1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to agriculture; requiring that the principal 
  1.3             offices of the department of agriculture be located 
  1.4             outside of the metropolitan area; amending Minnesota 
  1.5             Statutes 2000, section 17.01. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 17.01, is 
  1.8   amended to read: 
  1.9      17.01 [CREATION OF DEPARTMENT; COMMISSIONER; DEPUTY.] 
  1.10     (a) There is created a department of agriculture, which 
  1.11  shall be in the charge of a commissioner of agriculture, in this 
  1.12  chapter called the commissioner, who shall be appointed by the 
  1.13  governor under the provisions of section 15.06.  Before entering 
  1.14  upon the duties of office, the commissioner shall take the oath 
  1.15  required of state officials.  The commissioner may appoint a 
  1.16  deputy commissioner. 
  1.17     (b) Effective June 1, 2004, the principal offices of the 
  1.18  department of agriculture must be located outside the 
  1.19  metropolitan counties listed in section 473.121, subdivision 4.