1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to public health; establishing a grant program to advance the development 
1.3 	of a serological test for COVID-19; appropriating money.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. GRANT PROGRAM FOR SEROLOGICAL TESTING.
 1.6 		Subdivision 1.Definitions. (a) The definitions in this subdivision have the meanings 
1.7 	given them.
1.8 	(b) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of health.
1.9 	(c) "COVID-19" means the SARS-CoV-2 virus and coronavirus disease 2019.
1.10 	(d) "Eligible employee" means an employee of a health care facility, including a hospital, 
1.11 	health care clinic, nursing facility, or assisted living facility who provides direct care to 
1.12 	patients or to residents of the facility.
1.13 	(e) "Serological test" means a test to determine whether a person has developed a 
1.14 	detectable antibody response to COVID-19.
1.15 		Subd. 2.Grants for development of serological testing for COVID-19. (a) The 
1.16 	commissioner shall award grants for the research and development of serological testing 
1.17 	for COVID-19. The commissioner shall develop a grant application and process to issue 
1.18 	grant funds to eligible grantees.
1.19 	(b) To be eligible for grant funds under this section, an applicant must either be a 
1.20 	Minnesota-based:
2.1 	(1) clinical research institution that is a national referral center engaged in providing 
2.2 	patient care, medical research, and medical education; or
2.3 	(2) academic and clinical research institution.
2.4 	An applicant must also agree to share the results of any data collected as a result of the grant 
2.5 	funds including the results of any testing conducted under paragraph (c).
2.6 	(c) Grant funds received by a grantee under this section must be used to further the 
2.7 	grantee's research in developing a serological test for COVID-19. Grant funds may be used 
2.8 	by the grantee to conduct serological testing on eligible employees. If grant funds are used 
2.9 	to conduct testing on eligible employees, the following requirements must be met:
2.10 	(1) the employee must agree in writing to be tested;
2.11 	(2) the results of the test must be provided to the employee; and
2.12 	(3) no test results may be provided to an employer without the consent of the employee.
2.13 	(d) Each grantee must submit a report to the commissioner of health providing the 
2.14 	following information:
2.15 	(1) a listing of the facilities where the grantee conducted serological testing on eligible 
2.16 	employees;
2.17 	(2) the number of employees who were tested at each facility;
2.18 	(3) tests that were conducted if an employee was tested more than once; and
2.19 	(4) the percentage of positive test results within each facility.
2.20 	Notwithstanding paragraph (c), each facility where employees were tested shall also be 
2.21 	provided a copy of this report.
2.22 		Subd. 3.Data. Any data on eligible employees collected by a grantee in connection with 
2.23 	a grant issued under this section, including any data shared between grantees pursuant to 
2.24 	subdivision 2, are private data on individuals, as defined in Minnesota Statutes, section 
2.25 	13.02, subdivision 12.

2.26 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

2.27 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION.
 2.28 	$5,000,000 is appropriated in fiscal year 2020 from the general fund to the commissioner 
2.29 	of health to award as grants for serological testing for COVID-19 pursuant to section 1. 
2.30 	This is a onetime appropriation  and is available until June 30, 2021.