1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to health; establishing a critical access dental infrastructure program; 
1.3 	appropriating money.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. CRITICAL ACCESS DENTAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM.
 1.6 		Subdivision 1.Definitions. (a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have 
1.7 	the meanings given.
1.8 	(b) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of health.
1.9 	(c) "Critical access dental provider" means a critical access dental provider as defined 
1.10 	in Minnesota Statutes, section 256B.76, subdivision 4.
1.11 	(d) "Dental infrastructure" means:
1.12 	(1) physical infrastructure of a dental clinic, including but not limited to the operations 
1.13 	and clinical spaces in a dental clinic; associated heating, ventilation, and air conditioning 
1.14 	infrastructure and other mechanical infrastructure; and dental equipment needed to operate 
1.15 	a dental clinic; or
1.16 	(2) mobile dental equipment or other equipment needed to provide dental services via 
1.17 	a hub-and-spoke service delivery model.
1.18 		Subd. 2.Grant and loan program established. The commissioner shall make grants 
1.19 	and forgivable loans to critical access dental providers for eligible dental infrastructure 
1.20 	projects.
2.1 		Subd. 3.Eligible projects. In order to be eligible for a grant or forgivable loan under 
2.2 	this section, a dental infrastructure project must be proposed by a critical access dental 
2.3 	provider and must allow the provider to maintain or expand the provider's capacity to serve 
2.4 	Minnesota health care program enrollees.
2.5 		Subd. 4.Application. (a) The commissioner must develop forms and procedures for 
2.6 	soliciting and reviewing applications for grants and forgivable loans under this section and 
2.7 	for awarding grants and forgivable loans. Critical access dental providers seeking a grant 
2.8 	or forgivable loan under this section must apply to the commissioner in a time and manner 
2.9 	specified by the commissioner. In evaluating applications for grants or forgivable loans for 
2.10 	eligible projects, the commissioner must review applications for completeness and must 
2.11 	determine the extent to which:
2.12 	(1) the project would ensure that the critical access dental provider is able to continue 
2.13 	to serve Minnesota health care program enrollees in a manner that would not be possible 
2.14 	but for the project; or
2.15 	(2) the project would increase the number of Minnesota health care program enrollees 
2.16 	served by the provider or the clinical complexity of the Minnesota health care program 
2.17 	enrollees served by the provider.
2.18 	(b) The commissioner must award grants and forgivable loans based on the information 
2.19 	provided in the grant application.
2.20 		Subd. 5.Program oversight. The commissioner may require and collect from grant and 
2.21 	loan recipients any information needed to evaluate the program.

2.22 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION; CRITICAL ACCESS DENTAL INFRASTRUCTURE 
2.23 	PROGRAM.
 2.24 	$20,000,000 in fiscal year 2024 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner 
2.25 	of health for a critical access dental infrastructure program. This is a onetime appropriation 
2.26 	and is available until June 30, 2026.