1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to local government; authorizing certain charitable organizations to 
1.3 	participate in joint powers agreements;amending Minnesota Statutes 2006, 
1.4 	section 471.59, subdivision 1.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 471.59, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
1.7 		Subdivision 1.Agreement. Two or more governmental units, by agreement entered 
1.8 	into through action of their governing bodies, may jointly or cooperatively exercise any 
1.9 	power common to the contracting parties or any similar powers, including those which 
1.10 	are the same except for the territorial limits within which they may be exercised. The 
1.11 	agreement may provide for the exercise of such powers by one or more of the participating 
1.12 	governmental units on behalf of the other participating units. The term "governmental 
1.13 	unit" as used in this section includes every city, county, town, school district, other 
1.14 	political subdivision of this or another state, another state, the University of Minnesota, 
1.15 	nonprofit hospitals licensed under sections 144.50 to 144.56, rehabilitation facilities and 
1.16 	extended employment providers that are certified by the commissioner of employment 
1.17 	and economic development, day training and habilitation services licensed under sections 
1.18 	245B.01 to 245B.08, a charitable organization defined in section 309.50, subdivision 4, 
1.19 	that is registered with the attorney general as required under section 309.52, subdivision 
1.20 	1, and any agency of the state of Minnesota or the United States, and includes any 
1.21 	instrumentality of a governmental unit. For the purpose of this section, an instrumentality 
1.22 	of a governmental unit means an instrumentality having independent policy making and 
1.23 	appropriating authority.