1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to government operations; requiring a study 
  1.3             of the feasibility of consolidating counties and 
  1.4             rationalizing other internal boundaries; appropriating 
  1.5             money. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  [STUDY ON CONSOLIDATING COUNTIES AND 
  1.8   RATIONALIZING OTHER INTERNAL BOUNDARIES.] 
  1.9      The board of government innovation and cooperation shall 
  1.10  study the feasibility of consolidating counties in the state.  
  1.11  As part of the study, the board shall consider conforming county 
  1.12  boundaries to other existing physical or organizational 
  1.13  boundaries including, among others, state judicial districts, 
  1.14  and shall consider the economic implications that may result 
  1.15  from the consolidation.  
  1.16     The study shall also include a consideration of the 
  1.17  rationalization of other internal boundaries of the state such 
  1.18  as highway maintenance and regional economic districts.  
  1.19     The board of government innovation and cooperation shall 
  1.20  report on the study to the appropriate committees of the 
  1.21  legislature by January 15, 1997. 
  1.22     Sec. 2.  [APPROPRIATION.] 
  1.23     $....... is appropriated from the general fund to the board 
  1.24  of government innovation and cooperation for the purposes of 
  1.25  section 1.