1.1                          A bill for an act
  1.2             relating to economic development; creating Northern 
  1.3             Technology Initiative, Inc.; proposing coding for new 
  1.4             law as Minnesota Statutes, chapter 116T. 
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  [116T.01] [DEFINITIONS.] 
  1.7      For purposes of this chapter: 
  1.8      (1) "board" means the board of directors of Northern 
  1.9   Technology Initiative, Inc.; and 
  1.10     (2) "corporation" means Northern Technology Initiative, Inc.
  1.11     Sec. 2.  [116T.02] [CORPORATION; MEMBERS; BOARD OF 
  1.12  DIRECTORS; POWERS.] 
  1.13     Subdivision 1.  [PUBLIC CORPORATION.] Northern Technology 
  1.14  Initiative, Inc. is a public nonprofit corporation of the 
  1.15  state.  The business of the corporation must be conducted under 
  1.16  the name "Northern Technology Initiative, Inc." 
  1.17     Subd. 2.  [BOARD OF DIRECTORS.] The corporation is governed 
  1.18  by a board of directors consisting of: 
  1.19     (1) a member of the governing body of each participating 
  1.20  county, appointed by the governing body; 
  1.21     (2) a member of the governing body of each participating 
  1.22  home rule charter or statutory city, appointed by the governing 
  1.23  body; 
  1.24     (3) the president of each participating post-secondary 
  1.25  institution; and 
  2.1      (4) other members as may be provided by the bylaws adopted 
  2.2   and amended in accordance with subdivision 4. 
  2.3   The membership terms, compensation, removal, and filling of 
  2.4   vacancies of members of the board are governed by the bylaws of 
  2.5   the corporation. 
  2.6      Subd. 3.  [BYLAWS.] The board of directors shall adopt 
  2.7   bylaws and publish the bylaws and amendments to the bylaws in 
  2.8   the State Register.  The bylaws must provide for financial and 
  2.9   other contributions by participating entities to cover the 
  2.10  operation of the corporation. 
  2.11     Subd. 4.  [MEETINGS.] Meetings of the board are subject to 
  2.12  chapter 13D. 
  2.13     Subd. 5.  [PLACES OF BUSINESS.] The board shall locate and 
  2.14  maintain the corporation's places of business within Carlton, 
  2.15  Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, or Pine county. 
  2.16     Subd. 6.  [CONFLICT OF INTEREST.] A director, employee, or 
  2.17  officer of the corporation may not participate in or vote on a 
  2.18  decision of the board relating to an organization in which the 
  2.19  director or employee has either a direct or indirect financial 
  2.20  interest or a conflict of interest as described in section 
  2.21  10A.07. 
  2.22     Sec. 3.  [116T.03] [CORPORATE PERSONNEL.] 
  2.23     Subdivision 1.  [GENERALLY.] The board shall appoint and 
  2.24  set the compensation for the executive director who serves as 
  2.25  chief executive officer of the corporation.  The board may 
  2.26  designate the executive director as its general agent.  Subject 
  2.27  to the approval of the board, the executive director shall 
  2.28  employ staff consultants and other agents necessary to carry out 
  2.29  the mission of the corporation. 
  2.30     Subd. 2.  [STATUS OF EMPLOYEES.] Employees, officers, and 
  2.31  directors of the corporation are not state employees, but, at 
  2.32  the option of the board, may participate in the state retirement 
  2.33  plan for employees in the unclassified service, the state 
  2.34  deferred compensation plan, and an insurance plan administered 
  2.35  by the commissioner of employee relations. 
  2.36     Sec. 4.  [116T.04] [POWERS AND DUTIES OF CORPORATION.] 
  3.1      The corporation has the powers granted to a nonprofit 
  3.2   corporation by section 317A.161, except as otherwise provided in 
  3.3   this chapter. 
  3.4      Sec. 5.  [116T.05] [DISSOLUTION.] 
  3.5      In the event of dissolution of the corporation for any 
  3.6   reason, the bylaws must provide for return of the proceeds of 
  3.7   that liquidation and any wholly owned assets of the corporation 
  3.8   to the entities participating in Northern Technology Initiative, 
  3.9   Inc. in exchange for the assumption of all outstanding 
  3.10  obligations of the corporation. 
  3.11     Sec. 6.  [INITIAL BOARD.] 
  3.12     The initial board of Northern Technology, Inc. consists of 
  3.13  the president of Pine Technical College and one member of each 
  3.14  of the governing bodies of Carlton, Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, 
  3.15  and Pine counties, appointed by the governing bodies.  Members 
  3.16  of the initial board must be appointed within 30 days of the 
  3.17  effective date of this act and must adopt bylaws within 30 days 
  3.18  of the appointment of the last board member appointed under this 
  3.19  section.  Any additional board members required under the bylaws 
  3.20  or section 2, subdivision 3, must take office or be appointed 
  3.21  within 30 days after the adoption of bylaws under this section.