1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to human services; modifying the Board on Aging Native American elders 
1.3 	coordinator position; appropriating money;amending Minnesota Statutes 2022, 
1.4 	section 256.975, subdivision 6.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 256.975, subdivision 6, is amended to read:
1.7 		Subd. 6.~~Indian~~ Native American elders coordinator position. (a) The Minnesota 
1.8 	Board on Aging shall create ~~an Indian~~ a Native American elders coordinator position~~,~~ and 
1.9 	shall hire staff as appropriations permit for the purposes of ~~coordinating efforts with the~~ 
1.10 	~~National Indian Council on Aging and developing~~ facilitating the coordination and 
1.11 	development of a ~~comprehensive~~ statewide Tribal-based service system for ~~Indian~~ Native 
1.12 	American elders. ~~An Indian elder is defined for purposes of this subdivision as an Indian~~ 
1.13 	~~enrolled in a band or tribe who is 55 years or older.~~
1.14 	(b) For purposes of this subdivision, the following terms have the meanings given:
1.15 	(1) "Native American elder" means an individual enrolled in a federally recognized 
1.16 	Tribe and identified as an elder according to the requirements of the individual's home Tribe; 
1.17 	and
1.18 	(2) "Tribal government" means representatives of each of the 11 federally recognized 
1.19 	Native American Tribes located wholly or partially within the boundaries of the state of 
1.20 	Minnesota.
1.21 	(c) The statewide Tribal-based service system ~~must~~ may include the following 
1.22 	components:
2.1 	~~(1) an assessment of the program eligibility, examining the need to change the age-based~~ 
2.2 	~~eligibility criteria to need-based eligibility criteria;~~
2.3 	~~(2)~~ (1) a ~~planning system that would~~ plan to grant, or make recommendations for granting,
2.4 	federal and state funding for statewide Tribal-based Native American programs and services;
2.5 	(2) a plan to develop business initiatives involving Tribal members that will qualify for 
2.6 	federal- and state-funded elder service contracts;
2.7 	(3) a plan for statewide Tribal-based service focal points~~, senior centers, or community~~ 
2.8 	~~centers~~ for socialization and service accessibility for ~~Indian~~ Native American elders;
2.9 	(4) a plan to develop and implement statewide education and public awareness ~~campaigns~~
2.10 	promotions including ~~awareness programs, sensitivity~~ cultural sensitivity training~~,~~ and 
2.11 	public education on ~~Indian elder needs~~ Native American elders;
2.12 	(5) a plan for statewide culturally appropriate information and referral services for Native 
2.13 	American elders including legal advice and counsel and trained advocates ~~and an Indian~~ 
2.14 	~~elder newsletter~~;
2.15 	(6) a plan for a coordinated statewide Tribal-based health care system including health 
2.16 	~~promotion/prevention~~ promotion and prevention, in-home service, long-term care service, 
2.17 	and health care services;
2.18 	(7) a plan for ongoing ~~research involving Indian elders including needs assessment and~~ 
2.19 	~~needs analysis;~~ collection of significant data on Native American elders including population, 
2.20 	health, socialization, mortality, homelessness, and economic status; and
2.21 	~~(8) information and referral services for legal advice or legal counsel; and~~
2.22 	~~(9)~~ (8) a plan to coordinate services with existing organizations, including but not limited 
2.23 	to the state of Minnesota, the ~~Council of~~ Minnesota Indian Affairs Council, ~~the Minnesota~~ 
2.24 	~~Indian Council of Elders,~~ the Minnesota Board on Aging, Wisdom Steps, and Minnesota
2.25 	Tribal governments.

2.26 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION; NATIVE AMERICAN ELDER COORDINATOR.
 2.27 	$300,000 in fiscal year 2024 and $300,000 in fiscal year 2025 are appropriated from the 
2.28 	general fund to the commissioner of human services for the Native American elder 
2.29 	coordinator position under Minnesota Statutes, section 256.975, subdivision 6.