1.1                          A bill for an act
  1.2             relating to economic development; requiring state 
  1.3             agencies and political subdivisions to investigate the 
  1.4             availability of existing buildings before proposing 
  1.5             new construction; requiring the commissioner of trade 
  1.6             and economic development to investigate and publicize 
  1.7             the availability of low-cost land and buildings; 
  1.8             amending Minnesota Statutes 2000, sections 16A.86, by 
  1.9             adding a subdivision; 16B.305, by adding a 
  1.10            subdivision; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota 
  1.11            Statutes, chapter 116J. 
  1.12  BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.13     Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 16A.86, is 
  1.14  amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
  1.15     Subd. 5.  [CONSULTATIONS.] A political subdivision must, 
  1.16  prior to the submission of any capital project request to the 
  1.17  governor or the legislature that involves new construction, 
  1.18  consult with the commissioner of trade and economic development 
  1.19  and obtain information about any existing buildings that may be 
  1.20  available and that, either in their current condition or 
  1.21  subsequent to proposed improvements, could adequately serve the 
  1.22  same function as the proposed new construction.  Information on 
  1.23  any suitable available buildings must be provided to the 
  1.24  legislature along with the capital budget request. 
  1.25     Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 16B.305, is 
  1.26  amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
  1.27     Subd. 4.  [CONSULTATIONS.] State agencies must, prior to 
  1.28  the submission of any capital project request to the governor or 
  2.1   the legislature that involves new construction, consult with the 
  2.2   commissioner of trade and economic development and obtain 
  2.3   information about any existing buildings that may be available 
  2.4   and that, either in their current condition or subsequent to 
  2.5   proposed improvements, could adequately serve the same function 
  2.6   as the proposed new construction.  Information on any suitable 
  2.7   available buildings must be provided to the legislature along 
  2.8   with the capital budget request. 
  2.9      Sec. 3.  [116J.105] [PROMOTION OF AVAILABLE PROPERTIES.] 
  2.10     The commissioner shall communicate regularly with the 
  2.11  League of Minnesota Cities, the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, 
  2.12  political subdivisions, and local chambers of commerce, as well 
  2.13  as other appropriate local sources of information, to obtain 
  2.14  information about available low-cost land and buildings in the 
  2.15  state, including, but not limited to, very low-cost properties 
  2.16  and properties that have been abandoned.  The information the 
  2.17  commissioner gains from these communications shall, to the 
  2.18  greatest extent possible, be incorporated into any electronic or 
  2.19  print publications or databases that the commissioner makes 
  2.20  available for marketing purposes.