1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to economic development; appropriating money 
  1.3             for economic development and related purposes; 
  1.4             modifying provisions of a study; requiring reports; 
  1.5             establishing pilot projects; providing an exemption 
  1.6             from grant limits; defining terms; setting 
  1.7             requirements for wastewater financial assistance; 
  1.8             modifying loan criteria; modifying supplemental 
  1.9             assistance provisions; establishing a revolving loan 
  1.10            fund; modifying warranty provisions; requiring 
  1.11            builders to make certain disclosures; establishing a 
  1.12            public education campaign for homeowners' rights; 
  1.13            providing for an employee notice of rights; modifying 
  1.14            false statement provisions; providing exemptions from 
  1.15            reemployment insurance requirements; modifying labor 
  1.16            provisions for city attorneys; modifying reinvestment 
  1.17            program provisions; extending boundaries; modifying a 
  1.18            public utility mandate; amending Minnesota Statutes 
  1.19            1996, sections 16B.06, subdivision 2; 16B.08, 
  1.20            subdivision 7; 16B.65, subdivision 7; 115C.09, by 
  1.21            adding a subdivision; 116.182, subdivision 1, and by 
  1.22            adding a subdivision; 116J.415, subdivision 5; 
  1.23            116J.553, subdivision 2; 116L.03, subdivision 5; 
  1.24            179A.16, subdivisions 1, 3, 9, and by adding a 
  1.25            subdivision; 179A.18, subdivision 1; 181.64; 
  1.26            216B.2423, subdivision 1; 326.87, subdivision 2; 
  1.27            326.975, subdivision 1; 327A.01, subdivisions 2 and 5; 
  1.28            327A.02, subdivisions 1 and 3; 327A.03; 383B.79, 
  1.29            subdivision 1, and by adding a subdivision; 446A.072, 
  1.30            subdivisions 2 and 4; 469.303; and 541.051, 
  1.31            subdivisions 1 and 4; Minnesota Statutes 1997 
  1.32            Supplement, sections 115C.09, subdivision 3f; and 
  1.33            414.11; Laws 1997, chapter 85, article 1, section 39, 
  1.34            subdivision 4; Laws 1997, chapter 200, article 1, 
  1.35            section 2, subdivision 2; section 12, subdivision 2; 
  1.36            section 33, subdivision 1, and by adding subdivisions; 
  1.37            proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, 
  1.38            chapters 116J; and 181; repealing Minnesota Statutes 
  1.39            1996, section 116C.80; Minnesota Statutes 1997 
  1.40            Supplement, section 446A.072, subdivision 4a; Laws 
  1.41            1991, chapter 275, section 3. 
  1.42  BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.43  Section 1.  [ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT APPROPRIATIONS.] 
  2.1      The sums in the columns marked "APPROPRIATIONS" are 
  2.2   appropriated from the general fund, or another named fund, to 
  2.3   the agencies and for the purposes specified in this article, to 
  2.4   be available for the fiscal years indicated for each purpose.  
  2.5   The figures "1998" and "1999," where used in this act, mean that 
  2.6   the appropriation or appropriations listed under them are 
  2.7   available for the year ending June 30, 1998, or June 30, 1999, 
  2.8   respectively.  The term "first year" means the fiscal year 
  2.9   ending June 30, 1998, and "second year" means the fiscal year 
  2.10  ending June 30, 1999. 
  2.11                          SUMMARY BY FUND 
  2.12                                           1998           1999 
  2.13  General                              $   983,000    $14,840,000 
  2.14  General Fund Revenue                    (204,000)      (319,000)
  2.15  Workers' Compensation Fund                50,000        (50,000)
  2.16  Special Revenue Fund                       -0-          200,000 
  2.17  TOTAL                                $   829,000    $14,671,000 
  2.18                                             APPROPRIATIONS 
  2.19                                         Available for the Year 
  2.20                                             Ending June 30 
  2.21                                            1998         1999 
  2.22  Sec. 2.  DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND
  2.23  ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT               $      -0-     $  7,725,000
  2.24  (a) Mining Grants 
  2.25  $300,000 is appropriated in 1999 for 
  2.26  the taconite mining grant program under 
  2.27  Minnesota Statutes, section 116J.992.  
  2.28  This is a one-time appropriation and is 
  2.29  not added to the department's permanent 
  2.30  budget base. 
  2.31  (b) Circulator Vehicle Pilot Project 
  2.32  $220,000 in 1999 is for the purposes of 
  2.33  the circulator vehicle pilot project 
  2.34  under section 62.  This is a one-time 
  2.35  appropriation and is not added to the 
  2.36  department's permanent budget base. 
  2.37  (c) Kiosks for Circulator Vehicle Pilot 
  2.38  Project 
  2.39  $65,000 in 1999 is for the kiosks for 
  2.40  the circulator vehicle pilot project 
  2.41  under section 62.  This is a one-time 
  2.42  appropriation and is not added to the 
  2.43  department's permanent budget base. 
  2.44  (d) Millennium Screen Writing Festival 
  2.45  $100,000 is appropriated in 1999 for 
  3.1   planning for the millennium screen 
  3.2   writing festival, and to enhance the 
  3.3   film making industry in Minnesota by 
  3.4   providing grants to local 
  3.5   screenwriters.  Of this amount, $50,000 
  3.6   is a one-time appropriation and is not 
  3.7   added to the department's budget base, 
  3.8   and $50,000 is added to the 
  3.9   department's budget base. 
  3.10  (e) Minnesota Film Board     
  3.11  $5,000,000 is appropriated in 1999 for 
  3.12  transfer to the revolving loan fund 
  3.13  under Minnesota Statutes, section 
  3.14  116J.545.  Of this appropriation, the 
  3.15  film board may use up to $100,000 each 
  3.16  year for administration of the loan 
  3.17  fund.  This is a one-time appropriation 
  3.18  and is not added to the department's 
  3.19  permanent budget base.  Of this amount, 
  3.20  $50,000 is for a grant to the 
  3.21  Mississippi River Parkway Commission of 
  3.22  Minnesota for the state's share of the 
  3.23  Smithsonian's River of Song project. 
  3.24  (f) Tourism Advertising and Marketing
  3.25  $1,000,000 is appropriated in 1999 for 
  3.26  additional tourism advertising and is 
  3.27  added to the appropriation for tourism 
  3.28  provided in Laws 1997, chapter 200, 
  3.29  article 1, section 2, subdivision 4.  
  3.30  Of this amount, $711,000 is added to 
  3.31  the department's budget base.  Of this 
  3.32  amount, $50,000 is to create 
  3.33  informational leaflets and other means 
  3.34  of marketing the Heritage Halls Museum 
  3.35  and Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame in 
  3.36  Owatonna.  Of this amount, $50,000 is 
  3.37  for a study on the feasibility and 
  3.38  economic impact of a Great Rivers of 
  3.39  the World Aquarium in St. Paul on the 
  3.40  Mississippi river. 
  3.41  (g) Duluth Technology Center 
  3.42  $200,000 is appropriated in 1999 for a 
  3.43  grant to the Duluth Technology Center 
  3.44  to continue development of software 
  3.45  business opportunities with particular 
  3.46  attention to encouraging location of 
  3.47  foreign software companies in 
  3.48  northeastern Minnesota.  This is a 
  3.49  one-time appropriation and is not added 
  3.50  to the department's permanent budget 
  3.51  base. 
  3.52  (h) Chatfield Brass Band Music Lending 
  3.53  Library 
  3.54  $60,000 is appropriated in 1999 for a 
  3.55  grant to the Chatfield brass band music 
  3.56  lending library.  The money must be 
  3.57  used for computer hardware and software 
  3.58  to catalog the music collection and 
  3.59  create a Web site.  This is a one-time 
  3.60  appropriation and must not be added to 
  3.61  the agency's permanent budget base. 
  3.62  (i) Neighborhood Development Center, 
  4.1   Inc. 
  4.2   $90,000 is appropriated in 1999 for the 
  4.3   purpose of making a grant to the 
  4.4   Neighborhood Development Center, Inc.  
  4.5   The center shall use the grant for the 
  4.6   purpose of expanding and improving its 
  4.7   neighborhood and ethnic-based 
  4.8   entrepreneur training, lending, and 
  4.9   support programs in the poorest 
  4.10  communities of Minneapolis and St. 
  4.11  Paul.  This appropriation is added to 
  4.12  the department's budget base. 
  4.13  (j) Public Arts St. Paul 
  4.14  $50,000 is appropriated in 1999 for a 
  4.15  grant to Public Arts Saint Paul for 
  4.16  planning for public art projects 
  4.17  throughout the city of St. Paul.  This 
  4.18  is a one-time appropriation and is not 
  4.19  added to the department's permanent 
  4.20  budget base. 
  4.21  (k) City of St. Paul 
  4.22  $350,000 is appropriated in 1999 for a 
  4.23  grant to the city of St. Paul.  Of this 
  4.24  amount, $250,000 is for the completion 
  4.25  of renovations to the University of 
  4.26  Minnesota Centennial Showboat to be 
  4.27  docked at Harriet Island.  Of this 
  4.28  amount, $100,000 is for a study on the 
  4.29  relocation and expansion of the St. 
  4.30  Paul Farmers' Market at a site that 
  4.31  will interact with the Concord Street 
  4.32  business area.  The study will consider 
  4.33  growth needs, job development 
  4.34  opportunities, and the creation of a 
  4.35  state-approved commercial kitchen.  
  4.36  This is a one-time appropriation and is 
  4.37  not added to the department's budget 
  4.38  base. 
  4.39  (l) Mississippi River Parkway 
  4.40  Commission 
  4.41  $15,000 is appropriated in 1999 for a 
  4.42  grant to the Mississippi River Parkway 
  4.43  Commission of Minnesota for the 
  4.44  Smithsonian River of Song community 
  4.45  promotion and Great River Road Ramble.  
  4.46  This is a one-time appropriation and is 
  4.47  not added to the department's budget 
  4.48  base. 
  4.49  (m) Biomass Energy Generation 
  4.50  $50,000 is appropriated in 1999 to 
  4.51  conduct financial analyses and project 
  4.52  due diligence exercises in cooperation 
  4.53  with private financial institutions and 
  4.54  the United States Department of 
  4.55  Agriculture for the purpose of 
  4.56  assembling a debt financing package for 
  4.57  a 75 megawatt electric energy 
  4.58  generation project using farm-grown 
  4.59  closed loop biomass.  This is a 
  4.60  one-time appropriation and is not added 
  4.61  to the department's budget base. 
  5.1   (n) Fairmont Opera House 
  5.2   $200,000 is appropriated in 1999 for 
  5.3   accessibility improvements for the 
  5.4   Fairmont Opera House.  This is a 
  5.5   one-time appropriation and is not added 
  5.6   to the department's budget base. 
  5.7   (o) Heritage Breed Chickens 
  5.8   $25,000 is appropriated in 1999 for 
  5.9   grants to county fairs to provide 
  5.10  premiums and prizes for heritage breeds 
  5.11  of chickens.  This appropriation may 
  5.12  also be used to provide participating 
  5.13  4H and other youth groups up to 25 free 
  5.14  nursery hatchlings.  This is a one-time 
  5.15  appropriation and is not added to the 
  5.16  department's budget base. 
  5.17  Sec. 3.  MINNESOTA TECHNOLOGY, INC.        -0-        100,000
  5.18  $100,000 is appropriated in 1999 for 
  5.19  transfer to the Minnesota Technology, 
  5.20  Inc. fund for a grant to Minnesota 
  5.21  Project Innovation, Inc. to fund 
  5.22  Business Information and Technology 
  5.23  Centers, with one located at Metro 
  5.24  State University and one outside the 
  5.25  Twin Cities metropolitan area.  This is 
  5.26  a one-time appropriation and is not 
  5.27  added to the agency's budget base. 
  5.28  Sec. 4.  MINNESOTA WORLD TRADE CENTER
  5.29  CORPORATION                              155,000        -0-  
  5.30  $155,000 is appropriated in 1998 for 
  5.31  full and final payments of the 
  5.32  remaining 1988 debt of the Minnesota 
  5.33  World Trade Center Corporation which 
  5.34  was incurred for conference center 
  5.35  furniture, fixtures, and equipment.  
  5.36  This appropriation is available 
  5.37  immediately.  This is a one-time 
  5.38  appropriation and is not added to the 
  5.39  department's permanent budget base. 
  5.40  Sec. 5.  DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC
  5.41  SECURITY                                 500,000      4,509,000 
  5.42  (a) Youthbuild 
  5.43  $250,000 is appropriated in 1998 for 
  5.44  the Youthbuild program under Minnesota 
  5.45  Statutes, sections 268.361 to 268.366.  
  5.46  A Minnesota Youthbuild program funded 
  5.47  under this section as authorized in 
  5.48  Minnesota Statutes, sections 268.361 to 
  5.49  268.366, qualifies as an approved 
  5.50  training program under Minnesota Rules, 
  5.51  part 5200.0930, subpart 1.  The 
  5.52  appropriation is in addition to the 
  5.53  appropriation made by Laws 1997, 
  5.54  chapter 200, article 1, section 5, 
  5.55  subdivision 4, and is added to the 
  5.56  department's budget base.  The 
  5.57  appropriation is available until June 
  5.58  30, 1999. 
  5.59  (b) Youth Intervention Programs 
  6.1   $250,000 is appropriated in 1998 for 
  6.2   grants to fund 50 youth intervention 
  6.3   programs under Minnesota Statutes, 
  6.4   section 268.30, and is in addition to 
  6.5   the appropriation made by Laws 1997, 
  6.6   chapter 200, article 1, section 5, 
  6.7   subdivision 4, and is added to the 
  6.8   department's budget base.  It is 
  6.9   available until June 30, 1999.  
  6.10  (c) Centers for Independent Living 
  6.11  $523,000 in 1999 is for centers for 
  6.12  independent living.  This appropriation 
  6.13  is to partially achieve the recommended 
  6.14  minimum funding level of $500,000 per 
  6.15  center and is in addition to the 
  6.16  appropriation provided in Laws 1997, 
  6.17  chapter 200, article 1, section 5, 
  6.18  subdivision 2.  This appropriation is 
  6.19  added to the department's budget base.  
  6.20  The department shall allocate this 
  6.21  appropriation among the centers 
  6.22  equally, and shall not consider what 
  6.23  federal funds may be available to a 
  6.24  center in determining the allocations. 
  6.25  (d) Alien Labor Certification
  6.26  $160,000 is appropriated in 1999 to 
  6.27  administer the alien labor 
  6.28  certification program.  This is a 
  6.29  one-time appropriation and is not added 
  6.30  to the department's permanent budget 
  6.31  base. 
  6.32  (e) State Services for the Blind
  6.33  $1,400,000 is appropriated in 1999 to 
  6.34  the State Services for the Blind to 
  6.35  update radio talking book receivers and 
  6.36  create a digital infrastructure for the 
  6.37  communication center.  This is a 
  6.38  one-time appropriation and must be 
  6.39  matched dollar for dollar by a private 
  6.40  nonprofit organization for the same 
  6.41  purpose.  This appropriation is 
  6.42  available until June 30, 2000. 
  6.43  (f) Regional Job Market Analysis
  6.44  $200,000 is appropriated in 1999 to 
  6.45  retain the services of regional job 
  6.46  market analysts.  This appropriation is 
  6.47  added to the department's budget base. 
  6.48  (g) Vocational Rehabilitation
  6.49  $1,000,000 is appropriated in 1999 for 
  6.50  the vocational rehabilitation program 
  6.51  and is added to the appropriation for 
  6.52  rehabilitation services provided in 
  6.53  Laws 1997, chapter 200, article 1, 
  6.54  section 5, subdivision 2.  This is a 
  6.55  one-time appropriation and is not added 
  6.56  to the department's budget base. 
  6.57  (h) Nontraditional Careers for Women 
  6.58  $250,000 is appropriated in 1999, and 
  6.59  is added to the department's budget 
  7.1   base, for grants to organizations for 
  7.2   programs that encourage and assist 
  7.3   women to enter nontraditional careers 
  7.4   in the trades and in manual and 
  7.5   technical occupations.  To be eligible 
  7.6   for a grant under this section, a 
  7.7   program must include:  (1) outreach to 
  7.8   girls and women through public and 
  7.9   private elementary, junior high and 
  7.10  high schools, appropriate community 
  7.11  organizations, or existing state and 
  7.12  county employment and training 
  7.13  programs.  The outreach will consist of 
  7.14  general information concerning 
  7.15  opportunities for women in the trades, 
  7.16  manual, and technical occupations, 
  7.17  including specific fields where worker 
  7.18  shortages exist; and specific 
  7.19  information about training programs 
  7.20  offered.  The outreach may include 
  7.21  printed or recorded information, 
  7.22  presentations to women and girls, 
  7.23  hands-on experiences for girls, or 
  7.24  ongoing contact with appropriate staff 
  7.25  and volunteers; or (2) assistance for 
  7.26  women to enter careers in the trades, 
  7.27  technical, and manual occupations as 
  7.28  follows:  (a) training designed to 
  7.29  prepare women to succeed in 
  7.30  nontraditional occupations, conducted 
  7.31  by the grantee or in collaboration with 
  7.32  another institution.  The training 
  7.33  shall cover the knowledge and skills 
  7.34  required for the trade, information 
  7.35  about on-the-job realities for women in 
  7.36  the particular trade, physical strength 
  7.37  and stamina training as needed to 
  7.38  increase women's eligibility for jobs 
  7.39  that require physical strength, 
  7.40  opportunities for developing workplace 
  7.41  problem solving skills, and information 
  7.42  about the current and projected future 
  7.43  job market and likely career paths; (b) 
  7.44  assistance with child care and 
  7.45  transportation during training, job 
  7.46  search, and the first two months of 
  7.47  employment for low-income women who do 
  7.48  not have other coverage for these 
  7.49  expenses; (c) job placement assistance 
  7.50  during and for at least two years after 
  7.51  completion of the training program; and 
  7.52  (d) job retention support.  This may 
  7.53  take the form of mentorship programs, 
  7.54  support groups, or ongoing staff 
  7.55  contact for at least the first year of 
  7.56  placement in a job after completion of 
  7.57  training, and should include access to 
  7.58  job-related information, assistance 
  7.59  with workplace issues resolution, and 
  7.60  access to advocacy. 
  7.61  Programs must be accessible to MFIP-S 
  7.62  participants and other low-income 
  7.63  women.  Factors that contribute to 
  7.64  accessibility include:  (1) 
  7.65  affordability or financial aid 
  7.66  available for tuition and supplies; (2) 
  7.67  geographic proximity to low-income 
  7.68  neighborhoods, child care, and 
  7.69  transportation routes; and (3) 
  7.70  flexibility of hours per week and weeks 
  8.1   of duration of training programs to be 
  8.2   compatible with family needs and the 
  8.3   need for employment during training. 
  8.4   All state-funded employment and 
  8.5   training programs must include 
  8.6   information about opportunities for 
  8.7   women in nontraditional careers in the 
  8.8   trades, manual, and technical 
  8.9   occupations. 
  8.10  (i) Summer Youth Employment 
  8.11  $600,000 is appropriated in 1999 for 
  8.12  summer youth employment programs.  This 
  8.13  is a one-time appropriation and is not 
  8.14  added to the department's budget base. 
  8.15  (j) Work Force Centers Pilot Project 
  8.16  $250,000 is appropriated in 1999 to 
  8.17  develop a pilot project that will 
  8.18  electronically link four department 
  8.19  workforce centers with four secondary 
  8.20  schools for the purpose of providing 
  8.21  secondary students and school 
  8.22  counselors with labor market 
  8.23  information and job-seeking skills 
  8.24  expertise to assist transition from 
  8.25  school to work.  The commissioner shall 
  8.26  employ four people to implement this 
  8.27  project.  The commissioner shall report 
  8.28  on the progress of the pilot project to 
  8.29  the legislature by May 1, 1999.  The 
  8.30  commissioner shall make a final report 
  8.31  on the pilot projects to the 
  8.32  legislature by March 1, 2000.  This is 
  8.33  a one-time appropriation and must not 
  8.34  be added to the agency's permanent 
  8.35  budget base. 
  8.36  (k) Advocating Change Together, Inc. 
  8.37  $126,000 is appropriated in 1999 for a 
  8.38  grant to Advocating Change Together, 
  8.39  Inc. (ACT).  The grant must be used for 
  8.40  the training and empowerment of 
  8.41  individuals with developmental and 
  8.42  other mental health disabilities, the 
  8.43  maintenance of related data, or 
  8.44  technical assistance for work 
  8.45  advancement or additional workforce 
  8.46  training.  This is a one-time 
  8.47  appropriation and is not added to the 
  8.48  department's permanent budget base. 
  8.49  Sec. 6.  DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE           -0-           222,000 
  8.50                Summary by Fund
  8.51  General                   -0-          22,000
  8.52  Special Revenue Fund      -0-         200,000
  8.53  $22,000 is appropriated in 1999 from 
  8.54  the general fund for implementation of 
  8.55  the mortgage originator and servicer 
  8.56  regulation program established in House 
  8.57  File No. 2983, if enacted.  This is 
  8.58  added to the department's budget base.  
  8.59  $200,000 is appropriated from the 
  9.1   contractor's recovery account in the 
  9.2   special revenue fund under Minnesota 
  9.3   Statutes 1996, section 326.975, 
  9.4   subdivision 1, to provide information 
  9.5   to consumers on residential 
  9.6   construction issues and is added to the 
  9.7   department's budget base. 
  9.8   Sec. 7.  LABOR AND INDUSTRY               -0-           100,000
  9.9   $100,000 is appropriated in 1999 for 
  9.10  development of the standard disclosure 
  9.11  brochure, required in Minnesota 
  9.12  Statutes, section 181.636, subdivision 
  9.13  2, and to develop and implement a 
  9.14  public awareness campaign in 
  9.15  consultation with the councils created 
  9.16  under Minnesota Statutes, sections 
  9.17  3.922, 3.9223, 3.9225, and 3.9226, to 
  9.18  educate employees and employers on 
  9.19  their rights and duties under Minnesota 
  9.20  Statutes, section 181.636.  The 
  9.21  commissioner shall report to the 
  9.22  legislature by January 15, 2000, on the 
  9.23  results of the campaign.  Of this 
  9.24  appropriation, $81,000 is added to the 
  9.25  department's budget base. 
  9.26  Sec. 8.  PUBLIC UTILITIES
  9.27  COMMISSION                               204,000        189,000 
  9.28  This appropriation is for costs 
  9.29  associated with the regulation of 
  9.30  utilities. 
  9.31  Sec. 9.  DEPARTMENT OF 
  9.32  PUBLIC SERVICE                             -0-          130,000 
  9.33  This appropriation is for planning and 
  9.34  analysis of the regulation of the 
  9.35  electrical industry. 
  9.36  Sec. 10.  MINNESOTA HISTORICAL 
  9.37  SOCIETY                                  124,000        925,000 
  9.38  (a) Salary Increases
  9.39  $124,000 is appropriated in 1998 and 
  9.40  $450,000 is appropriated in 1999 for 
  9.41  salary increases.  The fiscal year 1998 
  9.42  appropriation is available 
  9.43  immediately.  This appropriation is 
  9.44  added to the historical society's 
  9.45  budget base. 
  9.46  (b) Lake Superior and Mississippi 
  9.47  Railroad 
  9.48  $100,000 is appropriated in 1999 for a 
  9.49  grant to the Lake Superior and 
  9.50  Mississippi railroad, a 501(c)(3) 
  9.51  organization, for the purchase and 
  9.52  installation of railroad ties.  This is 
  9.53  a one-time appropriation and is not 
  9.54  added to the department's permanent 
  9.55  budget base. 
  9.56  (c) Hmong Archives 
  9.57  $100,000 is appropriated in 1999 for 
  9.58  start-up costs for the Hmong history 
 10.1   and culture archival project.  The 
 10.2   society may make grants to nonprofit 
 10.3   organizations for planning, training, 
 10.4   and purchase of supplies and 
 10.5   equipment.  Of this amount, $75,000 is 
 10.6   added to the society's budget base. 
 10.7   (d) Fridley Historical Museum 
 10.8   $50,000 is appropriated in 1999 to 
 10.9   refurbish the Fridley historical museum 
 10.10  in Fridley.  This is a one-time 
 10.11  appropriation and is not added to the 
 10.12  department's permanent budget base. 
 10.13  (e) Winona County Historical Society 
 10.14  $50,000 is appropriated in 1999 for a 
 10.15  one-time grant to the Winona county 
 10.16  historical society for upgrade of 
 10.17  technology.  The Winona county 
 10.18  historical society shall submit to the 
 10.19  Minnesota historical society a plan for 
 10.20  the use of this grant.  As part of this 
 10.21  project, the Minnesota historical 
 10.22  society, in collaboration with the 
 10.23  Winona county historical society and 
 10.24  other county and local historical 
 10.25  societies, shall develop a plan for the 
 10.26  future use of technology by county and 
 10.27  local historical societies.  This is a 
 10.28  one-time appropriation and is not added 
 10.29  to the department's permanent budget 
 10.30  base. 
 10.31  (f) St. Croix Valley Heritage Center 
 10.32  $75,000 is appropriated in 1999 for a 
 10.33  grant to the St. Croix Valley Heritage 
 10.34  Coalition, Inc., for initial project 
 10.35  design for the St. Croix Valley 
 10.36  Heritage Center.  This is a one-time 
 10.37  appropriation and is not added to the 
 10.38  department's permanent budget base. 
 10.39  (g) Grimm Farmhouse
 10.40  $75,000 is appropriated in 1999 for a 
 10.41  one-time grant to Hennepin parks for 
 10.42  the design and stabilization of the 
 10.43  Wendelin Grimm farmhouse.  This 
 10.44  appropriation is available until June 
 10.45  30, 1999.  This appropriation must be 
 10.46  matched by an equal amount from 
 10.47  nonstate sources.  This is a one-time 
 10.48  appropriation and is not added to the 
 10.49  budget base. 
 10.50  (h) Metropolitan Multitype Library
 10.51  Consortium
 10.52  $25,000 is appropriated in 1999 for a 
 10.53  grant to the metropolitan multitype 
 10.54  library consortium for copying and 
 10.55  making available to the 11 greater 
 10.56  Minnesota regional public library 
 10.57  systems and the St. Paul and 
 10.58  Minneapolis libraries, through the 
 10.59  Minnesota center for the book, a series 
 10.60  of video cassette tapes of interviews 
 10.61  with Minnesota authors, for the 
 11.1   production and programming costs of the 
 11.2   northern lights cable program on which 
 11.3   the Minnesota authors are interviewed, 
 11.4   and for operating costs the consortium 
 11.5   incurs as a result of this provision.  
 11.6   Libraries that receive a copy of the 
 11.7   series shall make the video cassettes 
 11.8   readily available to teachers and other 
 11.9   members of the public interested in 
 11.10  learning about the work and lives of 
 11.11  Minnesota authors.  This is a one-time 
 11.12  appropriation and is not added to the 
 11.13  budget base. 
 11.14  Sec. 11.  COUNCIL ON BLACK 
 11.15  MINNESOTANS                               -0-           75,000 
 11.16  $75,000 is appropriated in 1999 to 
 11.17  assist in planning and coordinating 
 11.18  observances of the Martin Luther King, 
 11.19  Jr. holiday and other events honoring 
 11.20  Martin Luther King, Jr.  This is a 
 11.21  one-time appropriation and is not added 
 11.22  to the council's budget base. 
 11.23  Sec. 12.  INDIAN AFFAIRS COUNCIL          -0-           80,000 
 11.24  $80,000 is appropriated in 1999 to 
 11.25  assist in funding the 50th annual 
 11.26  conference of the Interstate Indian 
 11.27  Council to be held in Minnesota in 
 11.28  1999.  This is a one-time appropriation 
 11.29  and is not added to the council's 
 11.30  permanent budget base. 
 11.31  Sec. 13.  ADMINISTRATION                 -0-           735,000
 11.32  (a) Little Falls 
 11.33  $300,000 is appropriated in 1999 for a 
 11.34  grant to the city of Little Falls to 
 11.35  develop programming and marketing 
 11.36  plans, and to equip a conference center 
 11.37  and retreat site on the Mississippi 
 11.38  river in Little Falls.  This is a 
 11.39  one-time appropriation and is not added 
 11.40  to the department's permanent budget 
 11.41  base. 
 11.42  (b) Montevideo 
 11.43  $185,000 is appropriated in 1999 for a 
 11.44  grant to the city of Montevideo for 
 11.45  exterior improvements to the city's 
 11.46  historic railroad depot and for design 
 11.47  and development of a related parking 
 11.48  area, trailhead, and public facilities 
 11.49  at the site, subject to the 
 11.50  requirements of Minnesota Statutes, 
 11.51  section 16A.695.  This is a one-time 
 11.52  appropriation and is not added to the 
 11.53  department's permanent budget base. 
 11.54  (c) Walnut Grove 
 11.55  $50,000 is appropriated in 1999 for a 
 11.56  grant to the city of Walnut Grove for 
 11.57  capital improvements to the Laura 
 11.58  Ingalls Wilder pageant facilities.  
 11.59  This is a one-time appropriation and is 
 11.60  not added to the department's permanent 
 12.1   budget base. 
 12.2   (d) Columbia Heights 
 12.3   $100,000 is appropriated in 1999 for a 
 12.4   grant to the city of Columbia Heights 
 12.5   for Central Avenue streetscape 
 12.6   improvements.  This is a one-time 
 12.7   appropriation and is not added to the 
 12.8   department's permanent budget base. 
 12.9   (e) Stewart 
 12.10  $100,000 is appropriated in 1999 for a 
 12.11  grant to the city of Stewart for the 
 12.12  final draw down design for the storm 
 12.13  sewer project.  This is a one-time 
 12.14  appropriation and is not added to the 
 12.15  department's permanent budget base. 
 12.16  Sec. 14.  METROPOLITAN COUNCIL             -0-          250,000 
 12.17  $250,000 is appropriated in 1999 for 
 12.18  corridor planning pilot project grants, 
 12.19  as provided in section 60.  This is a 
 12.20  one-time appropriation and is not added 
 12.21  to the department's permanent budget 
 12.22  base. 
 12.23  Sec. 15.  [BOUNDARY EXTENSION.] 
 12.24  The boundaries of the North Mississippi 
 12.25  Regional Park are extended to include 
 12.26  49th Avenue North and adjacent property 
 12.27  from Humboldt Avenue West to the 
 12.28  Mississippi river.  Funds appropriated 
 12.29  for the North Mississippi Regional Park 
 12.30  may be expended to create a trail or 
 12.31  greenway as part of the Hennepin county 
 12.32  multijurisdictional program on 49th 
 12.33  Avenue North and adjacent property as 
 12.34  an entrance to the North Mississippi 
 12.35  Regional Park.  
 12.36     Sec. 16.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 16B.06, 
 12.37  subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
 12.38     Subd. 2.  [VALIDITY OF STATE CONTRACTS.] (a) A state 
 12.39  contract or lease is not valid and the state is not bound by it 
 12.40  until: 
 12.41     (1) it has first been executed by the head of the agency or 
 12.42  a delegate which is a party to the contract; 
 12.43     (2) it has been approved by the commissioner or a delegate, 
 12.44  under this section; 
 12.45     (3) it has been approved by the attorney general or a 
 12.46  delegate as to form and execution; and 
 12.47     (4) the account system shows an allotment or encumbrance 
 12.48  balance for the full amount of the contract liability.  
 12.49     (b) Paragraph (a), clause (2), does not apply to contracts 
 13.1   between state agencies, contracts awarding grants, or contracts 
 13.2   making loans, or bond purchase agreements by the department of 
 13.3   trade and economic development or the Minnesota public 
 13.4   facilities authority. 
 13.5      (c) The head of the agency may delegate the execution of 
 13.6   specific contracts or specific types of contracts to a 
 13.7   designated subordinate within the agency if the delegation has 
 13.8   been approved by the commissioner of administration and filed 
 13.9   with the secretary of state.  The fully executed copy of every 
 13.10  contract or lease must be kept on file at the contracting agency.
 13.11     Sec. 17.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 16B.08, 
 13.12  subdivision 7, is amended to read: 
 13.13     Subd. 7.  [SPECIFIC PURCHASES.] (a) The following may be 
 13.14  purchased without regard to the competitive bidding requirements 
 13.15  of this chapter:  
 13.16     (1) merchandise for resale at state park refectories or 
 13.17  facility operations; 
 13.18     (2) farm and garden products, which may be sold at the 
 13.19  prevailing market price on the date of the sale; 
 13.20     (3) meat for other state institutions from the technical 
 13.21  college maintained at Pipestone by independent school district 
 13.22  No. 583; and 
 13.23     (4) products and services from the Minnesota correctional 
 13.24  facilities; and 
 13.25     (5) merchandise for resale at office of tourism locations.  
 13.26     (b) Supplies, materials, equipment, and utility services 
 13.27  for use by a community-based residential facility operated by 
 13.28  the commissioner of human services may be purchased or rented 
 13.29  without regard to the competitive bidding requirements of this 
 13.30  chapter. 
 13.31     (c) Supplies, materials, or equipment to be used in the 
 13.32  operation of a hospital licensed under sections 144.50 to 144.56 
 13.33  that are purchased under a shared service purchasing arrangement 
 13.34  whereby more than one hospital purchases supplies, materials, or 
 13.35  equipment with one or more other hospitals, either through one 
 13.36  of the hospitals or through another entity, may be purchased 
 14.1   without regard to the competitive bidding requirements of this 
 14.2   chapter if the following conditions are met: 
 14.3      (1) the hospital's governing authority authorizes the 
 14.4   arrangement; 
 14.5      (2) the shared services purchasing program purchases items 
 14.6   available from more than one source on the basis of competitive 
 14.7   bids or competitive quotations of prices; and 
 14.8      (3) the arrangement authorizes the hospital's governing 
 14.9   authority or its representatives to review the purchasing 
 14.10  procedures to determine compliance with these requirements. 
 14.11     Sec. 18.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 16B.65, 
 14.12  subdivision 7, is amended to read: 
 14.13     Subd. 7.  [CONTINUING EDUCATION.] Subject to sections 
 14.14  16B.59 to 16B.75, the commissioner may by rule establish or 
 14.15  approve continuing education programs for municipal building 
 14.16  officials dealing with matters of building code administration, 
 14.17  inspection, and enforcement.  
 14.18     Effective January 1, 1985, each person certified as a 
 14.19  building official for the state must satisfactorily complete 
 14.20  applicable educational programs established or approved by the 
 14.21  commissioner every three calendar years to retain certification, 
 14.22  including at least three hours in programs relating to the state 
 14.23  energy code. 
 14.24     Each person certified as a building official must submit in 
 14.25  writing to the commissioner an application for renewal of 
 14.26  certification within 60 days of the last day of the third 
 14.27  calendar year following the last certificate issued.  Each 
 14.28  application for renewal must be accompanied by proof of 
 14.29  satisfactory completion of minimum continuing education 
 14.30  requirements and the certification renewal fee established by 
 14.31  the commissioner.  
 14.32     For persons certified prior to January 1, 1985, the first 
 14.33  three-year period commences January 1, 1985. 
 14.34     Sec. 19.  Minnesota Statutes 1997 Supplement, section 
 14.35  115C.09, subdivision 3f, is amended to read: 
 14.36     Subd. 3f.  [REIMBURSEMENTS; SMALL GASOLINE RETAILERS.] (a) 
 15.1   As used in this subdivision, "small gasoline retailer" means 
 15.2   a responsible person tank owner or operator who owns no more 
 15.3   than only one location in this or any other state where motor 
 15.4   fuel was dispensed to the public into motor vehicles, 
 15.5   watercraft, or aircraft in the previous year, and who dispensed 
 15.6   motor fuel at that location. 
 15.7      (b) Notwithstanding subdivision 1, paragraph (b), clause 
 15.8   (1), for eligible applicants who are small gasoline retailers 
 15.9   that have dispensed less than 500,000 gallons of motor fuel 
 15.10  during the most recent calendar year that petroleum products 
 15.11  were dispensed at the location owned by the retailer, the board 
 15.12  shall reimburse the applicant for 90 percent of the applicant's 
 15.13  total reimbursable cost for tank removal projects started after 
 15.14  January 1, 1997 1995, including, but not limited to, tank 
 15.15  removal, closure in place, backfill, resurfacing, and utility 
 15.16  service restoration costs, regardless of whether a release has 
 15.17  occurred at the site, provided that the tank involved is a 
 15.18  regulated underground storage tank. 
 15.19     (c) Notwithstanding subdivision 1, paragraph (b), clause 
 15.20  (1), for eligible applicants who are small gasoline retailers 
 15.21  that have dispensed less than 250,000 gallons of motor fuel 
 15.22  during the most recent calendar year that petroleum products 
 15.23  were dispensed at the location owned by the retailer, provided 
 15.24  that the tank involved is a regulated underground storage tank, 
 15.25  the board shall reimburse the applicant for 95 percent of the 
 15.26  following costs: 
 15.27     (1) tank removal costs described in paragraph (b); and 
 15.28     (2) petroleum contamination cleanup as provided under 
 15.29  subdivision 1 incurred during or after the tank removal project. 
 15.30     (d) An applicant who owns only one location in this or any 
 15.31  other state where motor fuel was dispensed to the public into 
 15.32  motor vehicles, watercraft, or aircraft but who did not dispense 
 15.33  motor fuel at that location may qualify as a small gasoline 
 15.34  retailer if:  
 15.35     (1) the previous tank owner or operator at the location was 
 15.36  a small gasoline retailer that dispensed less than 500,000 
 16.1   gallons of motor fuel during the most recent calendar year that 
 16.2   petroleum products were dispensed at the location; and 
 16.3      (2) the applicant acquired legal or equitable title to the 
 16.4   property after January 1, 1995.  
 16.5      (e) This subdivision expires January 1, 2000. 
 16.6      Sec. 20.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 115C.09, is 
 16.7   amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
 16.8      Subd. 3g.  [REIMBURSEMENTS; SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS.] (a) As 
 16.9   used in this subdivision, "small business owner" means a person: 
 16.10     (1) who has no more than $250,000 per year in sales; 
 16.11     (2) who owns no more than one location where motor fuel was 
 16.12  previously dispensed to the public into motor vehicles; 
 16.13     (3) who did not dispense motor fuel at that location; and 
 16.14     (4) whose tanks were never registered with the state. 
 16.15     (b) Notwithstanding subdivision 1, paragraph (b), clause 
 16.16  (1), the board shall reimburse an eligible applicant who is a 
 16.17  small business owner for 90 percent of the applicant's total 
 16.18  reimbursable cost for tank removal projects started after 
 16.19  January 1, 1998, including, but not limited to, tank removal, 
 16.20  closure in place, backfill, resurfacing, and utility service 
 16.21  restoration costs, regardless of whether a release has occurred 
 16.22  at the site, and provided that the person does not intend to 
 16.23  replace the tanks. 
 16.24     Sec. 21.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 116.182, 
 16.25  subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
 16.26     Subdivision 1.  [DEFINITIONS.] (a) For the purposes of this 
 16.27  section, the terms defined in this subdivision have the meanings 
 16.28  given them. 
 16.29     (b) "Agency" means the pollution control agency. 
 16.30     (c) "Authority" means the public facilities authority 
 16.31  established in section 446A.03. 
 16.32     (d) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of the pollution 
 16.33  control agency. 
 16.34     (e) "Essential project components" means those components 
 16.35  of a wastewater disposal system that are necessary to convey or 
 16.36  treat a municipality's existing wastewater flows and loadings, 
 17.1   and future wastewater flows and loadings based on 50 percent of 
 17.2   the projected residential growth of the municipality for a 
 17.3   20-year period. 
 17.4      (f) "Municipality" means a county, home rule charter or 
 17.5   statutory city, town, the metropolitan council, an Indian tribe 
 17.6   or an authorized Indian tribal organization; or any other 
 17.7   governmental subdivision of the state responsible by law for the 
 17.8   prevention, control, and abatement of water pollution in any 
 17.9   area of the state. 
 17.10     (g) "Outstanding resource value waters" are those that have 
 17.11  high water quality, wilderness characteristics, unique 
 17.12  scientific or ecological significance, exceptional recreation 
 17.13  value, or other special qualities that warrant special 
 17.14  protection. 
 17.15     (h) "Outstanding international resource value waters" are 
 17.16  the surface waters of the state in the Lake Superior Basin, 
 17.17  other than Class 7 waters and those waters designated as 
 17.18  outstanding resource value waters. 
 17.19     Sec. 22.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 116.182, is 
 17.20  amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
 17.21     Subd. 3a.  [NOTIFICATION OF OTHER GOVERNMENT UNITS.] In 
 17.22  addition to other applicable statutes or rules that are required 
 17.23  to receive financial assistance consistent with this 
 17.24  subdivision, the commissioner may not approve or certify a 
 17.25  project to the public facilities authority for wastewater 
 17.26  financial assistance unless the following requirements are met: 
 17.27     (1) prior to the initiation of the public facilities 
 17.28  planning process for a new wastewater treatment system, the 
 17.29  project proposer gives written notice to all municipalities as 
 17.30  defined in 116.82 within ten miles of the proposed project 
 17.31  service area, including the county in which the project is 
 17.32  located, the office of strategic and long-range planning, and 
 17.33  the pollution control agency.  The notice shall state the 
 17.34  proposer's intent to begin the facilities planning process and 
 17.35  provide a description of the need for the proposed project.  The 
 17.36  notice also shall request a response within 30 days of the 
 18.1   notice date from all government units who wish to receive and 
 18.2   comment on the future facilities plan for the proposed project; 
 18.3      (2) during development of the facility plan's analysis of 
 18.4   service alternatives, the project proposer must request 
 18.5   information from all municipalities and sanitary districts which 
 18.6   have existing systems that have current capacity to meet the 
 18.7   proposer's needs or can be upgraded to meet those needs.  At a 
 18.8   minimum, the proposer must notify in writing those 
 18.9   municipalities and sanitary districts whose corporate limits or 
 18.10  boundaries are within three miles of the proposed project's 
 18.11  service area; 
 18.12     (3) 60 days prior to the municipality's public hearing on 
 18.13  the facilities plan, a copy of the draft facilities plan and 
 18.14  notice of the public hearing on the facilities plan must be 
 18.15  given to the local government units who previously expressed 
 18.16  interest in the proposed project under clause (1); 
 18.17     (4) for a proposed project located or proposed to be 
 18.18  located outside the corporate limits of a city, the affected 
 18.19  county has certified to the agency that the proposed project is 
 18.20  consistent with the applicable county comprehensive plan and 
 18.21  zoning and subdivision regulations; 
 18.22     (5) copies of the notifications required under clauses (1) 
 18.23  and (2), as well as the certification from the county and a 
 18.24  summary of the comments received, must be included by the 
 18.25  municipality in the submission of its facilities plan to the 
 18.26  pollution control agency, along with other required items as 
 18.27  specified in the agency's rules; 
 18.28     (6) at any time within the 60-day period specified in 
 18.29  clause (3), any city in the state within three miles of a 
 18.30  proposed project located outside the corporate limits of a city 
 18.31  may file a written objection with the pollution control agency.  
 18.32  An objection makes the proposed project ineligible for grant 
 18.33  funding until the city withdraws its objection or the pollution 
 18.34  control agency board certifies that the proposed project is the 
 18.35  only feasible and cost-effective option available for servicing 
 18.36  the proposed area; and 
 19.1      (7) this subdivision does not apply to the western Lake 
 19.2   Superior sanitary district or the metropolitan council. 
 19.3      Sec. 23.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 116J.415, 
 19.4   subdivision 5, is amended to read: 
 19.5      Subd. 5.  [LOAN CRITERIA.] The following criteria apply to 
 19.6   loans made under the challenge grant program:  
 19.7      (1) loans must be made to businesses that are not likely to 
 19.8   undertake a project for which loans are sought without 
 19.9   assistance from the challenge grant program; 
 19.10     (2) a loan must be used for a project designed principally 
 19.11  to benefit low-income persons through the creation of job or 
 19.12  business opportunities for them; 
 19.13     (3) the minimum loan is $5,000 and the maximum 
 19.14  is $100,000 $200,000; 
 19.15     (4) a loan may not exceed 50 percent of the total cost of 
 19.16  an individual project; 
 19.17     (5) a loan may not be used for a retail development 
 19.18  project; and 
 19.19     (6) a business applying for a loan, except a 
 19.20  microenterprise loan under subdivision 6, must be sponsored by a 
 19.21  resolution of the governing body of the local governmental unit 
 19.22  within whose jurisdiction the project is located. 
 19.23     Sec. 24.  [116J.544] [DEFINITIONS.] 
 19.24     Subdivision 1.  [TERMS.] For the purposes of sections 
 19.25  116J.544 to 116J.545, the following terms have the meanings 
 19.26  given them. 
 19.27     Subd. 2.  [BOARD.] "Board" means the Minnesota film board. 
 19.28     Subd. 3.  [COMMISSIONER.] "Commissioner" means the 
 19.29  commissioner of trade and economic development. 
 19.30     Sec. 25.  [116J.5445] [DUTIES; REPORTS.] 
 19.31     The commissioner shall enter into a contract with the board 
 19.32  to implement the revolving loan fund.  The contract shall 
 19.33  include a description of the board's responsibilities in 
 19.34  reviewing, approving, and monitoring of projects funded by the 
 19.35  loan fund.  The commissioner shall submit an annual report to 
 19.36  the legislature by January 1 of each year describing each loan 
 20.1   made under section 116J.545, including information on the 
 20.2   production and distribution status of each project for which a 
 20.3   loan has been made, the repayment status of each loan, the 
 20.4   number of jobs created in Minnesota, the amount of expenditures 
 20.5   in Minnesota, and the amount and source of matching funds. 
 20.6      Sec. 26.  [116J.545] [MINNESOTA FILM AND TELEVISION 
 20.7   REVOLVING LOAN FUND.] 
 20.8      Subdivision 1.  [ELIGIBLE PROJECTS.] An eligible project is 
 20.9   a feature film, long form television project, or television 
 20.10  series.  At least one of the project's principals must be a 
 20.11  Minnesota resident.  The principals are defined as the project's 
 20.12  director, producer, or company chief executive officer. 
 20.13     Subd. 2.  [REVOLVING LOAN FUND.] The commissioner shall 
 20.14  establish a revolving loan fund in the special revenue fund for 
 20.15  the purpose of making loans to finance eligible projects.  Loan 
 20.16  applications given preliminary approval by the board must be 
 20.17  forwarded to the commissioner for final approval.  Funds for the 
 20.18  loan will be disbursed by the commissioner to the board after 
 20.19  this approval. 
 20.20     Subd. 3.  [BUSINESS LOAN CRITERIA.] (a) The criteria in 
 20.21  this subdivision apply to loans made under the Minnesota film 
 20.22  and television revolving loan fund. 
 20.23     (b) Loans must only be made for projects that the board 
 20.24  determines would not be undertaken without assistance from the 
 20.25  loan fund. 
 20.26     (c) The minimum loan is $50,000 and the maximum loan is 
 20.27  $500,000.  The board will determine the interest rate, terms, 
 20.28  maturity, and collateral for each loan.  The interest rate must 
 20.29  be at least three percent. 
 20.30     (d) The amount of a loan may not exceed 50 percent of each 
 20.31  project. 
 20.32     (e) Funded projects will be required to spend 120 percent 
 20.33  of the amount of the loan in Minnesota.  These expenditures may 
 20.34  include direct production or postproduction costs as well as 
 20.35  talent, producer, or director fees. 
 20.36     (f) The commissioner shall adopt rules to implement this 
 21.1   section. 
 21.2      Subd. 4.  [REVOLVING LOAN FUND ADMINISTRATION.] (a) Loan 
 21.3   repayment amounts must be returned by the board to the 
 21.4   commissioner and deposited in a revolving loan fund for 
 21.5   additional loans to be made by the board. 
 21.6      (b) Administrative expenses of the board incurred to 
 21.7   operate the loan program, not to exceed $100,000 per year, may 
 21.8   be paid to the board from the revolving loan fund. 
 21.9      Subd. 5.  [REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.] The board shall: 
 21.10     (1) submit an annual report to the commissioner by 
 21.11  September 30 of each year that includes a description of 
 21.12  projects funded as of June 30 of the same year.  The report 
 21.13  shall include a description of projects supported by the 
 21.14  revolving loan fund, the production and distribution status of 
 21.15  each project for which a loan has been made, the terms of each 
 21.16  loan and the repayment status of each loan, the number of jobs 
 21.17  created in Minnesota and the amount of expenditures in 
 21.18  Minnesota, and the amount and source of matching funds.  A 
 21.19  description of the administrative expenses incurred by the board 
 21.20  shall also be included; and 
 21.21     (2) provide for an independent annual audit to be performed 
 21.22  in accordance with generally accepted accounting practices and 
 21.23  auditing standards and submit a copy of each annual audit report 
 21.24  to the commissioner. 
 21.25     Sec. 27.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 116J.553, 
 21.26  subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
 21.27     Subd. 2.  [REQUIRED CONTENT.] (a) The commissioner shall 
 21.28  prescribe and provide the application form.  Except as provided 
 21.29  in paragraphs (b) and (c), the application must include at least 
 21.30  the following information: 
 21.31     (1) identification of the site; 
 21.32     (2) an approved response action plan for the site, 
 21.33  including the results of engineering and other tests showing the 
 21.34  nature and extent of the release or threatened release of 
 21.35  contaminants at the site; 
 21.36     (3) a detailed estimate, along with necessary supporting 
 22.1   evidence, of the total cleanup costs for the site; 
 22.2      (4) an appraisal of the current market value of the 
 22.3   property, separately taking into account the effect of the 
 22.4   contaminants on the market value, prepared by a qualified 
 22.5   independent appraiser using accepted appraisal methodology; 
 22.6      (5) an assessment of the development potential or likely 
 22.7   use of the site after completion of the response action plan, 
 22.8   including any specific commitments from third parties to 
 22.9   construct improvements on the site; 
 22.10     (6) the manner in which the municipality will meet the 
 22.11  local match requirement; and 
 22.12     (7) any additional information or material that the 
 22.13  commissioner prescribes. 
 22.14     (b) An application for a grant under section 116J.554, 
 22.15  subdivision 1, paragraph (b), must include a detailed estimate 
 22.16  of the cost of the actions for which the grant is sought, but 
 22.17  need not include the information specified in paragraph (a), 
 22.18  clauses (2) to (4) and (6). 
 22.19     (c) A response action plan is not required as a condition 
 22.20  to receive a grant under section 116J.554, subdivision 1, 
 22.21  paragraph (c). 
 22.22     Sec. 28.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 116L.03, 
 22.23  subdivision 5, is amended to read: 
 22.24     Subd. 5.  [TERMS AND COMPENSATION.] The terms of appointed 
 22.25  members shall be for four years except for the initial 
 22.26  appointments.  The initial appointments of the governor shall 
 22.27  have the following terms:  two members each for one, two, three, 
 22.28  and four years.  Compensation of members shall be as provided in 
 22.29  section 15.0575, subdivision 3. 
 22.30     Sec. 29.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 179A.16, 
 22.31  subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
 22.32     Subdivision 1.  [NONESSENTIAL EMPLOYEES.] An exclusive 
 22.33  representative or an employer of a unit of employees other than 
 22.34  essential employees may request interest arbitration by 
 22.35  providing written notice of the request to the other party and 
 22.36  the commissioner.  The written request for arbitration must 
 23.1   specify the items to be submitted to arbitration and whether 
 23.2   conventional, final-offer total-package, or final-offer 
 23.3   item-by-item arbitration is contemplated by the request. 
 23.4      Except for city attorney legal units, the items to be 
 23.5   submitted to arbitration and the form of arbitration to be used 
 23.6   are subject to mutual agreement.  If an agreement to arbitrate 
 23.7   is reached, it must be reduced to writing and a copy of the 
 23.8   agreement filed with the commissioner.  A failure to respond, or 
 23.9   to reach agreement on the items or form of arbitration, within 
 23.10  15 days of receipt of the request to arbitrate constitutes a 
 23.11  rejection of the request. 
 23.12     Sec. 30.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 179A.16, is 
 23.13  amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
 23.14     Subd. 1a.  [CITY ATTORNEY LEGAL UNITS.] An exclusive 
 23.15  representative or employer of a city attorney legal unit may 
 23.16  petition for binding interest arbitration by filing a written 
 23.17  request with the other party and the commissioner.  The written 
 23.18  request must specify the items that the party wishes to submit 
 23.19  to binding arbitration.  Within 15 days of the request, the 
 23.20  commissioner shall determine whether further mediation of the 
 23.21  dispute would be appropriate and shall only certify matters to 
 23.22  the board in cases where the commissioner believes that both 
 23.23  parties have made substantial, good faith bargaining efforts and 
 23.24  that an impasse has occurred. 
 23.25     Sec. 31.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 179A.16, 
 23.26  subdivision 3, is amended to read: 
 23.27     Subd. 3.  [PROCEDURE.] Within 15 days from the time the 
 23.28  commissioner has certified a matter to be ready for binding 
 23.29  arbitration because of an agreement under subdivision 1 or in 
 23.30  accordance with subdivision 1a or 2, both parties shall submit 
 23.31  their final positions on the items in dispute.  In the event of 
 23.32  a dispute over the items to be submitted to binding arbitration 
 23.33  involving essential employees, the commissioner shall determine 
 23.34  the items to be decided by arbitration based on the efforts to 
 23.35  mediate the dispute and the positions submitted by the parties 
 23.36  during the course of those efforts.  The parties may stipulate 
 24.1   items to be excluded from arbitration. 
 24.2      Sec. 32.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 179A.16, 
 24.3   subdivision 9, is amended to read: 
 24.4      Subd. 9.  [NO ARBITRATION.] Failure to reach agreement on 
 24.5   employer payment of, or contributions toward, premiums for group 
 24.6   insurance coverage of retired employees is not subject to 
 24.7   interest arbitration procedures under this section, except for 
 24.8   units of essential employees and city attorney legal units. 
 24.9      Sec. 33.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 179A.18, 
 24.10  subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
 24.11     Subdivision 1.  [WHEN AUTHORIZED.] Essential employees may 
 24.12  not strike.  Except as otherwise provided by subdivision 2 and 
 24.13  section 179A.17, subdivision 2, other public employees may 
 24.14  strike only under the following circumstances:  
 24.15     (1)(a) the collective bargaining agreement between their 
 24.16  exclusive representative and their employer has expired or, if 
 24.17  there is no agreement, impasse under section 179A.17, 
 24.18  subdivision 2, has occurred; and 
 24.19     (b) the exclusive representative and the employer have 
 24.20  participated in mediation over a period of at least 45 days, 
 24.21  provided that the mediation period established by section 
 24.22  179A.17, subdivision 2, governs negotiations under that section, 
 24.23  and provided that for the purposes of this subclause the 
 24.24  mediation period commences on the day following receipt by the 
 24.25  commissioner of a request for mediation; or 
 24.26     (2) the employer violates section 179A.13, subdivision 2, 
 24.27  clause (9); or 
 24.28     (3) in the case of city attorney legal units, neither the 
 24.29  exclusive representative nor the employer has petitioned for 
 24.30  binding interest arbitration in accordance with section 179A.16; 
 24.31  or 
 24.32     (4) in the case of state employees,: 
 24.33     (a) the legislative commission on employee relations has 
 24.34  rejected a negotiated agreement or arbitration decision during a 
 24.35  legislative interim; or 
 24.36     (b) the entire legislature rejects or fails to ratify a 
 25.1   negotiated agreement or arbitration decision, which has been 
 25.2   approved during a legislative interim by the legislative 
 25.3   commission on employee relations, at a special legislative 
 25.4   session called to consider it, or at its next regular 
 25.5   legislative session, whichever occurs first. 
 25.6      Sec. 34.  [181.636] [EMPLOYEE NOTICE OF RIGHTS; FOREIGN 
 25.7   LANGUAGES.] 
 25.8      Subdivision 1.  [EMPLOYER DEFINED.] For the purposes of 
 25.9   this section, "employer" means any person employing one or more 
 25.10  employees. 
 25.11     Subd. 2.  [DISCLOSURE FORM.] The commissioner of labor and 
 25.12  industry shall provide a single brochure for use in making the 
 25.13  disclosure required in subdivision 3.  The single form must 
 25.14  contain the disclosure in English and in ten other languages 
 25.15  that the commissioner determines are the most commonly spoken as 
 25.16  the dominant language by Minnesota employees. 
 25.17     Subd. 3.  [EMPLOYEE RIGHTS NOTICE.] An employer shall 
 25.18  provide a brochure provided by the department of labor and 
 25.19  industry within ten days of the first day of work that notifies 
 25.20  the job offeree that: 
 25.21     (1) there are state and federal laws that regulate minimum 
 25.22  wages and maximum hours of work; prohibit unsafe working 
 25.23  conditions and discrimination; prohibit employers from making 
 25.24  false statements in order to induce someone into employment; and 
 25.25  require the terms and conditions of employment be provided in 
 25.26  writing to migrant farm workers and persons employed in the food 
 25.27  processing industry; and 
 25.28     (2) the employee may call the department of labor and 
 25.29  industry and the department of human rights at a telephone 
 25.30  number indicated on the brochure to learn about those laws and 
 25.31  the employee's rights. 
 25.32     Subd. 4.  [PENALTY.] The department of labor and industry 
 25.33  shall warn an employer for the employer's first violation of 
 25.34  this section and impose a penalty of up to $200 for each 
 25.35  subsequent violation.  If the commissioner determines that an 
 25.36  employer has engaged in a pattern of willful violation of this 
 26.1   section, the commissioner may impose a penalty of up to $500 for 
 26.2   each subsequent violation. 
 26.3      Sec. 35.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 181.64, is 
 26.4   amended to read: 
 26.5      181.64 [FALSE STATEMENTS AS INDUCEMENT TO ENTERING 
 26.6   EMPLOYMENT.] 
 26.7      It shall be unlawful for any person, partnership, company, 
 26.8   corporation, association, or organization of any kind, doing 
 26.9   business in this state, directly or through any agent or 
 26.10  attorney, to induce, influence, persuade, or engage any person 
 26.11  to change from one place to another in this state, or to change 
 26.12  from any place in any state, territory, or country to any place 
 26.13  in this state, to work in any branch of labor through or by 
 26.14  means of knowingly false representations, whether spoken, 
 26.15  written, or advertised in printed form, concerning the kind or 
 26.16  character of such work, the compensation therefor, the sanitary 
 26.17  conditions relating to or surrounding it, or failure to state in 
 26.18  any advertisement, proposal, or contract for the employment that 
 26.19  there is a strike or lockout at the place of the proposed 
 26.20  employment, when in fact such strike or lockout then actually 
 26.21  exists in such employment at such place.  Any such unlawful acts 
 26.22  shall be deemed a false advertisement or misrepresentation for 
 26.23  the purposes of this section and section 181.65.  
 26.24     Sec. 36.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 216B.2423, 
 26.25  subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
 26.26     Subdivision 1.  [MANDATE.] A public utility, as defined in 
 26.27  section 216B.02, subdivision 4, that operates a nuclear-powered 
 26.28  electric generating plant within this state must construct and 
 26.29  operate, purchase, or contract to construct and operate:  (1) 
 26.30  225 megawatts of electric energy installed capacity generated by 
 26.31  wind energy conversion systems within the state by December 31, 
 26.32  1998; and (2) an additional 200 megawatts of installed capacity 
 26.33  so generated within the state by December 31, 2002. 
 26.34     For the purpose of this section, "wind energy conversion 
 26.35  system" has the meaning given it in section 216C.06, subdivision 
 26.36  12. 
 27.1      Sec. 37.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 326.87, 
 27.2   subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
 27.3      Subd. 2.  [HOURS.] A qualifying person of a licensee must 
 27.4   provide proof of completion of seven ten hours of continuing 
 27.5   education per year.  At least three hours of continuing 
 27.6   education per year must relate to requirements of the state 
 27.7   energy code.  To the extent the commissioner considers it 
 27.8   appropriate, courses or parts of courses may be considered to 
 27.9   satisfy both continuing education requirements under this 
 27.10  section and continuing real estate education requirements. 
 27.11     Sec. 38.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 326.975, 
 27.12  subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
 27.13     Subdivision 1.  [GENERALLY.] (a) In addition to any other 
 27.14  fees, each applicant for a license under sections 326.83 to 
 27.15  326.98 shall pay a fee to the contractor's recovery fund.  The 
 27.16  contractor's recovery fund is created in the state treasury and 
 27.17  must be administered by the commissioner in the manner and 
 27.18  subject to all the requirements and limitations provided by 
 27.19  section 82.34 with the following exceptions: 
 27.20     (1) each licensee who renews a license shall pay in 
 27.21  addition to the appropriate renewal fee an additional fee which 
 27.22  shall be credited to the contractor's recovery fund.  The amount 
 27.23  of the fee shall be based on the licensee's gross annual 
 27.24  receipts for the licensee's most recent fiscal year preceding 
 27.25  the renewal, on the following scale: 
 27.26            Fee            Gross Receipts
 27.27            $100 $200      under $1,000,000
 27.28            $150 $300      $1,000,000 to $5,000,000
 27.29            $200 $500      over $5,000,000
 27.30  Any person who receives a new license shall pay a fee based on 
 27.31  the same scale; 
 27.32     (2) the sole purpose of this fund is to compensate any 
 27.33  aggrieved owner or lessee of residential property who obtains a 
 27.34  final judgment in any court of competent jurisdiction against a 
 27.35  licensee licensed under section 326.84, on grounds of 
 27.36  fraudulent, deceptive, or dishonest practices, conversion of 
 28.1   funds, or failure of performance or breach of warranty arising 
 28.2   directly out of any transaction when the judgment debtor was 
 28.3   licensed and performed any of the activities enumerated under 
 28.4   section 326.83, subdivision 19, on the owner's residential 
 28.5   property or on residential property rented by the lessee, or on 
 28.6   new residential construction which was never occupied prior to 
 28.7   purchase by the owner, or which was occupied by the licensee for 
 28.8   less than one year prior to purchase by the owner, and which 
 28.9   cause of action arose on or after April 1, 1994; 
 28.10     (3) nothing may obligate the fund for more than $50,000 per 
 28.11  claimant, nor more than $50,000 per licensee; and 
 28.12     (4) nothing may obligate the fund for claims based on a 
 28.13  cause of action that arose before the licensee paid the recovery 
 28.14  fund fee set in clause (1), or as provided in section 326.945, 
 28.15  subdivision 3; and 
 28.16     (5) appropriations from this fund may be made for expenses 
 28.17  of providing information to consumers on residential 
 28.18  construction issues.  
 28.19     (b) Should the commissioner pay from the contractor's 
 28.20  recovery fund any amount in settlement of a claim or toward 
 28.21  satisfaction of a judgment against a licensee, the license shall 
 28.22  be automatically suspended upon the effective date of an order 
 28.23  by the court authorizing payment from the fund.  No licensee 
 28.24  shall be granted reinstatement until the licensee has repaid in 
 28.25  full, plus interest at the rate of 12 percent a year, twice the 
 28.26  amount paid from the fund on the licensee's account, and has 
 28.27  obtained a surety bond issued by an insurer authorized to 
 28.28  transact business in this state in the amount of at least 
 28.29  $40,000 $50,000.  
 28.30     Sec. 39.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 327A.01, 
 28.31  subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
 28.32     Subd. 2.  [BUILDING STANDARDS.] "Building standards" means 
 28.33  the structural, mechanical, electrical, and quality standards of 
 28.34  the home building industry for the geographic area in which the 
 28.35  dwelling is situated.  For those geographic areas where the 
 28.36  state building code adopted by the commissioner of 
 29.1   administration according to sections 16B.59 to 16B.75 is in 
 29.2   effect, "building standards" shall be no less rigorous than the 
 29.3   state building code. 
 29.4      Sec. 40.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 327A.01, 
 29.5   subdivision 5, is amended to read: 
 29.6      Subd. 5.  [MAJOR CONSTRUCTION DEFECT.] "Major construction 
 29.7   defect" means actual damage to the load-bearing portion of the 
 29.8   dwelling or the home improvement, including damage due to 
 29.9   subsidence, expansion or lateral movement of the soil, which 
 29.10  affects the load-bearing function and which vitally 
 29.11  substantially affects or is imminently likely to vitally 
 29.12  substantially affect use of the dwelling or the home improvement 
 29.13  for residential purposes.  "Major construction defect" does not 
 29.14  include damage due to movement of the soil caused by flood, 
 29.15  earthquake or other natural disaster. 
 29.16     Sec. 41.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 327A.02, 
 29.17  subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
 29.18     Subdivision 1.  [WARRANTIES BY VENDORS.] (a) In every sale 
 29.19  of a completed dwelling, and in every contract for the sale of a 
 29.20  dwelling to be completed, the vendor shall warrant to the vendee 
 29.21  that: 
 29.22     (a) (1) during the one-year two-year period from and after 
 29.23  the warranty date the dwelling shall be free from defects caused 
 29.24  by faulty workmanship and defective materials due to 
 29.25  noncompliance with building standards; 
 29.26     (b) (2) during the two-year three-year period from and 
 29.27  after the warranty date, the dwelling shall be free from defects 
 29.28  caused by faulty workmanship and defective materials caused by 
 29.29  noncompliance with building standards relating to the 
 29.30  installation of plumbing, electrical, heating, and cooling 
 29.31  systems; and 
 29.32     (c) (3) during the ten-year period from and after the 
 29.33  warranty date, the dwelling shall be free from major 
 29.34  construction defects. 
 29.35     (b) The warranties provided by this chapter are transferred 
 29.36  automatically with conveyance of the property and benefit the 
 30.1   initial vendee and all future vendees. 
 30.2      Sec. 42.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 327A.02, 
 30.3   subdivision 3, is amended to read: 
 30.4      Subd. 3.  [HOME IMPROVEMENT WARRANTIES.] (a) In a sale or 
 30.5   in a contract for the sale of home improvement work involving 
 30.6   major structural changes or additions to a residential building, 
 30.7   the home improvement contractor shall warrant to the owner that: 
 30.8      (1) during the one-year two-year period from and after the 
 30.9   warranty date the home improvement shall be free from defects 
 30.10  caused by faulty workmanship and defective materials due to 
 30.11  noncompliance with building standards; and 
 30.12     (2) during the ten-year period from and after the warranty 
 30.13  date the home improvement shall be free from major construction 
 30.14  defects.  
 30.15     (b) In a sale or in a contract for the sale of home 
 30.16  improvement work involving the installation of plumbing, 
 30.17  electrical, heating or cooling systems, the home improvement 
 30.18  contractor shall warrant to the owner that, during the two-year 
 30.19  three-year period from and after the warranty date, the home 
 30.20  improvement shall be free from defects caused by the faulty 
 30.21  workmanship and defective materials caused by noncompliance with 
 30.22  building standards relating to the installation of the system or 
 30.23  systems.  
 30.24     (c) In a sale or in a contract for the sale of any home 
 30.25  improvement work not covered by paragraph (a) or (b), the home 
 30.26  improvement contractor shall warrant to the owner that, during 
 30.27  the one-year two-year period from and after the warranty date, 
 30.28  the home improvement shall be free from defects caused by faulty 
 30.29  workmanship or defective materials due to noncompliance with 
 30.30  building standards.  
 30.31     Sec. 43.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 327A.03, is 
 30.32  amended to read: 
 30.33     327A.03 [EXCLUSIONS.] 
 30.34     The liability of the vendor or the home improvement 
 30.35  contractor under sections 327A.01 to 327A.07 is limited to the 
 30.36  specific items set forth in sections 327A.01 to 327A.07 and does 
 31.1   not extend to the following: 
 31.2      (a) Loss or damage not reported by the vendee or the owner 
 31.3   to the vendor or the home improvement contractor in writing 
 31.4   within six months two years after the vendee or the owner 
 31.5   discovers or should have discovered the loss or damage; 
 31.6      (b) Loss or damage caused by defects in design, 
 31.7   installation, or materials which the vendee or the owner 
 31.8   supplied, installed, or directed to be installed; 
 31.9      (c) Secondary loss or damage such as personal injury or 
 31.10  property damage; 
 31.11     (d) Loss or damage from normal wear and tear; 
 31.12     (e) Loss or damage from normal shrinkage caused by drying 
 31.13  of the dwelling or the home improvement within tolerances of 
 31.14  building standards; 
 31.15     (f) Loss or damage from dampness and condensation due to 
 31.16  insufficient ventilation after occupancy, when the inadequate 
 31.17  ventilation is attributable to conditions resulting from 
 31.18  compliance with requirements of the state energy code in effect 
 31.19  at the time of construction; 
 31.20     (g) Loss or damage from negligence, improper maintenance or 
 31.21  alteration of the dwelling or the home improvement by parties 
 31.22  other than the vendor or the home improvement contractor; 
 31.23     (h) Loss or damage from changes in grading of the ground 
 31.24  around the dwelling or the home improvement by parties other 
 31.25  than the vendor or the home improvement contractor; 
 31.26     (i) Landscaping or insect loss or damage; 
 31.27     (j) Loss or damage from failure to maintain the dwelling or 
 31.28  the home improvement in good repair; 
 31.29     (k)  Loss or damage which the vendee or the owner, whenever 
 31.30  feasible, has not taken timely action to minimize; 
 31.31     (l)  Loss or damage which occurs after the dwelling or the 
 31.32  home improvement is no longer used primarily as a residence; 
 31.33     (m)  Accidental loss or damage usually described as acts of 
 31.34  God, including, but not limited to:  fire, explosion, smoke, 
 31.35  water escape, windstorm, hail or lightning, falling trees, 
 31.36  aircraft and vehicles, flood, and earthquake, except when the 
 32.1   loss or damage is caused by failure to comply with building 
 32.2   standards; 
 32.3      (n)  Loss or damage from soil movement which is compensated 
 32.4   by legislation or covered by insurance; 
 32.5      (o)  Loss or damage due to soil conditions where 
 32.6   construction is done upon lands owned by the vendee or the owner 
 32.7   and obtained by the vendee or owner from a source independent of 
 32.8   the vendor or the home improvement contractor; 
 32.9      (p)  In the case of home improvement work, loss or damage 
 32.10  due to defects in the existing structure and systems not caused 
 32.11  by the home improvement.  
 32.12     Sec. 44.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 383B.79, 
 32.13  subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
 32.14     Subdivision 1.  [PROGRAM CREATED.] A multijurisdictional 
 32.15  reinvestment program involving Hennepin county, the cities of 
 32.16  Minneapolis, Brooklyn Center, and other interested statutory or 
 32.17  home rule charter cities in Hennepin county, the Minneapolis 
 32.18  park board, and the suburban Hennepin county park district is 
 32.19  created.  The multijurisdictional program must include plans for 
 32.20  housing rehabilitation and removals, industrial polluted land 
 32.21  cleanup, water ponding, environmental cleanup, community 
 32.22  corridor connections, corridor planning, creation of green 
 32.23  space, acquisition of property, development and redevelopment of 
 32.24  parks and open space, water quality and lakeshore improvement, 
 32.25  development and redevelopment of housing and existing commercial 
 32.26  projects, funding and refunding of convention and conference 
 32.27  centers and related facilities, assistance to businesses, and 
 32.28  job creation.  
 32.29     Sec. 45.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 383B.79, is 
 32.30  amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
 32.31     Subd. 6.  [ADMINISTRATION.] The board of county 
 32.32  commissioners shall administer the program and funds and bond 
 32.33  for projects in this section either as a county board, a housing 
 32.34  and redevelopment authority, or a regional rail authority.  The 
 32.35  board of county commissioners may acquire property in connection 
 32.36  with the project known as the Humboldt Avenue Greenway from any 
 33.1   funds under its control. 
 33.2      Sec. 46.  Minnesota Statutes 1997 Supplement, section 
 33.3   414.11, is amended to read: 
 33.4      414.11 [MUNICIPAL BOARD SUNSET.] 
 33.5      The municipal board shall terminate on December 31, 1999 
 33.6   2002, and all of its authority and duties under this chapter 
 33.7   shall be transferred to the office of strategic and long-range 
 33.8   planning according to section 15.039. 
 33.9      Sec. 47.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 446A.072, 
 33.10  subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
 33.11     Subd. 2.  [TYPE OF SUPPLEMENTAL ASSISTANCE.] Supplemental 
 33.12  assistance shall be in the form of zero percent loans, with loan 
 33.13  repayments beginning February 20 or August 20 following the 
 33.14  scheduled date of the project obtaining grants.  If one year 
 33.15  after the initiation of operation of the project, the project 
 33.16  does not meet the operational performance standards established 
 33.17  by the agency, the grant must be repaid.  Upon receipt of notice 
 33.18  from the agency that the project operational performance 
 33.19  standards have been met, the authority will forgive the 
 33.20  scheduled loan repayments made under this section.  If not 
 33.21  forgiven, loan Grant repayments shall be deferred upon request 
 33.22  from the commissioner of the agency for six-month periods, 
 33.23  provided the commissioner has determined that satisfactory 
 33.24  progress is being made to achieve project performance or is 
 33.25  developing or implementing a corrective action plan. 
 33.26     Sec. 48.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 446A.072, 
 33.27  subdivision 4, is amended to read: 
 33.28     Subd. 4.  [FUNDING LEVEL.] (a) The authority shall provide 
 33.29  supplemental assistance for essential project component costs as 
 33.30  certified by the commissioner of the pollution control agency 
 33.31  under section 116.182, subdivision 4.  
 33.32     (b) A municipality may not receive more than $4,000,000 
 33.33  under this section unless specifically approved by law. 
 33.34     (c) The authority will calculate the grant amount needed 
 33.35  for the essential project component costs by first determining 
 33.36  the amount needed to reduce a municipality's monthly residential 
 34.1   sewer service charge to $25 or to an annual residential sewer 
 34.2   service charge in excess of 1.5 percent of the municipality's 
 34.3   median household income, whichever is less, and then multiplying 
 34.4   that amount by 80 percent to determine the actual award amount 
 34.5   to supplement loans under section 446A.07 or provide up to 
 34.6   one-third of the amount of the grant funding level required by 
 34.7   USDA/RECD for projects listed on the agency's intended use plan. 
 34.8      (d) The authority shall provide supplemental assistance for 
 34.9   up to one-half of the eligible grant funding level determined by 
 34.10  the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development 
 34.11  funding for projects listed on the agency's project priority 
 34.12  list, in priority order.  For municipalities that are not 
 34.13  eligible for United State Department of Agriculture Rural 
 34.14  Development funding for wastewater, the authority shall provide 
 34.15  supplemental assistance for: (1) essential project component 
 34.16  costs calculated by first determining the amount needed to 
 34.17  reduce a municipality's annual residential sewer costs to 1.4 
 34.18  percent of the municipality's median household income or $25, 
 34.19  whichever is greater, and then multiplying that amount by 80 
 34.20  percent to determine the actual award amount to supplement loans 
 34.21  under section 446A.07; and (2) up to 50 percent of the 
 34.22  incremental costs specifically identified by the agency as being 
 34.23  attributable to more stringent wastewater standards required to 
 34.24  protect outstanding resource value waters or outstanding 
 34.25  international resource value waters. 
 34.26     (d) Notwithstanding paragraph (b), in the event that a 
 34.27  municipality's monthly residential sewer service charges average 
 34.28  above $50, the authority will provide 90 percent of the grant 
 34.29  amount needed to reduce the average monthly sewer service charge 
 34.30  to $50, provided the project is ranked in the top 50 percentile 
 34.31  of the agency's intended use plan. 
 34.32     (e) Notwithstanding paragraphs (b), (c), and (d), a 
 34.33  municipality with an annual median household income of $40,000 
 34.34  or greater shall not be eligible for a grant, except for 
 34.35  incremental costs specifically identified by the agency as being 
 34.36  attributable to more stringent wastewater standards required to 
 35.1   protect outstanding resource value waters or outstanding 
 35.2   international resource value waters. 
 35.3      (f) The authority shall provide supplemental assistance to 
 35.4   a municipality that would not otherwise qualify for supplemental 
 35.5   assistance if: 
 35.6      (1) the municipality voluntarily accepts a sewer connection 
 35.7   from another governmental unit to serve residential, industrial, 
 35.8   or commercial developments that were completed before March 1, 
 35.9   1996, or are on lots whose plats were recorded before that date; 
 35.10  and 
 35.11     (2) fees charged by the municipality for the connection 
 35.12  must take into account state and federal grants used by the 
 35.13  municipality for the construction of the treatment plant. 
 35.14  The amount of supplemental assistance under this paragraph must 
 35.15  be sufficient to reduce debt service payments under section 
 35.16  446A.07 to an extent equivalent to a zero percent loan in an 
 35.17  amount up to the other governmental unit's project costs 
 35.18  necessary for connection.  Eligibility for supplemental 
 35.19  assistance under this paragraph ends three years after the 
 35.20  agency certifies that the connection has met the operational 
 35.21  performance standards established by the agency. 
 35.22     Sec. 49.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 469.303, is 
 35.23  amended to read: 
 35.24     469.303 [ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.] 
 35.25     An area within the city is eligible for designation as an 
 35.26  enterprise zone if the area (1) includes census tracts eligible 
 35.27  for a federal empowerment zone or enterprise community as 
 35.28  defined by the United States Department of Housing and Urban 
 35.29  Development under Public Law Number 103-66, notwithstanding the 
 35.30  maximum zone population standard under the federal empowerment 
 35.31  zone program for cities with a population under 500,000 or, (2) 
 35.32  is an area within a city of the second class that is designated 
 35.33  as an economically depressed area by the United States 
 35.34  Department of Commerce, or (3) includes property located in St. 
 35.35  Paul in a transit zone as defined in section 473.3915, 
 35.36  subdivision 3. 
 36.1      Sec. 50.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 541.051, 
 36.2   subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
 36.3      Subdivision 1.  (a) Except where fraud is involved, no 
 36.4   action by any person in contract, tort, or otherwise to recover 
 36.5   damages for any injury to property, real or personal, or for 
 36.6   bodily injury or wrongful death, arising out of the defective 
 36.7   and unsafe condition of an improvement to real property, nor any 
 36.8   action for contribution or indemnity for damages sustained on 
 36.9   account of the injury, shall be brought against any person 
 36.10  performing or furnishing the design, planning, supervision, 
 36.11  materials, or observation of construction or construction of the 
 36.12  improvement to real property or against the owner of the real 
 36.13  property more than two three years after discovery of the injury 
 36.14  or, in the case of an action for contribution or indemnity, 
 36.15  accrual of the cause of action, nor, in any event shall such a 
 36.16  cause of action accrue more than ten years after substantial 
 36.17  completion of the construction.  Date of substantial completion 
 36.18  shall be determined by the date when construction is 
 36.19  sufficiently completed so that the owner or the owner's 
 36.20  representative can occupy or use the improvement for the 
 36.21  intended purpose.  
 36.22     (b) For purposes of paragraph (a), a cause of action 
 36.23  accrues upon discovery of the injury or, in the case of an 
 36.24  action for contribution or indemnity, upon payment of a final 
 36.25  judgment, arbitration award, or settlement arising out of the 
 36.26  defective and unsafe condition. 
 36.27     (c) Nothing in this section shall apply to actions for 
 36.28  damages resulting from negligence in the maintenance, operation 
 36.29  or inspection of the real property improvement against the owner 
 36.30  or other person in possession. 
 36.31     (d) The limitations prescribed in this section do not apply 
 36.32  to the manufacturer or supplier of any equipment or machinery 
 36.33  installed upon real property. 
 36.34     Sec. 51.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 541.051, 
 36.35  subdivision 4, is amended to read: 
 36.36     Subd. 4.  This section shall not apply to actions based on 
 37.1   breach of the statutory warranties set forth in section 327A.02, 
 37.2   or to actions based on breach of an express written warranty, 
 37.3   provided such actions shall be brought within two three years of 
 37.4   the discovery of the breach. 
 37.5      Sec. 52.  Laws 1997, chapter 85, article 1, section 39, 
 37.6   subdivision 4, is amended to read: 
 37.7      Subd. 4.  [EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING SERVICE PROVIDER.] 
 37.8   "Employment and training service provider" means: 
 37.9      (1) a public, private, or nonprofit employment and training 
 37.10  agency certified by the commissioner of economic security under 
 37.11  sections 268.0122, subdivision 3, and 268.871, subdivision 1, or 
 37.12  is approved under section 256J.51 and is included in the county 
 37.13  plan submitted under section 256J.50, subdivision 7; or 
 37.14     (2) a public, private, or nonprofit agency that is not 
 37.15  certified by the commissioner under clause (1), but with which a 
 37.16  county has contracted to provide employment and training 
 37.17  services and which is included in the county's plan submitted 
 37.18  under section 256J.50, subdivision 7; or 
 37.19     (3) a county agency, if the county has opted is certified 
 37.20  under clause (1) to provide employment and training services and 
 37.21  the county has indicated that fact in the plan submitted under 
 37.22  section 256J.50, subdivision 7. 
 37.23     Notwithstanding section 268.871, an employment and training 
 37.24  services provider meeting this definition may deliver employment 
 37.25  and training services under this chapter. 
 37.26     Sec. 53.  Laws 1997, chapter 200, article 1, section 2, 
 37.27  subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
 37.28  Subd. 2.  Business and Community 
 37.29  Development
 37.30      35,963,000     20,977,000
 37.31  $7,017,000 the first year and 
 37.32  $6,017,000 the second year is for 
 37.33  Minnesota investment fund grants.  Of 
 37.34  this appropriation, $3,000,000 the 
 37.35  first year and $2,000,000 the second 
 37.36  year are one-time appropriations and 
 37.37  may not be added to the budget base for 
 37.38  the biennium ending June 30, 2001.  Of 
 37.39  this one-time appropriation $1,000,000 
 37.40  the first year is for a single grant 
 37.41  recipient, to be identified by the 
 37.42  commissioner, notwithstanding the 
 38.1   monetary limitation under Minnesota 
 38.2   Statutes, section 116J.8731, 
 38.3   subdivision 5.  This amount may not be 
 38.4   added to the agency's budget base.  
 38.5   This amount is available until June 30, 
 38.6   1999. 
 38.7   $450,000 the first year and $450,000 
 38.8   the second year is for grants to 
 38.9   Advantage Minnesota, Inc.  The funds 
 38.10  are available only if matched on at 
 38.11  least a dollar-for-dollar basis from 
 38.12  other sources.  The commissioner may 
 38.13  release the funds only upon: 
 38.14  (1) certification that matching funds 
 38.15  from each participating organization 
 38.16  are available; and 
 38.17  (2) review and approval by the 
 38.18  commissioner of the proposed operations 
 38.19  plan of Advantage Minnesota, Inc. for 
 38.20  the biennium. 
 38.21  $7,418,000 the first year and 
 38.22  $7,918,000 the second year is for the 
 38.23  job skills partnership program.  If the 
 38.24  appropriation for either year is 
 38.25  insufficient, the appropriation for the 
 38.26  other year is available.  This 
 38.27  appropriation does not cancel.  Of this 
 38.28  amount, $1,500,000 the first year and 
 38.29  $2,000,000 the second year is for the 
 38.30  Pathways program under Minnesota 
 38.31  Statutes, section 116L.04, subdivision 
 38.32  1a. 
 38.33  $250,000 the first year is for a grant 
 38.34  from the department of trade and 
 38.35  economic development to the Software 
 38.36  Technology Center to broaden 
 38.37  industry-related educational and 
 38.38  technological services.  This 
 38.39  appropriation is available upon 
 38.40  documentation of a dollar-for-dollar 
 38.41  match from other sources since the 
 38.42  inception of the Software Technology 
 38.43  Center.  This is a one-time 
 38.44  appropriation and must not be included 
 38.45  in the budget base for the biennium 
 38.46  ending June 30, 2001. 
 38.47  $100,000 the first year is for a 
 38.48  one-time grant to the Duluth Technology 
 38.49  Center.  This appropriation is 
 38.50  available until June 30, 1999. 
 38.51  $25,000 the first year is for a 
 38.52  one-time grant to the city of New 
 38.53  London for improvements to the Little 
 38.54  Theatre.  This appropriation is 
 38.55  available when the city matches the 
 38.56  appropriation with $25,000 from 
 38.57  nonstate sources. 
 38.58  $750,000 the first year is for one or 
 38.59  more grants to the Minnesota Futures 
 38.60  Fund administered by the Minneapolis 
 38.61  Foundation.  The Minneapolis Foundation 
 38.62  shall use these grants to provide 
 38.63  technical assistance grants to 
 39.1   nonprofit organizations to assist them 
 39.2   in redesigning services and 
 39.3   organizational structures in response 
 39.4   to changes in federal and state welfare 
 39.5   policy.  The commissioner shall make 
 39.6   the grants in amounts necessary to 
 39.7   match nonpublic contributions to the 
 39.8   fund on a dollar-for-dollar basis.  
 39.9   This appropriation is available until 
 39.10  June 30, 1999.  This is a one-time 
 39.11  appropriation and may not be included 
 39.12  in the budget base for the biennium 
 39.13  ending June 30, 2001. 
 39.14  $35,000 the first year is for a 
 39.15  one-time appropriation to the Fairfax 
 39.16  economic development authority for roof 
 39.17  replacement.  This appropriation is 
 39.18  available until June 30, 1999. 
 39.19  $2,000,000 the first year is for a 
 39.20  one-time grant to the city of Brooklyn 
 39.21  Center to redevelop the Brookdale 
 39.22  regional center and provide 
 39.23  opportunities for economic development 
 39.24  at or near the center.  The grant must 
 39.25  be used to assist the city in 
 39.26  constructing a series of storm water 
 39.27  retention ponds that will facilitate 
 39.28  the redevelopment and economic 
 39.29  development of the center and nearby 
 39.30  property.  The grant must be on terms 
 39.31  and conditions determined by the 
 39.32  commissioner.  The grant must be 
 39.33  matched by city resources that equal at 
 39.34  least 25 percent of the grant. 
 39.35  $650,000 the first year is for the 
 39.36  taconite mining grant program under 
 39.37  Minnesota Statutes, section 116J.992.  
 39.38  This appropriation is available until 
 39.39  June 30, 1999.  This is a one-time 
 39.40  appropriation and may not be included 
 39.41  in the budget base for the biennium 
 39.42  ending June 30, 2001. 
 39.43  $95,000 the first year and $95,000 the 
 39.44  second year is for grants to county and 
 39.45  district agricultural societies and 
 39.46  associations that are eligible to 
 39.47  receive aid under Minnesota Statutes, 
 39.48  section 38.02.  The commissioner shall 
 39.49  spend this appropriation as grants of 
 39.50  $1,000 for each fair conducted by such 
 39.51  a county and district agricultural 
 39.52  society and association in each year. 
 39.53  $3,000,000 the first year is for a 
 39.54  grant to develop a direct reduction 
 39.55  iron-processing facility in Minnesota.  
 39.56  This appropriation is available until 
 39.57  June 30, 1999.  This is a one-time 
 39.58  appropriation and may not be included 
 39.59  in the budget base for the biennium 
 39.60  ending June 30, 2001. 
 39.61  $500,000 the first year is for 
 39.62  technical assistance under Minnesota 
 39.63  Statutes, section 116J.8745.  This 
 39.64  appropriation is available until June 
 39.65  30, 1999. 
 40.1   $4,444,000 the first year is for state 
 40.2   matching money for federal grants to 
 40.3   capitalize the drinking water revolving 
 40.4   loan fund under Minnesota Statutes, 
 40.5   section 446A.081.  The expenditure is 
 40.6   limited to the minimum amount necessary 
 40.7   to match the allotment of federal money 
 40.8   to Minnesota.  This is a one-time 
 40.9   appropriation and must not be included 
 40.10  in the budget base for the biennium 
 40.11  ending June 30, 2001. 
 40.12  $25,000 the first year is for a 
 40.13  one-time grant to the city of St. Paul 
 40.14  to improve, beautify, and enhance 
 40.15  marked trunk highway No. 5 from 
 40.16  Minneapolis-St.Paul international 
 40.17  airport to interstate highway No. 
 40.18  35-E.  Enhancements may include, among 
 40.19  other things, landscaping, historical 
 40.20  lighting, and signing. 
 40.21  $100,000 the first year is for a 
 40.22  one-time grant to the city of Grey 
 40.23  Eagle for construction of a wastewater 
 40.24  treatment plant. 
 40.25  $526,000 the first year and $537,000 
 40.26  the second year is from fees collected 
 40.27  under Minnesota Statutes, section 
 40.28  446A.04, subdivision 5, to administer 
 40.29  the programs of the public facilities 
 40.30  authority. 
 40.31  $125,000 the first year is for a 
 40.32  one-time demonstration project grant to 
 40.33  the city of Newport for the city to 
 40.34  conduct a study of the economic impact 
 40.35  on the city resulting from regional 
 40.36  infrastructure improvement projects.  
 40.37  The city may retain consultants and 
 40.38  enter into contracts it considers 
 40.39  desirable to conduct the study.  The 
 40.40  elements of the study must include an 
 40.41  alternate economic use study, a fiscal 
 40.42  impact study, an infrastructure impact 
 40.43  study, and a traffic impact study.  The 
 40.44  grant is available only to the extent 
 40.45  that the city provides in-kind 
 40.46  resources or money, raised or 
 40.47  contributed during a period beginning 
 40.48  January 1, 1993, that provides a 
 40.49  one-to-one match of the grant. 
 40.50  $100,000 the first year is for a grant 
 40.51  to the Minnesota Organization for 
 40.52  Global Professional Assignments, an 
 40.53  independent, nonprofit corporation, for 
 40.54  a program that creates opportunities 
 40.55  for the international professional 
 40.56  development of Minnesota college 
 40.57  graduates and Minnesota college seniors 
 40.58  interested in pursuing careers with 
 40.59  multinational businesses.  This is a 
 40.60  one-time appropriation.  The 
 40.61  appropriation is available for the 
 40.62  fiscal year ending June 30, 1998. 
 40.63  $100,000 the first year and $100,000 
 40.64  the second year is for one-time grants 
 40.65  to the city of New Brighton, as project 
 41.1   coordinator and fiscal agent of the 
 41.2   seven-city coalition, for the 
 41.3   multicommunity business retention and 
 41.4   market expansion project and related 
 41.5   planning efforts linking geographical 
 41.6   information systems, contaminated land 
 41.7   remediation, land use planning, 
 41.8   transportation corridor study, 
 41.9   integration of existing housing stock, 
 41.10  subregional transit and reverse commute 
 41.11  coordination, employment densities, job 
 41.12  training and welfare reform placement 
 41.13  coordination, and commercial and 
 41.14  industrial development.  The coalition 
 41.15  shall share all results and written 
 41.16  reports with the department of trade 
 41.17  and economic development. 
 41.18  $2,000,000 the first year is for 
 41.19  transfer to the rural policy and 
 41.20  development center fund.  This 
 41.21  appropriation does not cancel.  This is 
 41.22  a one-time appropriation and may not be 
 41.23  included in the agency's budget base 
 41.24  for the biennium ending June 30, 2001. 
 41.25  $250,000 the first year and $250,000 
 41.26  the second year is for grants to the 
 41.27  board of the rural policy and 
 41.28  development center for operation of the 
 41.29  center. 
 41.30  $130,000 the first year and $155,000 
 41.31  the second year is for grants to the 
 41.32  metropolitan economic development 
 41.33  association. 
 41.34  $240,000 the first year and $265,000 
 41.35  the second year is for grants to 
 41.36  WomenVenture. 
 41.37  WomenVenture and the metropolitan 
 41.38  economic development association must, 
 41.39  in the first year, develop contacts and 
 41.40  relationships with the regional 
 41.41  initiatives selected under Minnesota 
 41.42  Statutes, section 116J.415, subdivision 
 41.43  3, and a plan to deliver their services 
 41.44  statewide.  In the second year, they 
 41.45  must generally offer their services 
 41.46  statewide. 
 41.47  $500,000 the first year and $500,000 
 41.48  the second year is for grants to the 
 41.49  St. Paul rehabilitation center for its 
 41.50  current programs, including those 
 41.51  related to developing job-seeking 
 41.52  skills and workplace orientation, 
 41.53  intensive job development, functional 
 41.54  work English, and on-site job coaching. 
 41.55  $250,000 in the first year is for a 
 41.56  one-time grant to the Morrison county 
 41.57  rural development finance authority 
 41.58  established under Laws 1982, chapter 
 41.59  437.  The authority must use the grant 
 41.60  only for capital improvements to a 
 41.61  paper and wood products manufacturer in 
 41.62  the county primarily for the purposes 
 41.63  of facility upgrading and expansion of 
 41.64  the manufacturer's capability to 
 42.1   utilize recycled wastepaper as a fiber 
 42.2   source.  Minnesota Statutes, section 
 42.3   116J.991, applies to the grant. 
 42.4   $200,000 the first year is for an 
 42.5   agreement with the Judy Garland 
 42.6   Children's Museum to assist in the 
 42.7   design and construction of a children's 
 42.8   museum.  This amount must be matched by 
 42.9   at least $1,275,000 from nonstate 
 42.10  sources committed by June 30, 1998.  
 42.11  This is a one-time appropriation and 
 42.12  may not be added to the agency's budget 
 42.13  base in future biennia.  
 42.14  Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, 
 42.15  section 116J.8731, or any other law to 
 42.16  the contrary, the commissioner shall, 
 42.17  in the commissioner's considerations on 
 42.18  Minnesota investment fund grants in 
 42.19  fiscal year 1998, strongly consider an 
 42.20  application for a $250,000 grant to the 
 42.21  Morrison county rural development 
 42.22  authority established under Laws 1982, 
 42.23  chapter 437, for capital improvements 
 42.24  to a paper and wood products 
 42.25  manufacturer in Morrison county 
 42.26  primarily for the purposes of facility 
 42.27  upgrading and expansion of the 
 42.28  manufacturer's capability to utilize 
 42.29  recycled wastepaper as a fiber source, 
 42.30  thereby achieving the purpose of job 
 42.31  enhancement, stability, and 
 42.32  preservation.  As part of this 
 42.33  consideration, the commissioner shall 
 42.34  confer with the manufacturer, inspect 
 42.35  the manufacturer's facilities, and 
 42.36  conduct an analysis of the 
 42.37  manufacturer's business plan and its 
 42.38  previous and proposed efforts to 
 42.39  achieve these purposes.  The 
 42.40  commissioner shall strongly consider 
 42.41  approving the grant application unless 
 42.42  the commissioner determines that the 
 42.43  grant will not significantly contribute 
 42.44  to achieving these purposes.  The 
 42.45  commissioner must make a determination 
 42.46  on this application by December 1, 1997.
 42.47  $45,000 the first year is for a 
 42.48  one-time grant to the Upper Minnesota 
 42.49  Valley River regional development 
 42.50  commission for development of design 
 42.51  specifications and architectural plans 
 42.52  for a regional visitors center, to be 
 42.53  built on the upper segment of the 
 42.54  Minnesota river corridor within the 
 42.55  designated scenic byway area and in 
 42.56  conjunction with the development of the 
 42.57  Minnesota river corridor trail.  This 
 42.58  appropriation is available until June 
 42.59  30, 1999. 
 42.60  $100,000 the first year and $100,000 
 42.61  the second year is for grants to create 
 42.62  and operate community development 
 42.63  corporations under Minnesota Statutes, 
 42.64  section 116J.982, that target 
 42.65  Asian-Pacific Minnesotans.  One must be 
 42.66  in Hennepin county and one must be in 
 42.67  Ramsey county. 
 43.1   $80,000 the first year and $80,000 the 
 43.2   second year is for one-time grants to 
 43.3   the greater metropolitan area foreign 
 43.4   trade zone commission for the purpose 
 43.5   of promoting foreign trade zones in 
 43.6   Minnesota. 
 43.7      Sec. 54.  Laws 1997, chapter 200, article 1, section 12, 
 43.8   subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
 43.9   Subd. 2.  Workers' Compensation
 43.10      12,152,000 12,202,000     12,160,000 12,110,000
 43.11  This appropriation is from the workers' 
 43.12  compensation fund. 
 43.13  $125,000 the first year and $125,000 
 43.14  the second year is for grants to the 
 43.15  Vinland Center for rehabilitation 
 43.16  service. 
 43.17  Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, 
 43.18  section 79.253, the following 
 43.19  appropriations are made from the 
 43.20  assigned risk safety account in the 
 43.21  special compensation fund to the 
 43.22  commissioner of labor and industry: 
 43.23  (a) $77,000 the first year and $73,000 
 43.24  in the second year are for the purpose 
 43.25  of hiring one occupational safety and 
 43.26  health inspector.  The inspector shall 
 43.27  perform safety consultations for 
 43.28  employers through labor-management 
 43.29  committees as defined in Minnesota 
 43.30  Statutes, section 179.81, subdivision 
 43.31  2, under an interagency agreement 
 43.32  entered into between the commissioners 
 43.33  of labor and industry and mediation 
 43.34  services. 
 43.35  (b) $95,000 the first year and $75,000 
 43.36  the second year are for the purpose of 
 43.37  providing information to employers 
 43.38  regarding the prevention of violence in 
 43.39  the workplace. 
 43.40  (c) $25,000 the first year and $25,000 
 43.41  the second year are for the purpose of 
 43.42  safety training and other safety 
 43.43  programs for youth apprentices. 
 43.44     Sec. 55.  Laws 1997, chapter 200, article 1, section 33, 
 43.45  subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
 43.46     Subdivision 1.  [STUDY.] The commissioners of trade and 
 43.47  economic development, labor and industry, and economic 
 43.48  security The governor's workforce development council shall 
 43.49  conduct a joint study of job-training programs funded wholly or 
 43.50  partly with state funds.  The commissioners The governor's 
 43.51  workforce development council must report to the governor and 
 43.52  legislature on the development of the study by January 15, 1998, 
 44.1   and make a final report on the study by January 15, 1999. 
 44.2      Sec. 56.  Laws 1997, chapter 200, article 1, section 33, is 
 44.3   amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
 44.4      Subd. 4.  [WAGE RATE STUDY.] The governor's workforce 
 44.5   development council must identify for each job-training program 
 44.6   studied: 
 44.7      (1) the number and proportion of placement jobs paying at 
 44.8   least 120 percent of the federal poverty level initially; 
 44.9      (2) the number and proportion of placement jobs paying at 
 44.10  least 150 percent of the federal poverty level initially; 
 44.11     (3) the number and proportion of individuals who were 
 44.12  employed two years after successful program completion; and 
 44.13     (4) the number and proportion of individuals who were 
 44.14  employed five years after successful program completion. 
 44.15     Sec. 57.  Laws 1997, chapter 200, article 1, section 33, is 
 44.16  amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
 44.17     Subd. 5.  [BREAKDOWN OF INFORMATION.] For each program 
 44.18  included in the job-training study, the governor's workforce 
 44.19  development council shall report the information required by 
 44.20  this section for each of the following groups:  men, women, 
 44.21  Blacks, Native Americans, Hispanics, Asians, persons with 
 44.22  disabilities, persons under 25, persons between 25 and 45, 
 44.23  persons over 45, and persons receiving MFIP-S employment and 
 44.24  training and food stamp employment and training (FSET). 
 44.25     Sec. 58.  Laws 1997, chapter 200, article 1, section 33, is 
 44.26  amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
 44.27     Subd. 6.  [COLLECTION OF INFORMATION.] All training 
 44.28  programs being studied by the governor's workforce development 
 44.29  council are to collect demographic information in accordance 
 44.30  with subdivision 5, and are to make available to the Minnesota 
 44.31  department of economic security the social security numbers of 
 44.32  the programs' participants for the purpose of tracking wages and 
 44.33  job retention for two-year and five-year periods following 
 44.34  program completion.  Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 
 44.35  13.47 or 268.19, the Minnesota department of economic security 
 44.36  shall provide the governor's workforce development council with 
 45.1   the necessary information on the program participants to carry 
 45.2   out this study. 
 45.3      Sec. 59.  [TRAINING FOR HMONG AND LAOTIAN WOMEN.] 
 45.4      $100,000 of the appropriation in fiscal year 1999 for the 
 45.5   Job Training Partnership Act program in Laws 1997, chapter 200, 
 45.6   article 1, section 5, subdivision 4, is available to the Women's 
 45.7   Association of Hmong and Lao to provide employment and training 
 45.8   to eligible Hmong and Laotian women. 
 45.9      Sec. 60.  [CORRIDOR PLANNING PILOT PROJECTS.] 
 45.10     Subdivision 1.  [PILOT PROJECTS.] (a) The metropolitan 
 45.11  council shall contract with the University of Minnesota design 
 45.12  center for American urban landscape to establish corridor 
 45.13  planning pilot projects for the highway 61 south, and I-35W 
 45.14  north corridors in the metropolitan area.  A "corridor plan" is 
 45.15  a subregional, multijurisdictional comprehensive plan for the 
 45.16  area along a major transportation corridor through two or more 
 45.17  municipalities.  A corridor plan implements local development 
 45.18  and redevelopment objectives in compliance with regional goals 
 45.19  and priorities by establishing an integrated and cooperative 
 45.20  working relationship between adjoining corridor communities to, 
 45.21  among other things: 
 45.22     (1) make use of shared geographic information systems, as 
 45.23  they are developed; 
 45.24     (2) establish a framework for a comprehensive livable 
 45.25  community urban design; 
 45.26     (3) develop strategies for housing, and economic 
 45.27  development and redevelopment, including the cleanup of 
 45.28  contaminated properties and replacement of demolished affordable 
 45.29  housing; and 
 45.30     (4) create a comprehensive multimodal transportation plan 
 45.31  for the corridor, integrating transportation and land use issues.
 45.32     (b) A corridor plan must be developed by representatives of 
 45.33  each of the municipalities in the corridor, reviewed and 
 45.34  approved by the metropolitan council, and adopted by each of the 
 45.35  participating municipalities.  A local comprehensive plan must 
 45.36  be consistent with the corridor plan. 
 46.1      Subd. 2.  [1999 LEGISLATIVE PROPOSAL.] Based on the 
 46.2   experience of the corridor communities with the corridor 
 46.3   planning pilot projects, the council, in collaboration with the 
 46.4   design center and the corridor communities, shall propose 
 46.5   legislation for the 1999 legislature's consideration, that will 
 46.6   provide incentives to communities to implement their adopted 
 46.7   corridor plans approved by the council.  Recommendations for 
 46.8   incentives may include, but are not limited to, recommendations 
 46.9   related to tax increment financing, brownfield cleanup and 
 46.10  redevelopment assistance, transportation funding, board of 
 46.11  government innovation and cooperation grants, and local 
 46.12  government assistance. 
 46.13     Subd. 3.  [EFFECTIVE DATES; APPLICATION.] This section is 
 46.14  effective the day following final enactment and applies in the 
 46.15  counties of Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, and 
 46.16  Washington. 
 46.17     Sec. 61.  [MINNESOTA INVESTMENT FUND.] 
 46.18     Subdivision 1.  [CITY OF LUVERNE.] Notwithstanding the 
 46.19  grant limit contained in Minnesota Statutes, section 116J.8731, 
 46.20  subdivision 5, a grant of up to $1,000,000 may be made to the 
 46.21  city of Luverne to offset severe job losses due to plant 
 46.22  closings.  Before a grant is made, there must be coordination 
 46.23  with an existing environmental review of the impact on 
 46.24  groundwater by the Minnesota pollution control agency in 
 46.25  cooperation with the public facilities authority and its program 
 46.26  for wastewater infrastructure and the state revolving loan fund 
 46.27  for drinking water or wastewater treatment.  This subdivision is 
 46.28  effective the day following final enactment. 
 46.29     Subd. 2.  [SOYBEAN OILSEED PROCESSING 
 46.30  FACILITY.] Notwithstanding the grant limit in Minnesota 
 46.31  Statutes, section 116J.8731, subdivision 5, a grant of up to 
 46.32  $1,000,000 may be made to a political subdivision that is chosen 
 46.33  as a site for a soybean oilseed processing facility, constructed 
 46.34  by a Minnesota-based cooperative.  The grant may be used for 
 46.35  site preparation, predevelopment, and other infrastructure 
 46.36  improvements, including public and private utility improvements, 
 47.1   that are necessary for development of the oilseed processing 
 47.2   facility.  The grant may be made any time until December 31, 
 47.3   2000. 
 47.4      Sec. 62.  [CIRCULATOR VEHICLE PILOT PROJECT; OPERATION, 
 47.5   MARKETING, PLANNING.] 
 47.6      Subdivision 1.  [ESTABLISHED.] (a) The commissioner of 
 47.7   trade and economic development shall plan and develop a 
 47.8   circulator vehicle pilot project for the purpose of: 
 47.9      (1) connecting the Minneapolis convention center and other 
 47.10  major locations in downtown Minneapolis with multicultural 
 47.11  tourist, heritage, and cultural resources in the Phillips, 
 47.12  Stevens Square, Whittier, Central, Powderhorn, Seward, Loring 
 47.13  Park, and Cedar-Riverside neighborhoods in Minneapolis and 
 47.14  contributing to the revitalization of those neighborhoods by 
 47.15  increasing urban tourism; 
 47.16     (2) generating additional tourism revenue by expanding the 
 47.17  selection of tourism activities provided by the convention 
 47.18  center and downtown Minneapolis; and 
 47.19     (3) promoting state and local tourism activities which 
 47.20  provide a richer, more culturally diverse experience of 
 47.21  Minneapolis urban life as an alternative to larger, more 
 47.22  commercial attractions. 
 47.23  The pilot project may consist of regular route transportation, 
 47.24  charter service, or both. 
 47.25     (b) The grant shall be spent as follows: 
 47.26     (1) $200,000 for operating expenses related to the pilot 
 47.27  project, which must be matched by an equal amount from money 
 47.28  contributed by Minneapolis, Hennepin county, and nongovernmental 
 47.29  sources; and 
 47.30     (2) $20,000 to a community-based business association for 
 47.31  planning and marketing costs, which must be matched by an equal 
 47.32  amount from money contributed by Minneapolis, Hennepin county, 
 47.33  and nongovernmental sources.  This appropriation is available 
 47.34  until spent. 
 47.35     Subd. 2.  [AGENCY COOPERATION.] The Minnesota office of 
 47.36  tourism and the metropolitan council shall cooperate with the 
 48.1   grantees in the design, marketing, and planning of the 
 48.2   circulator vehicle pilot project. 
 48.3      Subd. 3.  [DETERMINATION.] The commissioner of trade and 
 48.4   economic development shall make the grant described in 
 48.5   subdivision 1, paragraph (b), clause (1), when the commissioner 
 48.6   determines that the appropriate matches are in place and that 
 48.7   the metropolitan council is willing and able to provide the 
 48.8   necessary vehicles to the circulator service. 
 48.9      Subd. 4.  [SCENIC BYWAY DESIGNATION.] The department of 
 48.10  transportation will provide technical assistance as needed to a 
 48.11  community-based business association in support of the 
 48.12  association's application to the Minnesota Scenic Byway 
 48.13  Commission for designation of the route of the circulator 
 48.14  vehicle pilot project as a scenic byway. 
 48.15     Subd. 5.  [ASSESSMENT OF PROJECT.] By January 1, 2000, the 
 48.16  commissioner of trade and economic development, in conjunction 
 48.17  with the grantees and the metropolitan council, will identify 
 48.18  quantitative measures of usage and economic impact and report 
 48.19  the information collected using these measures to the 
 48.20  legislature. 
 48.21     Subd. 6.  [EXCEPTION.] Notwithstanding any provision of 
 48.22  Minnesota Statutes, chapter 398A, the Hennepin county regional 
 48.23  railroad authority may expend up to $400,000 from its funds to 
 48.24  fund the circulator vehicle pilot project in this section.  The 
 48.25  funds may be used for other capital or operating costs.  
 48.26     Sec. 63.  [DISCLOSURE, CATEGORY 1; CATEGORY 2.] 
 48.27     Prior to March 1, 1999, a builder shall disclose in writing 
 48.28  to a purchaser before execution of a purchase contract whether 
 48.29  the residential building to be constructed is a category 1 or 
 48.30  category 2 building, as defined in Minnesota Rules, part 
 48.31  7670.0470, subpart 6, item A.  The disclosure shall include an 
 48.32  explanation of the difference between the categories in respect 
 48.33  of ventilation systems. 
 48.34     Sec. 64.  [PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGN.] 
 48.35     The department of commerce shall establish a public 
 48.36  education campaign to educate the public about homeowners' and 
 49.1   purchasers' rights under section 25 and Minnesota Statutes, 
 49.2   sections 16B.61, subdivision 3b; 16B.65, subdivision 7; 326.87, 
 49.3   subdivision 2; 326.975, subdivision 1; 327A.01, subdivisions 2 
 49.4   and 5; 327A.02, subdivisions 1 and 3; 327A.03; 541.051, 
 49.5   subdivisions 1 and 4, and about ways to recognize safety and 
 49.6   health issues that may arise when purchasing a home, including 
 49.7   potential moisture and indoor air quality problems. 
 49.8      Sec. 65.  [ON-THE-JOB TRAINING.] 
 49.9      The job skills partnership board in cooperation with the 
 49.10  departments of trade and economic development, economic 
 49.11  security, and labor and industry and the Minnesota state 
 49.12  colleges and universities shall develop on-the-job training 
 49.13  programs to assist companies in training workers in the skilled 
 49.14  trades.  The programs may include training for immigrants who 
 49.15  have completed training in skilled trades outside of the United 
 49.16  States and may include English as a second language specialists 
 49.17  and interpreters as necessary.  The job skills partnership board 
 49.18  shall pay the costs of developing these programs from its 
 49.19  existing resources.  
 49.20     Sec. 66.  [JUDY GARLAND CHILDREN'S MUSEUM.] 
 49.21     The appropriation in Laws 1997, chapter 200, article 1, 
 49.22  section 2, subdivision 2, to the commissioner of trade and 
 49.23  economic development for the Judy Garland Children's Museum is 
 49.24  available until and may be matched until June 30, 1999. 
 49.25     Sec. 67.  [EXEMPTION FROM ADDITIONAL BENEFITS 
 49.26  REQUIREMENTS.] 
 49.27     Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 268.125, 
 49.28  subdivisions 1; and 3, clauses (1) and (6), a claimant is 
 49.29  eligible to receive additional benefits under Minnesota 
 49.30  Statutes, section 268.125, if: 
 49.31     (1) the claimant was laid off due to lack of work from the 
 49.32  Campbell Soup plant in Nobles county between the months of July 
 49.33  and September of 1997; and 
 49.34     (2) the commissioner of economic security finds that the 
 49.35  claimant satisfies the conditions of Minnesota Statutes, section 
 49.36  268.125, subdivision 3, clauses (2) to (5), and has been or is a 
 50.1   participant in a dislocated workers program.  
 50.2      This section is effective the day following final enactment.
 50.3      Sec. 68.  [RETIREMENT EXCEPTION.] 
 50.4      Section 69 does not apply to any claimant who, with respect 
 50.5   to any period prior to September 1, 1998, receives, or has an 
 50.6   agreement to receive, a retirement pension financed in whole or 
 50.7   in part by the Hibbing Taconite Company. 
 50.8      Sec. 69.  [EXEMPTION FROM ADDITIONAL BENEFITS 
 50.9   REQUIREMENTS.] 
 50.10     Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 268.125, 
 50.11  subdivisions 1; and 3, clauses (1) and (6), a claimant is 
 50.12  eligible to receive additional benefits under Minnesota 
 50.13  Statutes, section 268.125, if: 
 50.14     (1) the claimant was laid off due to lack of work from the 
 50.15  Hibbing Taconite Company in St. Louis county between the months 
 50.16  of July and September of 1997; and 
 50.17     (2) the commissioner of economic security finds that the 
 50.18  claimant satisfies the conditions of Minnesota Statutes, section 
 50.19  268.125, subdivision 3, clauses (2) to (5).  
 50.20     This section is effective the day following final enactment.
 50.21     Sec. 70.  [REPEALER.] 
 50.22     (a) Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 116C.80, is repealed.  
 50.23     (b) Minnesota Statutes 1997 Supplement, section 446A.072, 
 50.24  subdivision 4a, is repealed. 
 50.25     (c) Laws 1991, chapter 275, section 3, is repealed. 
 50.26     Sec. 71.  [EFFECTIVE DATES.] 
 50.27     Sections 1 to 14, 19, 21, 22, 36, 47, 48, 49, 53, 55, 56, 
 50.28  57, 58, 62, and 70, paragraph (b), are effective the day 
 50.29  following final enactment.  Sections 28 and 52 are effective 
 50.30  retroactive to July 1, 1997.  Section 63 is effective May 1, 
 50.31  1998.  Section 34 is effective January 1, 1999.  
 50.32     Sections 39 to 43, 50, and 51 are effective for housing 
 50.33  warranties which take effect on or after June 1, 1999. 
 50.34     Sections 44 and 45 take effect the day after the Hennepin 
 50.35  county board complies with the provisions of Minnesota Statutes, 
 50.36  section 645.021, subdivision 3.