Lawmakers and counties make case to modernize eligibility systems, citing 1980s-era software

Representative Frederick presented House File 48 46 to enable lease-purchase financing for modernization of county eligibility technology used for SNAP, cash assistance and medical assistance. Supporters said the proposal treats core eligibility systems as critical infrastructure, arguing that decades-old software imposes administrative burdens and increases error risk.

Jenny Mojo, a Clay County commissioner, said county staff handle eligibility for thousands of residents on SNAP and medical assistance with systems she described as "built in the 1980s," requiring manual entry and multiple disconnected modules. "Modernization gives us a different path and allows us to do the work faster and more accurately," Mojo said, adding that purchase financing spreads costs over time while preserving service continuity.

Peter Butler, deputy budget director at the Department of Human Services, told the committee the bill targets an "access" module; DHS staff will confirm whether updates overlap with other systems such as PRISM. Committee counsel and witnesses from the Association of Minnesota Counties explained the state's environment includes multiple legacy modules (access, prism, ISS, etc.) and said the bill is intended to start with one module while recognizing broader integration work will be required.

Committee members asked about the fiscal mechanics; the bill references a $10 million annual general fund appropriation for lease payments. The hearing included discussion of how a lease-purchase agreement would count against state guideline capacity and how the proposal could fit into a larger multi-agency modernization plan. No final committee action was recorded at the April 14 hearing.