1.1                          A bill for an act
  1.2             relating to economic policy and strategic planning; 
  1.3             calling for a survey of past and present economic 
  1.4             policy initiatives in Minnesota and possible 
  1.5             directions for an economic policy council; 
  1.6             appropriating money. 
  1.7   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.8      Section 1.  [ECONOMIC POLICY AND STRATEGIC PLANNING 
  1.9   SURVEY.] 
  1.10     $150,000 is appropriated from the general fund to the 
  1.11  director of the office of strategic and long-range planning to 
  1.12  survey the possible means of establishing and sustaining an 
  1.13  ongoing state economic policy and the accompanying strategic 
  1.14  planning and measures of success.  Specifically, the survey 
  1.15  should: 
  1.16     (1) review and summarize previous and ongoing efforts to 
  1.17  guide economic goals for Minnesota; 
  1.18     (2) recommend a set of overall goals or possible 
  1.19  alternatives for goals that reflects consensus, focusing on 
  1.20  economic foundations including workforce development, public 
  1.21  infrastructure, well-managed natural resources, technological 
  1.22  innovation and commercialization, access to capital, and tax and 
  1.23  regulatory climate; 
  1.24     (3) identify and critique models of economic policy and 
  1.25  strategic planning from other states; 
  1.26     (4) consider methods of establishing and funding a 
  2.1   broad-based, bipartisan economic policy council which will 
  2.2   include substantial public and private participation; 
  2.3      (5) consider methods of integrating and consolidating the 
  2.4   economic policy work of existing councils, commissions, and task 
  2.5   forces; and 
  2.6      (6) report the findings, including recommendations as to 
  2.7   composition and organization of an economic policy council and 
  2.8   appropriate guidelines for the council, to the legislature by 
  2.9   December 1, 1997. 
  2.10     Sec. 2.  [ESTABLISHMENT OF INTERIM ECONOMIC STRATEGY 
  2.11  GROUP.] 
  2.12     (a) By January 1, 1998, the director of the office of 
  2.13  strategic and long-range planning shall convene an interim 
  2.14  economic strategy group to define the structure of the economic 
  2.15  policy council and the long-range vision for the Minnesota 
  2.16  economy.  The interim group shall be comprised of 16 members 
  2.17  from the public and private sectors with demonstrated leadership 
  2.18  and vision in the area of economic foundations with perspectives 
  2.19  on global competitiveness.  Eight members shall be appointed as 
  2.20  follows:  two by the governor, two by the speaker of the house 
  2.21  of representatives, one by the minority leader of the house of 
  2.22  representatives, two by the president of the senate and one by 
  2.23  the senate minority leader.  These eight members shall appoint 
  2.24  eight additional members. 
  2.25     (b) The interim group shall report its findings and 
  2.26  recommendations to the legislature by January 1, 1999.  The 
  2.27  report shall include recommendations for legislative action 
  2.28  regarding establishment of and appropriations for a permanent 
  2.29  economic policy council. 
  2.30     Sec. 3.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  2.31     Sections 1 and 2 are effective July 1, 1997.