1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to economic development; providing for a 
  1.3             statewide advisory referendum on professional sports 
  1.4             subsidies; imposing a temporary moratorium on 
  1.5             professional sports subsidies; appropriating money. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  [LEGISLATIVE FINDING.] 
  1.8      The legislature finds that the competitive position of 
  1.9   Minnesota's professional sports teams is an economic development 
  1.10  issue of great importance to the people of the state.  In 
  1.11  dealing with the issue of professional sports subsidies, the 
  1.12  legislature will benefit from consultation with affected 
  1.13  constituents through a formal vote in a nonbinding, advisory, 
  1.14  statewide referendum.  The legislature further finds that it has 
  1.15  the constitutional authority to establish such a referendum. 
  1.16     Sec. 2.  [REFERENDUM.] 
  1.17     Subdivision 1.  [AUTHORIZATION.] The secretary of state 
  1.18  shall conduct a nonbinding, advisory, statewide referendum on 
  1.19  whether or not the state should provide additional subsidies in 
  1.20  the form of stadium construction or remodeling to professional 
  1.21  sports teams to attract them to or keep them in Minnesota.  The 
  1.22  referendum must be held by placing the question on an 
  1.23  appropriate ballot at the November 4, 1997, general election.  
  1.24  Minnesota election law applies to the referendum to the extent 
  1.25  practicable. 
  2.1      Subd. 2.  [LOCAL GOVERNMENT REIMBURSEMENT.] The secretary 
  2.2   of state shall reimburse local units of government for costs of 
  2.3   conducting the referendum authorized in subdivision 1. 
  2.4      Subd. 3.  [FORM OF QUESTION.] The ballot question for the 
  2.5   referendum authorized in subdivision 1 must be in the following 
  2.6   form: 
  2.7      "Check ONE of the following: 
  2.8      A.  ... The legislature shall provide by law no additional 
  2.9   professional sports subsidies to be used for the purposes of 
  2.10  constructing new or improving existing sport stadiums. 
  2.11     B.  ... The legislature shall provide by law additional 
  2.12  professional sports subsidies in an amount not greater than 
  2.13  $100,000,000 to be used for the purposes of constructing new or 
  2.14  improving existing sports stadiums. 
  2.15     C.  ... The legislature shall provide by law additional 
  2.16  professional sports subsidies in an amount not greater than 
  2.17  $200,000,000 to be used for the purposes of constructing new or 
  2.18  improving existing sports stadiums. 
  2.19     D.  ... The legislature shall provide by law additional 
  2.20  professional sports subsidies in an amount not greater than 
  2.21  $300,000,000 to be used for the purposes of constructing new or 
  2.22  improving existing sports stadiums." 
  2.23     Sec. 3.  [MORATORIUM ON SUBSIDIES.] 
  2.24     The state shall not provide any new subsidies to 
  2.25  professional sports teams, including stadium construction or 
  2.26  major remodeling of existing facilities, until the results of 
  2.27  the referendum authorized in section 1 are known. 
  2.28     Sec. 4.  [APPROPRIATION.] 
  2.29     $2,500,000 is appropriated from the general fund to the 
  2.30  secretary of state to pay the costs of the referendum authorized 
  2.31  in section 1, including reimbursement of local units of 
  2.32  government.  This appropriation is for fiscal year 1998. 
  2.33     Sec. 5.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  2.34     This act is effective the day following final enactment.