Subd. 1. Establishment of council.

A child abuse prevention council may be established in any county or group of counties that was eligible to receive funds under Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 145.917 as of January 1, 1986. A council organized in such a county or group of counties shall be authorized by the commissioner to review programs seeking trust fund money on finding that the council meets the criteria in this subdivision:

1. (a) The council has submitted a plan for the prevention of child abuse that includes a rank ordering of needed programs and services, assesses the need for additional programs or services, and demonstrates that standards and procedures have been established to ensure that funds will be distributed and used according to Laws 1986, chapter 423.

2. (b) A single-county council shall consist of:

   1. (1) a minimum of nine members with the majority consisting of members from the community-at-large who do not represent service-providing agencies. These members shall represent the demographic and geographic composition of the county and, to the extent possible, represent the following groups: parents, businesses, racial and ethnic minority communities, and the faith communities; and
   2. (2) if necessary, enough additional members with knowledge in the area of child abuse prevention so that a majority of the council is composed of members who do not represent public agencies.
3. (c) A multicounty council shall be composed of the combined membership of persons in paragraph (b).

Subd. 2. Review by council.

To be eligible to receive a grant from the trust fund, an applicant must have had its application reviewed by a child abuse prevention council from the applicant's geographic area found by the commissioner to meet the criteria in this section. In reviewing all applications, the council shall consider the extent to which the applicant meets the criteria and standards in Laws 1986, chapter 423, and the degree to which the program meets the needs of the geographic area. The council shall provide to the advisory council its comments and recommendations concerning each application reviewed and shall provide the advisory council with its prioritization by rank ordering of all applications reviewed.