EVA Successes

Healthy Aging Subcabinet and State Aging Plan

With the support and assistance of Elder Voice, Minnesota enacted legislation to establish a Healthy Aging Subcabinet and develop a comprehensive Minnesota Healthy Aging Plan within the Minnesota Management and Budget (MMB). A Citizen’s Engagement Council will also be established comprising 20 diverse members including older adults, caregivers, elder advocates, representatives from area agencies on aging, Tribal Nations and more to ensure the voices of older adults are considered.

The Office of Healthy Aging is required to submit an annual report by January 15 each year to

the governor and relevant legislative committees, detailing the activities of the office and

providing legislative recommendations for the coming year.

Guardianship Reform

The Judiciary, public safety, and corrections omnibus bill passed at the end of the regular 2025 session included the “Bill of Rights for Persons Subject to Guardianship or Conservatorship”. The legislature amended Minnesota Statutes §524.5-120 to limit the powers of guardians and strengthen the rights of individuals subject to guardianship or conservatorship.

In addition to statutory reforms, the 2025 legislature repealed the Legislative Task Force on

Guardianship, which had been established in 2024 to explore improvements to the state’s

guardianship system. This action indicates a legislative shift from exploratory initiatives to the implementation of concrete statutory changes aimed at enhancing the guardianship system in Minnesota.

• Public guardians now have clearer and expanded responsibilities, including ensuring basic needs and aligning decisions with the individual's preferences.

• Courts will review guardianship cases more often and in more detail, checking care plans, living arrangements, and money management.

• The bill pushes for less restrictive options than full guardianship, like supported decision-making.

• Guardians will need better training and qualifications.

• Guardians have new reporting requirements, sending more detailed updates to the court.

• Measures are in place to prevent guardians from having conflicts of interest.

• Vulnerable adults under guardianship get extra protections against abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation.

Waiver Reimagine

The Human Services omnibus budget bill establishes an advisory task force on Waiver Reimagine, and repeals the Waiver Reimagine Advisory Committee (WRAC) that was created as a result of 2021 legislation.

2021 legislation required a report from WRAC to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees of jurisdiction prior to seeking federal approval for any aspect of waiver reimagine phase II. This report must be presented to the new advisory task force before December 15, 2026. The task force must in turn submit its own report to the relevant legislative committees by January 15, 2027 that describes any concerns or recommendations related to Waiver Reimagine as identified by the task force.

The commissioner must develop an individualized budget methodology exception

to support access to self-directed home care nursing services.