1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to public safety; creating an amateur radio 
  1.3             volunteer system; authorizing the purchase of mobile 
  1.4             telephones; creating a communications committee; 
  1.5             appropriating money; proposing coding for new law in 
  1.6             Minnesota Statutes, chapter 12. 
  1.7   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.8      Section 1.  [12.241] [AMATEUR RADIO VOLUNTEER SYSTEM.] 
  1.9      Subdivision 1.  [PLAN.] By July 1, 1997, the division of 
  1.10  emergency management shall develop a statewide plan to organize 
  1.11  and utilize private amateur radio volunteers to support 
  1.12  emergency communications within the state.  The plan must 
  1.13  include provisions for training volunteers, and procedures for 
  1.14  distributing small grants to local amateur radio groups to train 
  1.15  and organize members for the volunteer system. 
  1.16     Subd. 2.  [IMPLEMENTATION.] Beginning July 1, 1997, the 
  1.17  division of emergency management shall implement the plan 
  1.18  developed under subdivision 1, and shall maintain and operate 
  1.19  the amateur radio volunteer system.  The division may provide 
  1.20  grants to local amateur radio groups to train and organize 
  1.21  members for the volunteer system. 
  1.22     Sec. 2.  [SATELLITE TELEPHONE PURCHASE.] 
  1.23     The commissioner of public safety shall purchase 15 mobile 
  1.24  unit satellite telephones that are capable of transmission on 
  1.25  the satellite telephone system available to state and local 
  1.26  units of government.  The division of emergency management shall 
  2.1   distribute the units to state entities throughout the state, 
  2.2   with priority given to the Minnesota incident command system 
  2.3   fire cache of the department of natural resources located in 
  2.4   Grand Rapids, Minnesota, and to areas within the state where 
  2.5   cellular phone service is not readily available. 
  2.6      Sec. 3.  [COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE.] 
  2.7      Subdivision 1.  [MEMBERSHIP; EXPIRATION.] The 
  2.8   communications committee shall be composed of six members.  The 
  2.9   commissioners of transportation, natural resources, and public 
  2.10  safety shall each appoint two members.  Membership terms, 
  2.11  compensation, and removal are as provided by Minnesota Statutes, 
  2.12  section 15.059.  The members of the committee shall select from 
  2.13  their membership a chair and other officers as they deem 
  2.14  necessary.  The committee shall expire upon completion of the 
  2.15  study under subdivision 2. 
  2.16     Subd. 2.  [STUDY.] (a) By July 1, 1997, the committee shall 
  2.17  complete a study examining the feasibility of installing 
  2.18  communication towers to enhance cellular and radio frequency 
  2.19  communication within the state.  The study shall include 
  2.20  consideration of: 
  2.21     (1) the possible locations for tower installations and 
  2.22  repeaters; 
  2.23     (2) the cost of installation and maintenance; 
  2.24     (3) the environmental impacts of tower installations; 
  2.25     (4) the feasibility of cooperative action with private 
  2.26  entities; and 
  2.27     (5) the advantages and disadvantages of alternatives to 
  2.28  cellular communications.  
  2.29     (b) The committee shall report the findings of the study 
  2.30  and the recommendations of the committee to the commissioner of 
  2.31  transportation.  The commissioner shall submit the findings and 
  2.32  recommendations of the committee to the legislature on or before 
  2.33  January 1, 1998, together with any proposed legislation. 
  2.34     Sec. 4.  [APPROPRIATIONS.] 
  2.35     Subdivision 1.  [AMATEUR RADIO VOLUNTEER SYSTEM.] $50,000 
  2.36  is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of 
  3.1   public safety to administer section 12.241. 
  3.2      Subd. 2.  [SATELLITE TELEPHONES.] $50,000 is appropriated 
  3.3   from the general fund to the commissioner of public safety to 
  3.4   purchase satellite telephones in accordance with section 2. 
  3.5      Subd. 3.  [COMMUNICATIONS STUDY.] $30,000 is appropriated 
  3.6   from the general fund to the commissioner of transportation to 
  3.7   administer section 3.