1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to employment; providing for grants-in-aid 
  1.3             for distance-work projects in rural areas. 
  1.4   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.5      Section 1.  [DISTANCE-WORK GRANTS.] 
  1.6      The job skills partnership board may make grants-in-aid for 
  1.7   distance-work projects.  The purpose of the grants is to promote 
  1.8   distance-work projects involving technology in rural areas, to 
  1.9   help identify and train rural workers in technology, and to 
  1.10  provide rural workers with physical connections to 
  1.11  telecommunications infrastructure, where necessary, in order to 
  1.12  be self-employed or employed from their homes or satellite 
  1.13  offices.  The grants shall be made according to Minnesota 
  1.14  Statutes, sections 116L.02 and 116L.04, except that: 
  1.15     (1) the business match may include, but is not limited to, 
  1.16  additional management or technology staff costs; start-up 
  1.17  equipment costs such as telecommunications infrastructure, 
  1.18  additional software, or computer upgrades; and consulting fees 
  1.19  for implementation of distance-work policies or identification 
  1.20  of potential employees; 
  1.21     (2) eligible grantees may be educational or nonprofit 
  1.22  educational training institutions; and 
  1.23     (3) grants-in-aid may be packaged with loans.