SF 1294

1st Engrossment - 91st Legislature (2019 - 2020) Posted on 07/19/2019 09:59am

A bill for an act
relating to state government; establishing a Legislative Commission on Housing
Affordability; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 3.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

[3.8845] LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION ON HOUSING
AFFORDABILITY.

Subdivision 1.

Membership.

(a) The Legislative Commission on Housing Affordability
consists of:

(1) two senators appointed by the senate majority leader;

(2) two senators appointed by the senate minority leader;

(3) two representatives appointed by the speaker of the house; and

(4) two representatives appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives.

(b) Each appointing authority must make appointments by January 31 of the regular
legislative session in the odd-numbered year.

Subd. 2.

Meetings.

The ranking senator from the majority party appointed to the
commission must convene the first meeting of a biennium by February 15 in the
odd-numbered year.

Subd. 3.

Terms; vacancies.

Members of the commission serve for terms beginning upon
appointment and ending at the beginning of the regular legislative session in the next
odd-numbered year. The appropriate appointing authority must fill a vacancy for a seat of
a current legislator for the remainder of the unexpired term.

Subd. 4.

Officers.

The commission must elect a chair and may elect other officers as it
determines are necessary, at the first meeting of the commission in an odd-numbered year.
The chair alternates between a member of the senate and a member of the house of
representatives at the start of the regular legislative session in each odd-numbered year.

Subd. 5.

Staff.

The Legislative Coordinating Commission must provide administrative
and research assistance to the commission.

Subd. 6.

Duties.

The commission shall:

(1) define housing affordability and study issues relating to housing affordability and
the construction, preservation and rehabilitation of owner-occupied and rental housing,
including subsidized housing, existing and future government regulations impacting housing
affordability, market forces impacting housing affordability, and access to homeownership;

(2) review and provide the legislature with research and analysis of emerging issues
affecting housing affordability and homeownership access, including but not limited to
construction work force, innovation, building practices, and building material costs;

(3) review and provide the legislature with research and analysis of policies to reduce
the homeownership equity gap; and

(4) review and make recommendations on legislative and rulemaking proposals positively
impacting personal housing affordability, access to homeownership, and other related barriers
to homeownership, especially with regard to first-time homebuyers and economically
disadvantaged buyers and renters.

Subd. 7.

Expiration.

This section expires June 30, 2023.

EFFECTIVE DATE.

This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 2. INITIAL APPOINTMENTS.

(a) Appointing authorities for the Legislative Commission on Housing Affordability
under Minnesota Statutes, section 3.8845, must make initial appointments by June 1, 2019,
to serve a term ending in January 2021.

(b) The speaker of the house must designate one member of the commission to convene
the first meeting of the commission by June 15, 2019. A member of the house of
representatives shall serve as the first chair of the commission. A member of the senate
shall serve as chair of the commission beginning in January 2021.