1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to state government; providing an income tax 
  1.3             checkoff to fund a program for rewarding state 
  1.4             employees whose suggestions improve government 
  1.5             efficiency; appropriating money; amending Minnesota 
  1.6             Statutes 1998, sections 181.932, subdivision 1; and 
  1.7             290.06, by adding a subdivision; Minnesota Statutes 
  1.8             1999 Supplement, section 181.932, subdivision 2; 
  1.9             proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, 
  1.10            chapter 465. 
  1.11  BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.12     Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 181.932, 
  1.13  subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
  1.14     Subdivision 1.  [PROHIBITED ACTION.] An employer shall not 
  1.15  discharge, discipline, threaten, otherwise discriminate against, 
  1.16  or penalize an employee regarding the employee's compensation, 
  1.17  terms, conditions, location, or privileges of employment because:
  1.18     (a) the employee, or a person acting on behalf of an 
  1.19  employee, in good faith, reports a violation or suspected 
  1.20  violation of any federal or state law or rule adopted pursuant 
  1.21  to law to an employer or to any governmental body or law 
  1.22  enforcement official; 
  1.23     (b) the employee is requested by a public body or office to 
  1.24  participate in an investigation, hearing, inquiry; 
  1.25     (c) the employee refuses an employer's order to perform an 
  1.26  action that the employee has an objective basis in fact to 
  1.27  believe violates any state or federal law or rule or regulation 
  1.28  adopted pursuant to law, and the employee informs the employer 
  2.1   that the order is being refused for that reason; or 
  2.2      (d) the employee, in good faith, reports a situation in 
  2.3   which the quality of health care services provided by a health 
  2.4   care facility, organization, or health care provider violates a 
  2.5   standard established by federal or state law or a professionally 
  2.6   recognized national clinical or ethical standard and potentially 
  2.7   places the public at risk of harm; or 
  2.8      (e) a state employee submits a suggestion to the board of 
  2.9   government innovation and cooperation under section 465.7975. 
  2.10     Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1999 Supplement, section 
  2.11  181.932, subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
  2.12     Subd. 2.  [DISCLOSURE OF IDENTITY.] The identity of any 
  2.13  employee making a report to a governmental body or law 
  2.14  enforcement official under subdivision 1, clause (a) or, (d), or 
  2.15  (e), is private data on individuals as defined in section 
  2.16  13.02.  The identity of an employee providing information under 
  2.17  subdivision 1, clause (b), is private data on individuals if: 
  2.18     (1) the employee would not have provided the information 
  2.19  without an assurance that the employee's identity would remain 
  2.20  private, because of a concern that the employer would commit an 
  2.21  action prohibited under subdivision 1 or that the employee would 
  2.22  be subject to some other form of retaliation; or 
  2.23     (2) the state agency, statewide system, or political 
  2.24  subdivision reasonably believes that the employee would not have 
  2.25  provided the data because of that concern.  
  2.26     If the disclosure is necessary for prosecution, the 
  2.27  identity of the employee may be disclosed but the employee shall 
  2.28  be informed prior to the disclosure. 
  2.29     Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 290.06, is 
  2.30  amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
  2.31     Subd. 28.  [CREDIT FOR DESIGNATED CONTRIBUTIONS TO 
  2.32  GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY SUGGESTION PROGRAM.] (a) An individual may 
  2.33  claim a credit for an amount designated on the individual income 
  2.34  tax return as a contribution to the government efficiency 
  2.35  suggestion program in section 465.7975.  The maximum 
  2.36  contribution must not exceed the lesser of (i) ...... or (ii) 
  3.1   the individual's or the married couple's tax liability for the 
  3.2   taxable year, after subtraction of any credits and rebates for 
  3.3   which the individual is eligible. 
  3.4      (b) The commissioner shall report to the board of 
  3.5   government innovation and cooperation by August 1 of each year a 
  3.6   summary showing the total number and aggregate amount of 
  3.7   contributions designated to the government efficiency suggestion 
  3.8   program, and shall transfer the total amount designated to the 
  3.9   government efficiency suggestion program account.  Amounts 
  3.10  transferred by the commissioner after June 15 of the calendar 
  3.11  year following the calendar year for the contribution is 
  3.12  designated must include interest at the rate specified in 
  3.13  section 270.76.  Amounts transferred to the account are 
  3.14  appropriated to the board of government innovation and 
  3.15  cooperation for purposes of the program established in section 
  3.16  465.7975. 
  3.17     Sec. 4.  [465.7975] [STATE EMPLOYEE SUGGESTION SYSTEM.] 
  3.18     The board shall establish and publicize a program to 
  3.19  solicit suggestions from state employees for ways to reduce the 
  3.20  cost of operating state government or for ways of providing the 
  3.21  state better or more efficient state services.  The board may 
  3.22  award a one-time bonus to an employee or group of employees 
  3.23  whose suggestion is determined by the board to result in a cost 
  3.24  savings to the state.  The maximum bonus is $.......  Bonuses 
  3.25  must be paid only from amounts in the government efficiency 
  3.26  suggestion program account created in section 290.06, 
  3.27  subdivision 28.