SF2575

SF2575 (Legislative Session 94 (2025-2026))

Department of Human Services duties transferred to the Office of Administrative Hearings provision

AI Generated Summary

Purpose of the Bill

The bill aims to streamline administrative processes within Minnesota's government by transferring certain responsibilities from the Department of Human Services to the Office of Administrative Hearings. This reorganization is designed to enhance the efficiency and fairness of administrative hearings related to human services.

Main Provisions

Creation of an Independent Office: Establishes an independent Office of Administrative Hearings in the executive branch, led by a chief administrative law judge appointed by the governor.
Personnel Management: The chief administrative law judge will appoint deputies, administrative law judges, human services judges, employees, and agents necessary to manage the office’s duties.
Delegation of Duties: The chief judge can delegate specific statutory powers to subordinate employees as needed.
Temporary Judges: Allows for the appointment of temporary administrative law judges when regular judges are unavailable.
Conduct of Hearings: Specifies that certain hearings must be conducted by human services judges, particularly those related to human services and compensation claims.
Rules for Hearings: The chief judge will adopt procedural rules governing hearings, mediation sessions, and review of agency rules.
Handling of Fair Hearings: Outlines procedures for fair hearings involving public assistance, maltreatment determinations, and other agency rulings, including the rights to appeal and request reconsideration.

Significant Changes

Transfer of Human Services Hearings: Shifts the responsibility for conducting human services-related hearings from the Department of Human Services to a specialized human services judge within the Office of Administrative Hearings.
Judicial Standards and Training: Judges must comply with the Code of Judicial Conduct, receive appropriate training, and conduct hearings in a manner that ensures impartiality and integrity.

Relevant Terms

administrative hearings, human services, Office of Administrative Hearings, administrative law judge, human services judge, fair hearing, public assistance, maltreatment determination, procedural rules, independent agency, chief administrative law judge, Code of Judicial Conduct, transfer of duties.

Bill text versions

Introduction PDF file

Actions

Date	Chamber	Where	Type	Name	Committee Name
March 16, 2025	Senate	Floor	Action	Introduction and first reading
March 16, 2025	Senate	Floor	Action	Referred to	State and Local Government

Citations

[
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        "Language specifying cases eligible for hearings, including those for denial of hardship waivers."
      ],
      "removed": [
        ""
      ],
      "summary": "This section pertains to the availability of human services hearings for various matters including denials of public assistance and allegations of maltreatment.",
      "modified": [
        "Consolidation of hearings for maltreatment and disqualification cases."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "256.045",
    "subdivision": "subdivision 3"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        "Clarification on use of personal and video hearings, with special conditions for individuals with disabilities."
      ],
      "removed": [
        ""
      ],
      "summary": "Outlines the conduct of human services hearings.",
      "modified": [
        "Process for handling private data in maltreatment hearings."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "256.045",
    "subdivision": "subdivision 4"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        "Provisions for obtaining and verifying medical evidence before denial of disability claims."
      ],
      "removed": [
        ""
      ],
      "summary": "Relates to determinations of disability for medical assistance eligibility.",
      "modified": [
        "Timelines for appeal decisions related to disability determinations."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "256B.055",
    "subdivision": "subdivisions 7 and 12"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        "Specification that appeals not issued within timelines must be reviewed by the chief human services judge."
      ],
      "removed": [
        ""
      ],
      "summary": "Relates to appeal procedures involving disability determination timelines.",
      "modified": [
        ""
      ]
    },
    "citation": "256.0451",
    "subdivision": "subdivision 22"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        ""
      ],
      "removed": [
        ""
      ],
      "summary": "Provisions related to maltreatment of vulnerable adults, and the rights to reconsideration and appeals.",
      "modified": [
        "Integration for hearing procedures concerning maltreatment allegations."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "626.557",
    "subdivision": ""
  }
]