2025 Session Last amended: 2021 session

§ 257.0755 — Office of Ombudsperson; Creation; Qualifications; Function

Plain-Language Summary

This section creates community-specific ombudspersons, each appointed by and operating independently from but in collaboration with one of three community boards: the Minnesota Council on Latino Affairs, the Council for Minnesotans of African Heritage, and the Council on Asian-Pacific Minnesotans. Each ombudsperson serves in the unclassified service at the pleasure of the board that appointed them and may be removed only for just cause. An ombudsperson must be highly qualified to analyze questions of law, administration, and public policy regarding the protection and placement of children from families of color, and may not hold any other public office. Money appropriated for each ombudsperson is under that ombudsperson's control.

257.0755 OFFICE OF OMBUDSPERSON; CREATION; QUALIFICATIONS; FUNCTION.

Subdivision 1.Creation.

Each ombudsperson shall operate independently from but in collaboration with the community-specific board that appointed the ombudsperson under section 257.0768: the Minnesota Council on Latino Affairs, the Council for Minnesotans of African Heritage, and the Council on Asian-Pacific Minnesotans. §

Subd. 2.Selection; qualifications.

The ombudsperson for each community shall be selected by the applicable community-specific board established in section 257.0768. Each ombudsperson serves in the unclassified service at the pleasure of the community-specific board and may be removed only for just cause. Each ombudsperson must be selected without regard to political affiliation, and shall be a person highly competent and qualified to analyze questions of law, administration, and public policy regarding the protection and placement of children from families of color. In addition, the ombudsperson must be experienced in dealing with communities of color and knowledgeable about the needs of those communities. No individual may serve as ombudsperson while holding any other public office. §

Subd. 3.Appropriation.

Money appropriated for each ombudsperson from the general fund or the special fund authorized by section 256.01, subdivision 2, paragraph (o), is under the control of each ombudsperson for which it is appropriated.

History:

1991 c 292 art 3 s 20; 1993 c 369 s 77; 1994 c 632 art 4 s 62; 1997 c 7 art 3 s 7; 2013 c 108 art 3 s 35; 2013 c 125 art 1 s 50; 2015 c 77 art 2 s 87; 1Sp2021 c 7 art 14 s 8

History: History: 1991 c 292 art 3 s 20; 1993 c 369 s 77; 1994 c 632 art 4 s 62; 1997 c 7 art 3 s 7; 2013 c 108 art 3 s 35; 2013 c 125 art 1 s 50; 2015 c 77 art 2 s 87; 1Sp2021 c 7 art 14 s 8

Practical Notes

When this applies: When questions arise about the protection or placement of children from families of color in Minnesota. Who this affects: Families and children of color involved with child protection and placement, and the three community-specific councils that appoint ombudspersons. Key points: Each ombudsperson is selected by a specific community board (Latino Affairs, African Heritage, or Asian-Pacific Minnesotans), serves at that board’s pleasure with removal only for just cause, must be experienced with communities of color, cannot hold other public office, and controls the money appropriated for the position.

Source: Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes