1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to agriculture; clarifying the employment 
  1.3             status of certain farm crisis assistance personnel; 
  1.4             amending Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 17.03, 
  1.5             subdivision 9. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 17.03, 
  1.8   subdivision 9, is amended to read: 
  1.9      Subd. 9.  [FARM CRISIS ASSISTANCE FEES; LIABILITY.] (a) The 
  1.10  department may charge a fee for farm crisis assistance services 
  1.11  it provides to persons outside of the department.  
  1.12     (b) The state is not liable for the actions of persons 
  1.13  under contract with the department who provide farm crisis 
  1.14  assistance services as part of their contractual duties.  
  1.15  Persons who provide farm crisis assistance are not subject to 
  1.16  liability for their actions that are within the scope of their 
  1.17  contract.  The immunity from liability in this subdivision is in 
  1.18  addition to and not a limitation of immunity otherwise accorded 
  1.19  to the state and its contractors under law.  
  1.20     (c) Fees collected by the department under this subdivision 
  1.21  must be deposited in the general fund. 
  1.22     (d) Persons under contract with the department to provide 
  1.23  farm crisis assistance are not employees of the state.