County officials urge statewide coordination and local workarounds as state systems lag

Commissioners and county staff said the state's aging eligibility systems complicate implementation of HR1 and that delays or gaps in state guidance will force counties to consider bridge solutions. County staff and commissioners described participation in an AMC (Association of Minnesota Counties) work group and a statewide modernization effort that includes the county CIO.

Commissioner Jevan Singh and others underscored that Minnesota is a state-supervised, county-administered system and urged collective advocacy for state and federal resources. County officials also discussed exploring county-level workarounds or partnerships with other large counties to avoid being solely dependent on state modernization timelines. "We actually just wanna put some strategic folks, both the commissioner level and, our CIO, actually, to put time in there," one county official said, describing the work group and county representation.

Board members emphasized the limits of local control over federal and state rules but urged that the county move proactively where possible, including training certified internal trainers and accelerating recruitment so staff are prepared if federal deadlines are not delayed.