1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to economic development; providing for rural 
  1.3             job training grants; proposing coding for new law in 
  1.4             Minnesota Statutes, chapter 469. 
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  [469.3091] [RURAL JOB TRAINING GRANTS.] 
  1.7      Subdivision 1.  [JOB TRAINING GRANTS.] The commissioner of 
  1.8   trade and economic development may provide an incentive grant 
  1.9   for the training of eligible employees by an eligible business 
  1.10  for a job requiring the newly trained skills.  The maximum grant 
  1.11  is $5,000 per eligible employee.  The grant amount is based on 
  1.12  the following schedule of wages received by an employee 
  1.13  immediately after the training: 
  1.14     (1) $5,000 for each eligible employee with wages greater 
  1.15  than or equal to 170 percent and less than 200 percent of the 
  1.16  minimum wage; 
  1.17     (2) $4,000 for each eligible employee with wages greater 
  1.18  than or equal to 200 percent and less than 250 percent of the 
  1.19  minimum wage; 
  1.20     (3) $3,000 for each eligible employee with wages greater 
  1.21  than or equal to 250 percent and less than 300 percent of the 
  1.22  minimum wage; and 
  1.23     (4) $2,000 for each eligible employee with wages greater 
  1.24  than or equal to 300 percent of the minimum wage. 
  1.25     The total maximum grant for an eligible business is the sum 
  2.1   of the grants allowed for each eligible employee.  For purposes 
  2.2   of this section, "minimum wage" means the minimum wage that is 
  2.3   required by federal law or state law, if higher.  
  2.4      Subd. 2.  [ELIGIBLE EMPLOYER.] An employer eligible for a 
  2.5   job training incentive grant under this section must: 
  2.6      (1) be located outside the metropolitan area as defined 
  2.7   under section 473.121; 
  2.8      (2) train at least ten employees in a two-year period; and 
  2.9      (3) be a for-profit business. 
  2.10     Subd. 3.  [ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEE.] To be eligible for a 
  2.11  training grant, the employee must be employed full time by an 
  2.12  eligible business at a wage level of not less than 170 percent 
  2.13  of the minimum wage at the time the eligible business applies 
  2.14  for the grant and must have been employed at the eligible 
  2.15  business at or above that minimum wage level for a minimum of 12 
  2.16  months.  
  2.17     Subd. 4.  [RESTRICTIONS.] The incentive grants provided by 
  2.18  this section do not apply to racetracks, financial institutions, 
  2.19  gambling enterprises, public utilities, or sports, fitness, and 
  2.20  health facilities.