1.1                          A bill for an act
  1.2             relating to economic development; establishing the 
  1.3             Minnesota Institute for Telecommunications Technology 
  1.4             Applications and Education; specifying duties and 
  1.5             responsibilities; appropriating money; proposing 
  1.6             coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 137. 
  1.7   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.8      Section 1.  [137.111] [MINNESOTA INSTITUTE FOR 
  1.9   TELECOMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY APPLICATIONS AND EDUCATION.] 
  1.10     Subdivision 1.  [PURPOSE.] The Minnesota Institute for 
  1.11  Telecommunications Technology Applications and Education is 
  1.12  established to serve as a technically oriented, objective source 
  1.13  of knowledge on telecommunications and information technology.  
  1.14  The institute is intended to be a collaboration among partners 
  1.15  from economic development entities; elementary, secondary, and 
  1.16  post-secondary education institutions and organizations; 
  1.17  libraries; health care entities; government units and agencies; 
  1.18  and private sector organizations. 
  1.19     Subd. 2.  [CHARGE.] The institute shall (1) engage in 
  1.20  applied research, information exchange, research coordination, 
  1.21  and education and training coordination; (2) coordinate and act 
  1.22  as a referral center for services and resources; and (3) serve 
  1.23  as a clearinghouse for information and technical assistance to 
  1.24  service providers in areas including, but not limited to, health 
  1.25  care, business, government, and education. 
  1.26     Subd. 3.  [CONTRACTS.] The institute shall enter into 
  2.1   contracts with individuals or entities for projects consistent 
  2.2   with the institute's mission.  The board of directors shall 
  2.3   establish criteria to determine the projects for which it 
  2.4   contracts.  The contracts shall total at least 25 percent of the 
  2.5   institute's annual base appropriation. 
  2.6      Subd. 4.  [BOARD OF DIRECTORS.] The institute shall be 
  2.7   governed by a 20-member board of directors representing 
  2.8   telecommunications users and providers in the public and private 
  2.9   sectors.  The board shall have authority to enter into 
  2.10  contracts, collect fees for materials and services, approve the 
  2.11  hiring or termination of a director, and approve budgeting 
  2.12  policies.  Members of the board shall be appointed as follows:  
  2.13  six representatives of private industry, of whom two shall be 
  2.14  appointed by the senate subcommittee on committees of the 
  2.15  committee on rules and administration, two by the speaker of the 
  2.16  house of representatives, and two by the governor; two 
  2.17  representatives of local government, one representing a county 
  2.18  and one a town or city, appointed by the governor; three 
  2.19  representatives of higher education, of whom one shall be 
  2.20  appointed by the private college council, one by the higher 
  2.21  education board, and one by the board of regents; two 
  2.22  representatives of elementary-secondary education, one 
  2.23  representing a metropolitan school district and one a rural 
  2.24  district, appointed by the governor; two representatives of 
  2.25  state departments or agencies appointed by the governor; one 
  2.26  representative of a nonprofit organization involved in 
  2.27  telecommunications appointed by the governor; two 
  2.28  representatives of libraries appointed by the governor; and two 
  2.29  representatives of the general public, one of whom shall 
  2.30  represent low-income populations, appointed by the governor. 
  2.31  Compensation, removal of members and filling of vacancies shall 
  2.32  be as provided in section 15.0575.  Members shall serve 
  2.33  three-year terms.  Initial appointments shall be staggered so 
  2.34  that six members are appointed to initial one-year terms, seven 
  2.35  to initial two-year terms, and seven to initial three-year terms.
  2.36     Subd. 5.  [UNIVERSITY RESPONSIBILITIES.] The institute 
  3.1   shall be administered according to the policies and procedures 
  3.2   of the board of regents of the University of Minnesota.  The 
  3.3   board of regents shall approve the institute's plans and 
  3.4   policies, recommend an annual budget, appoint staff with the 
  3.5   approval of the board established under subdivision 3, and act 
  3.6   as fiscal agent for all funds attributable to the institute.  
  3.7   For administrative purposes, the employees of the institute, 
  3.8   including the director, shall be University of Minnesota 
  3.9   employees. 
  3.10     Subd. 6.  [REPORT; SUNSET.] The institute shall report on 
  3.11  its activities as part of its 1998-1999 biennial budget 
  3.12  request.  The institute shall expire on June 30, 1999. 
  3.13     Sec. 2.  [APPROPRIATION.] 
  3.14     $500,000 in fiscal year 1996 and $1,000,000 in fiscal year 
  3.15  1997, is appropriated to the board of regents of the University 
  3.16  of Minnesota to provide funding for the institute established in 
  3.17  section 1.  One-half of the 1997 appropriation is contingent 
  3.18  upon the institute receiving an equal amount of monetary or 
  3.19  in-kind contributions from nonstate sources.