1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to education; creating liberty school district pilot program; authorizing 
1.3 	rulemaking.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. LIBERTY SCHOOL DISTRICT PILOT PROGRAM.
 1.6 		Subdivision 1.Establishment and application. The commissioner of education 
1.7 	may authorize up to ... school districts as liberty districts for a period of five years. A 
1.8 	school district may apply to the commissioner to be included in the pilot program in the 
1.9 	form and manner requested by the commissioner.
1.10 		Subd. 2.Mandate reduction petition. Upon a recorded vote of the school board, a 
1.11 	liberty school district may petition the commissioner for an exemption from a mandate in 
1.12 	statute. Within 30 days of the receipt of the petition, the commissioner must approve or 
1.13 	reject the petition. If the commissioner rejects the petition, the commissioner must include 
1.14 	a statement of reason for rejecting the petition. The commissioner may not approve an 
1.15 	exemption from federal mandates or a mandate related to student health, safety, or testing. 
1.16 	Upon approval of a petition, the commissioner shall send a notice to the legislative 
1.17 	committees with jurisdiction over education policy and education finance including the 
1.18 	district receiving the approval and the mandate that has been exempted.

1.19 	Sec. 2. RULEMAKING.
 1.20 	The commissioner of education must adopt rules creating criteria under which the 
1.21 	commissioner will approve or reject liberty school district mandate reduction petitions.