Video & Transcript Research : 'ombudsperson'
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MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Commerce Committee Meeting - 2025-04-10
Commerce Finance and Policy
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Commerce Finance and Policy Committee 4/10/25
Commerce Finance and Policy
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Children and Families Finance and Policy Committee 3/11/26
Children and Families Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- For the record, my name is Misty Coons, and I serve as the ombudsperson with the Office of the Foster
- Youth Ombudsperson, referred to as UFI, as you got to hear.
- , with and I serve as the ombudsperson, with the<01:02:42.960>
Office <01:02:43.320>of < - >> Um,<01:36:06.520>
ombudsperson? >> Um, ombudsperson? - >> Um, ombudsperson? >> Yes,<01:36:08.840>
thank <01:36:09.080>you.
Keywords:
public authorities, dissolution cases, court system, child protection, legal notice, foster care, child welfare, enrollment priority, education programs, child care assistance, foster youth, extended foster care, bill of rights, out-of-home placement, Minnesota Statutes chapter 260C, social services agency, caseworker, permanency team, sibling visitation, relative contact
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Judiciary Committee Meeting - 2026-04-14
Judiciary Finance and Civil Law
Transcript Highlights:
- I'm the ombudsperson with the Office of Ombudspersons for American Indian families.
- I think the last testifier mentioned the corrections ombudsperson.
- I think the last testifier mentioned the corrections ombudsperson.
- I think the last testifier mentioned the corrections ombudsperson.
- I think the last testifier mentioned the corrections ombudsperson.
Keywords:
foster care, ombudsperson, investigative powers, children's rights, complaint process, HF4428, Medical Assistance, Medicaid, community engagement, work requirement, work mandate, employment requirement, community service, 80 hours, half-time student, income threshold, federal minimum wage, eligibility verification, benefit suspension, benefit termination
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Children and Families Finance and Policy Committee 3/17/26
Children and Families Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- Again, my name is Misty Coons, and I'm the ombudsperson for foster youth.
- Uh, for the record, my name is Misty Coons and I serve as the ombudsperson with UFE.
Keywords:
child care, child care center, day care, licensed child care, video security cameras, surveillance, security cameras, maltreatment, child abuse, child safety, public and shared areas, camera mandate, child care assistance program, CCAP, Great Start Compensation Support, early learning scholarships, licensed provider, Minnesota Statutes 142B.68, Harvey's Law, privacy
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Commerce Finance and Policy Committee 3/26/25
Commerce Finance and Policy
Keywords:
homeowners insurance, property insurance, commercial property insurance, insurance affordability, insurance market stabilization, reinsurance, catastrophic reinsurance fund, self-insured pool, premium costs, coverage notice, liability reform, climate risk, climate change, housing affordability, multifamily housing, rental housing, common interest communities, cooperatives, small business insurance, Minnesota Commerce Department
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Child Committee Meeting - 2026-04-14
Children and Families Finance and Policy
Keywords:
child welfare, African American children, racial disproportionality, family preservation, reunification, foster care, kinship care, relative placement, noncustodial parent, guardian ad litem, ombudsperson, Department of Human Services, county social services, active efforts, reasonable efforts, child protection, placement, out-of-home placement, Northstar kinship assistance, data disaggregation
Summary:
The Children and Families Committee adopted the April 8 minutes and then took up House File 4407, as amended by the A1 amendment. The amendment, explained by nonpartisan staff, incorporated much of the Senate version of related legislation and made a series of changes: it revised the definition of “disproportionately represented child,” shifted that determination to the Commissioner of Children, Youth, and Families, made technical cross-reference and terminology updates, adjusted training requirements, set the working group to expire December 31, 2027, and added an appropriation for statewide implementation. The committee adopted the A1 amendment and then referred the bill to Ways and Means.
Representative Gilman said the bill is intended to preserve the goals of the Minnesota African American Family Preservation Act while addressing operational, legal, and fiscal problems before statewide implementation. He argued for delaying the effective date by one year, shifting case review responsibilities to the state, and providing funding so counties are not left with an unfunded mandate. He also said the bill adds safety measures related to synthetic opioids and other imminent-harm concerns, and that the delay would allow the working group to finish its recommendations and give counties time to prepare.
County officials Steve Schmidt of Meeker County/Minnesota Rural Counties and Jenny Mojo of Clay County testified in support of the bill as amended, emphasizing that counties need clearer responsibilities, staffing, training, technology, and dependable funding to implement the law successfully. Rebecca St. George of DCYF said “active efforts” is not absolutely defined and is determined case by case, often with court involvement. Members raised questions about the meaning of active efforts, the bill’s synthetic opioid language, and whether the proposal should apply more broadly rather than within this specific act. A citizen also cautioned that the opioid language should not unintentionally affect families in treatment programs. Representative Hicks warned that the fentanyl provisions could lead to broad removals and create placement problems for teens with substance use disorder, while Representative Gilman responded that the bill includes a rebuttable presumption and is meant to protect children from imminent harm.
MN
Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session
House Children and Families Finance and Policy Committee 3/19/25
Children and Families Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- This is an appropriation for the Office of the Foster Youth Ombudsperson.
- new folks, and for folks who may have forgotten, the creation of the Office of the Foster Youth Ombudsperson
- I am the Ombudsperson with the Office of the Foster Youth Ombudsperson, also known as UFFY.
- that the state collects, but from our own experiences based on lessons that we learned from our Ombudsperson
Keywords:
youth intervention, funding, mental health, education, community programs, HF1316, child support, new hire reporting, centralized work reporting system, independent contractors, payors, employers, payor of funds, withholding orders, income withholding, child support enforcement, Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families, gig economy, rideshare drivers, delivery drivers
MN
Keywords:
veterans, military affairs, Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Military Affairs, omnibus veterans bill, appropriations, National Guard, state active service, armory, State Armory Building Commission, veterans homes, veterans cemeteries, county veterans service office, Minnesota GI Bill, Gold Star families, Blue Star families, Secret War in Laos, Hmong veterans, Laos veterans, special guerrilla units
MN
Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session
Omnibus energy bill, HF2442, amended in House Ways and Means Committee 4/24/25
Ways and Means
Keywords:
veterans, military affairs, Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Military Affairs, omnibus veterans bill, appropriations, National Guard, state active service, armory, State Armory Building Commission, veterans homes, veterans cemeteries, county veterans service office, Minnesota GI Bill, Gold Star families, Blue Star families, Secret War in Laos, Hmong veterans, Laos veterans, special guerrilla units
MN
Keywords:
HF2432, judiciary finance bill, public safety finance bill, corrections policy, crime victims, victim services, Minnesota victims of crime account, court fees, marriage license fee, financial crimes, fraud investigations, insurance fraud, Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, BCA, Commerce Fraud Bureau, wage theft, automobile theft prevention, nonprofit security grants, 911 funding, POST Board
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Child Committee Meeting - 2026-03-25
Children and Families Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- The ombudsperson for UFEI is here with me again, and she's happy to answer any questions as am I.
- Um<00:37:40.960>
the <00:37:41.120>ombudsperson <00:37:41.680>for <00:37:42.160>< - c> UFEI<00:37:42.400>
is <00:37:42.520>here Um the ombudsperson for UFEI is here Um - the ombudsperson for UFEI is here with<00:37:42.880>
me <00:37:42.960>again, <00:37:43.560
Keywords:
youth intervention, grants, community support, early intervention services, nonprofit, Minnesota human services, forecast adjustment, budget forecast, appropriations, Medical Assistance, MinnesotaCare, Health Care Access Fund, general fund, behavioral health, housing support, General Assistance, Minnesota Supplemental Aid, MFIP, DWP, child care assistance
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Minnesota House passes HF2443/SF2216*, the commerce policy and finance bill 4/29/25
Minnesota House Floor Meeting
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Public Safety Committee Meeting - 2025-03-28
Public Safety Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- Margaret Zadra, Ombudsperson for Corrections, and I appreciate you having me here this morning to be
- Sorry, Margaret Zadra, Ombudsperson for Corrections. I'm so thrilled to be here this morning.
- Members, questions for the ombudsperson? Representative Feist. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
- Is the ombudsperson still there, or did we lose connection? "I'm still here."
- Ombudsperson Zadra, are you expecting salary increases for those FTEs? Ombudsperson Zadra.
Bills:
HF2432
Keywords:
HF2432, judiciary finance bill, public safety finance bill, corrections policy, crime victims, victim services, Minnesota victims of crime account, court fees, marriage license fee, financial crimes, fraud investigations, insurance fraud, Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, BCA, Commerce Fraud Bureau, wage theft, automobile theft prevention, nonprofit security grants, 911 funding, POST Board
CA
Transcript Highlights:
- words, sort of the good and the not as good list, require Cal HHS to create a dedicated Care Court ombudsperson
- The Ombudsperson creates a mechanism for accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement.
- The Ombudsperson may hear from petitioners in Sacramento County, where only 17% of petitions resulted
- The Ombudsperson may also examine reports that some individuals are being dismissed before meaningful
- The ombudsperson may also examine reports that some individuals are being dismissed before meaningful
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Health Committee Jun 23rd, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- It requires CalHHS to create a dedicated Care Court ombudsperson appointed by the Governor and confirmed
- The Ombudsperson creates a mechanism for accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement.
- The Ombudsperson may hear from petitioners in Sacramento County, where only 17% of petitions resulted
- The ombudsperson may also examine reports that some individuals are being dismissed before meaningful
- By identifying patterns across counties and barriers to engagement, the ombudsperson can highlight opportunities
Summary:
The Assembly Health Committee heard a series of bills focused on behavioral health, cancer screening, provider reimbursement, research funding, workforce licensing, and tobacco regulation. SB 16 would require counties to maintain procedures for designating and training professionals authorized to perform 5150 evaluations and initiate involuntary holds; supporters said it would expand the pool of qualified clinicians and reduce reliance on law enforcement, while opponents raised concerns about local control and implementation. SB 1124 would require CDPH to create and post lung cancer screening eligibility signage at tobacco point-of-sale locations; supporters emphasized low screening awareness and early detection, and the bill was advanced with amendments. SB 28, a CARE Court cleanup bill, proposed an ombudsperson, reporting, electronic petitions, remote participation, and other changes to improve accountability and access; it drew both strong support and significant opposition over concerns about coercion, scope, and whether the program is working as intended, but it passed the committee as amended to Judiciary.
The committee also heard SB 874, which would strengthen oversight of Medi-Cal behavioral health treatment services, including background checks for providers and a stakeholder workgroup to develop standards; it passed to Public Safety. SB 1049 would let providers resubmit corrected claims within 90 days after a plan’s denial or recoupment action when the original claim had a correctable technical defect; supporters described delayed and withheld payments harming practices, while insurers argued the bill could duplicate existing dispute processes. The bill passed to Appropriations on call. SB 1224 would create a state framework to compete for federal ARPA-H funding for emerging therapies research, with testimony from a UC Davis psychiatrist and veterans’ advocates supporting expanded research into treatments for PTSD, depression, and other conditions; it passed to Military and Veterans Affairs.
Later, SB 1057 would change how the Department of Public Health evaluates conviction history for certified nurse assistants and home health aides, shifting from automatic denial toward individualized assessment based on the offense, time elapsed, and rehabilitation; it passed to Appropriations with some no votes. Finally, SB 1314, a tobacco-related bill, sought to create a 600-foot buffer around schools and day care centers for certain tobacco retailers and address related issues such as cigar lounge definitions and nitrous oxide sales; several local government and public safety groups supported it, while health organizations and business groups opposed it unless amended. The chair announced that committee amendments were being set aside for now and the bill would move forward to Business and Professions with a commitment to continue working on the language; it passed out of committee.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Child Committee Meeting - 2025-04-08
Children and Families Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- Then, beginning on line 1431, our other agencies on line 1451, the Office of the Ombudsperson for American
- On line 1457, the Office of the Ombudsperson for Families.
- I'm a foster youth outreach and engagement specialist for the Office of the Foster Youth Ombudsperson
- Engagement specialist for the Office of the Foster Youth Ombudsperson, often referred to as OOFI, and
Bills:
HF2436
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Commerce Finance and Policy Committee 2/24/26
Commerce Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- But I do want to talk about what the Minnesota CIC and HOA ombudsperson office is.
- Services that the Minnesota CIC HOA ombudsperson office provides include creating and maintaining a website
- ><01:24:21.280>
uh <01:24:21.520>when Just really quickly, a few things that the ombudsperson - The ombudsperson also does not intervene in internal association operations such as elections, budgets
- Um, we are still currently developing an informal mediation program with the ombudsperson office.
Keywords:
common interest community, CIC, homeowners association, HOA, condominium, planned community, cooperative, unit owner, association board, declarant, declarant control, special declarant rights, assessment lien, foreclosure, late fees, fines, attorney fees, resale disclosure, annual report, maintenance plan
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Legislative Audit Commission 1/29/26
Minnesota House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- I'll note there's also in Minnesota an office of ombudsperson for American Indian families.
- Madam Chair, Senator Karan, so in 2019 when the Office of Ombudsperson for Families received additional
- Madam Chair, Senator Karan, so in 2019 when the Office of Ombudsperson for Families received additional
- The Office of Ombudsperson for Families had received notification from human resources as well as MMB
- This is an ombudsperson role. We have many of them, and so they already exist.
Summary:
The Legislative Audit Commission heard a presentation from the Office of the Legislative Auditor on its evaluation of the Office of Ombuds for Families (OBFF). Auditors said the office remains important because of Minnesota’s long history of racial disparities in the child protection system, but they found major problems with how OBFF is operating. The report said OBFF’s statutory duties are very broad compared with its small staff and budget, and that the ombuds persons are not carrying out all required duties while spending substantial time on activities not required by law. Auditors also said the office’s recent impact is unclear and that its complaint-handling work has significant deficiencies, including poor documentation, limited data, few policies, inconsistent handling, and failure to follow best practices.
The presentation also focused on oversight and accountability. Auditors said OBFF’s three community boards, which are supposed to appoint and oversee the ombuds persons, have not provided adequate oversight: meeting requirements were often not met, attendance was low, and there was little evidence the boards were fulfilling their statutory duties. The auditors further said OBFF’s unusual structure, with no single designated leader and shared authority among the three ombuds persons, creates unclear lines of accountability. Their recommendations included revising OBFF’s statutory duties to better match legislative goals and resources, improving complaint-handling practices, strengthening board oversight, and establishing a single leadership position for the office.
Members asked follow-up questions about racial disproportionality in out-of-home care, spending on nonrequired activities, and whether the ombuds persons met statutory qualification requirements. Auditors referred members to the report for more detailed data, said the office does not track expenditures by function, and noted that while the ombuds persons have relevant professional backgrounds, the evaluation raised concerns about whether they are meeting their duties as expected. No votes or formal actions were taken during the hearing.
MN
Transcript Highlights:
- House File 2184 would exempt the Ombudsperson for American Indian families from court fees.
- House File 2184 would exempt the Ombudsperson for American Indian families from court fees.
- The Ombudsperson for American Indian families does really important work.
- colleague Heather Keeler for the really important work you've done to lift up the work of the Ombudsperson