1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to economic development; regulating 
  1.3             eligibility of farmers for the dislocated worker 
  1.4             program; amending Minnesota Statutes 1999 Supplement, 
  1.5             section 268.975, subdivision 3. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1999 Supplement, section 
  1.8   268.975, subdivision 3, is amended to read: 
  1.9      Subd. 3.  [DISLOCATED WORKER.] "Dislocated worker" means an 
  1.10  individual who is a resident of Minnesota at the time employment 
  1.11  ceased or was working in the state at the time employment ceased 
  1.12  and: 
  1.13     (1) has been terminated or who has received a notice of 
  1.14  termination from public or private sector employment, is 
  1.15  eligible for or has exhausted entitlement to reemployment 
  1.16  compensation, and is unlikely to return to the previous industry 
  1.17  or occupation; 
  1.18     (2) has been terminated or has received a notice of 
  1.19  termination of employment as a result of any plant closing or 
  1.20  any substantial layoff at a plant, facility, or enterprise; 
  1.21     (3) has been long-term unemployed and has limited 
  1.22  opportunities for employment or reemployment in the same or a 
  1.23  similar occupation in the area in which the individual resides, 
  1.24  including older individuals who may have substantial barriers to 
  1.25  employment by reason of age; ~~or~~ 
  2.1      (4) has been self-employed, including farmers and ranchers, 
  2.2   and is unemployed as a result of general economic conditions in 
  2.3   the community in which the individual resides or because of 
  2.4   natural disasters, subject to rules to be adopted by the 
  2.5   commissioner; or 
  2.6      (5) has been self-employed as a farmer or rancher and, even 
  2.7   though that employment has not ceased, has experienced a 
  2.8   significant reduction in income due to inadequate crop or 
  2.9   livestock prices, crop failures, or significant loss in crop 
  2.10  yields due to pests, disease, adverse weather, or other natural 
  2.11  phenomenon.  This clause expires July 31, 2003. 
  2.12     Sec. 2.  [TEMPORARY PRIORITY FOR CERTAIN FARMERS OR 
  2.13  RANCHERS.] 
  2.14     In fiscal year 2001, the commissioner of economic security 
  2.15  shall give priority for grants under Minnesota Statutes, section 
  2.16  268.9783, to proposals that provide retraining to dislocated 
  2.17  workers eligible under Minnesota Statutes, section 268.975, 
  2.18  subdivision 3, clause (5).  The commissioner retains any 
  2.19  existing authority to exercise discretion about making any grant 
  2.20  and this section does not require the commissioner to make any 
  2.21  specific grant.  The match requirement of Minnesota Statutes, 
  2.22  section 268.9783, subdivision 6, clause (1), does not apply to 
  2.23  grants given preference under this section.