1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to economic development; providing for trade 
  1.3             and economic development officers to be placed in 
  1.4             nonmetropolitan state offices; amending Minnesota 
  1.5             Statutes 1996, section 116J.01, subdivision 5. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 116J.01, 
  1.8   subdivision 5, is amended to read: 
  1.9      Subd. 5.  [DEPARTMENTAL ORGANIZATION.] (a) The commissioner 
  1.10  shall organize the department as provided in section 15.06.  
  1.11     (b) The commissioner may establish divisions and offices 
  1.12  within the department.  The commissioner may employ three deputy 
  1.13  commissioners in the unclassified service.  One deputy must 
  1.14  direct the Minnesota trade office and must be experienced and 
  1.15  knowledgeable in matters of international trade.  
  1.16     (c) The commissioner shall: 
  1.17     (1) employ assistants and other officers, employees, and 
  1.18  agents that the commissioner considers necessary to discharge 
  1.19  the functions of the commissioner's office; 
  1.20     (2) define the duties of the officers, employees, and 
  1.21  agents, and delegate to them any of the commissioner's powers, 
  1.22  duties, and responsibilities, subject to the commissioner's 
  1.23  control and under conditions prescribed by the commissioner.  
  1.24     (d) The commissioner shall ensure that there are at least 
  1.25  three trade and economic development officers in state offices 
  2.1   in nonmetropolitan areas of the state who will work with local 
  2.2   units of government on developing local trade and economic 
  2.3   development.