1.1                          A bill for an act
  1.2             relating to local governments; establishing an 
  1.3             advisory council on local government roles and 
  1.4             responsibilities; appropriating money. 
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  [ADVISORY COUNCIL ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT.] 
  1.7      Subdivision 1.  [ESTABLISHED.] An advisory council on the 
  1.8   roles and responsibilities of local governments is established. 
  1.9      Subd. 2.  [DUTIES.] The advisory council shall study and 
  1.10  make recommendations to the legislature by July 1, 1998, on the 
  1.11  appropriate roles and responsibilities of local and regional 
  1.12  government in the metropolitan area, as defined in Minnesota 
  1.13  Statutes, section 473.121, subdivision 2.  The advisory council 
  1.14  shall examine: 
  1.15     (1) what services should be provided and what functions 
  1.16  fulfilled by local or regional government; 
  1.17     (2) what level of government is appropriate for the 
  1.18  efficient, effective, and equitable delivery of these services 
  1.19  and functions; 
  1.20     (3) what powers are needed by local and regional government 
  1.21  to deliver the services; and 
  1.22     (4) what governance structures will meet the identified 
  1.23  roles and responsibilities of local and regional government and 
  1.24  be responsive to, understandable by, and accountable to citizens.
  1.25     The advisory council may consider alternatives to the 
  2.1   existing governance structures in order to fulfill the 
  2.2   requirements of this section. 
  2.3      Subd. 3.  [MEMBERSHIP.] The advisory council consists of 25 
  2.4   members, who serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority, 
  2.5   as follows: 
  2.6      (1) four representatives of cities, appointed by the 
  2.7   association of metropolitan municipalities; 
  2.8      (2) two representatives of towns, appointed by the 
  2.9   Minnesota association of townships; 
  2.10     (3) four representatives of counties, appointed by the 
  2.11  association of Minnesota counties; 
  2.12     (4) two representatives of school districts, appointed by 
  2.13  the Minnesota school boards association; 
  2.14     (5) eight legislators, four house members, appointed by the 
  2.15  speaker of the house of representatives, and four senate 
  2.16  members, appointed by the committee on rules and administration; 
  2.17     (6) the chair of the metropolitan council, or the chair's 
  2.18  designee; and 
  2.19     (7) four public members, appointed by the governor. 
  2.20     Members must be appointed as soon as possible after the 
  2.21  effective date of this section. 
  2.22     Subd. 4.  [FIRST MEETING; SELECTION OF A CHAIR.] A member 
  2.23  appointed by the association of metropolitan municipalities 
  2.24  shall be selected by the association to convene the first 
  2.25  meeting of the advisory council.  At the first meeting, the 
  2.26  advisory council shall select a member to serve as chair. 
  2.27     Subd. 5.  [ADMINISTRATIVE; STAFF ASSISTANCE.] The office of 
  2.28  strategic and long-range planning shall provide administrative 
  2.29  and staff assistance to the advisory council. 
  2.30     Subd. 6.  [EXPENSES.] The office of strategic and 
  2.31  long-range planning shall pay the expenses of the advisory 
  2.32  council.  Advisory council members shall receive per diem and 
  2.33  expenses as provided by Minnesota Statutes, section 15.059, 
  2.34  subdivision 3. 
  2.35     Subd. 7.  [EXPIRATION.] This section expires June 30, 1999. 
  2.36     Sec. 2.  [APPROPRIATION.] 
  3.1      $....... is appropriated from the general fund to the 
  3.2   director of the office of strategic and long-range planning for 
  3.3   the purposes of section 1.  This appropriation is available 
  3.4   until June 30, 1999.