five) to establish minimum nursing home employment standards, including votes from:
     • Two commissioner members or their appointees
     • Two employer representatives
       
     • Two worker representatives
       

2. Authority to Establish Employment Standards

   • Requires the board to adopt rules setting minimum employment standards to protect nursing home workers’ health and welfare, including:
     • Compensation standards
       
     • Job training requirements
       
   • The board cannot lower standards unless they exceed the state's nursing home funding allocation.

3. Market Conditions Investigation

   • The board must examine market wages, benefits, and working conditions across the state before setting minimum standards.
   • Standards should reflect the majority of industry conditions in each geographic area.
   • The board must assess whether wage increases exceed state Medicaid reimbursement rates, requiring legislative funding approval before implementation.

4. Review and Adjustments

   • The board must conduct a full review of employment standards every two years and may amend, repeal, or establish new standards using an expedited rulemaking process.

5. Certification of Training Organizations

   • Establishes criteria for certifying worker and employer organizations that provide training for nursing home employees.
   • These organizations must provide interactive training and materials in multiple languages.

6. Notices to Workers

   • Requires the board to define minimum content and posting requirements for notices that inform nursing home workers of their rights under these employment standards.

7. Legislative and Financial Oversight

   • New employment standards cannot take effect without an appropriation from the legislature to cover necessary wage increases.
     
   • Nursing facility rates must be adjusted to reflect wage and benefit changes as determined by state Medicaid reimbursement rules.
     

Overall Purpose of the Bill:

The bill strengthens employment standards for nursing home workers while ensuring financial feasibility through state Medicaid payment rate assessments. It aims to improve worker protections, compensation, and training but ties implementation to legislative approval of necessary funding.