1.1                          A bill for an act
  1.2             relating to international trade and tourism; 
  1.3             establishing a Minnesota office of international 
  1.4             affairs; appropriating money; proposing coding for new 
  1.5             law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 116J. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  [116J.976] [MINNESOTA OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL 
  1.8   AFFAIRS.] 
  1.9      Subdivision 1.  [ESTABLISHMENT.] The Minnesota office of 
  1.10  international affairs is established to coordinate the 
  1.11  international activities of state government, to advance state 
  1.12  actions to deal with international issues and international 
  1.13  relations, and to promote mutual cooperation and understanding 
  1.14  between the citizens of Minnesota and the citizens of other 
  1.15  nations. 
  1.16     Subd. 2.  [APPOINTMENT.] The director of the office is 
  1.17  appointed by the governor and serves in the unclassified 
  1.18  service.  The director must be selected without regard to 
  1.19  political affiliation and must be a person who has knowledge 
  1.20  about and experience with international relations.  No person 
  1.21  may serve as a director while holding another public office. 
  1.22     Subd. 3.  [STAFF.] The commissioner of trade and economic 
  1.23  development shall provide staff and administrative services for 
  1.24  the office. 
  1.25     Subd. 4.  [DUTIES.] (a) The director shall: 
  2.1      (1) inventory and monitor state programs and activities 
  2.2   that impact international competitiveness and understanding; 
  2.3      (2) conduct a broad-based assessment of Minnesota's 
  2.4   competitive position in the global economy focusing on 
  2.5   underlying factors including, but not limited to, international 
  2.6   education in the public school system and the state's ability to 
  2.7   attract and host foreign visitors; 
  2.8      (3) review and coordinate state initiatives to improve 
  2.9   international competitiveness and international relations 
  2.10  through education, research, information, and services for 
  2.11  official international visitors and information and services for 
  2.12  any Minnesotan traveling in an official capacity; 
  2.13     (4) propose measures to promote cultural and educational 
  2.14  exchanges between Minnesota and other countries; 
  2.15     (5) serve as a host to official foreign visitors, 
  2.16  international trade delegations, international trade missions, 
  2.17  and international cultural missions; and 
  2.18     (6) monitor federal issues such as immigration policies, 
  2.19  international agreements, and dispute resolutions to assess 
  2.20  their impact on Minnesota laws and programs. 
  2.21     (b) The activities of the office must not duplicate the 
  2.22  activities of the Minnesota trade division or the Minnesota 
  2.23  World Trade Center corporation. 
  2.24     Subd. 5.  [FUNDING.] The director shall use funds 
  2.25  specifically appropriated by the legislature to carry out the 
  2.26  duties of the office under this section.  The director is 
  2.27  authorized to seek and receive federal money.  The office may 
  2.28  accept gifts and grants of any type from any source. 
  2.29     Subd. 6.  [STATE AGENCY ASSISTANCE.] The director may 
  2.30  request information from any state office or agency to assist in 
  2.31  carrying out the responsibilities assigned to the office under 
  2.32  this section.  The office or agency shall promptly provide 
  2.33  cooperation and data to the extent permitted by law. 
  2.34     Subd. 7.  [REPORTING.] The director shall report annually 
  2.35  to the legislature and the governor on activities of the office 
  2.36  and make recommendations on actions to improve coordination of 
  3.1   state activities that impact international affairs, on ways to 
  3.2   improve Minnesota's competitive position in the global economy, 
  3.3   and on means to increase international and cultural awareness. 
  3.4      Sec. 2.  [APPROPRIATIONS.] 
  3.5      $500,000 is appropriated from the general fund to the 
  3.6   director of the Minnesota office of international affairs for 
  3.7   the biennium for the purposes of section 1.