1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to employee relations; modifying provisions 
  1.3             on experimental or research projects in the department 
  1.4             of employee relations; amending Minnesota Statutes 
  1.5             1997 Supplement, section 43A.04, subdivision 9. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1997 Supplement, section 
  1.8   43A.04, subdivision 9, is amended to read: 
  1.9      Subd. 9.  [EXPERIMENTAL OR RESEARCH PROJECTS.] The 
  1.10  commissioner of employee relations may conduct experimental or 
  1.11  research projects designed to improve recruitment, selection, 
  1.12  referral, or appointment processes for the filling of state 
  1.13  classified positions. 
  1.14     The commissioner shall meet and confer with the affected 
  1.15  exclusive bargaining representative of state employees 
  1.16  concerning the design and implementation of experimental and 
  1.17  research projects under this subdivision. 
  1.18     Any provision in section 43A.02, except for subdivisions 33 
  1.19  and 38, sections 43A.09 43A.07 to 43A.15 43A.16, associated 
  1.20  personnel rules adopted under subdivision 3, or administrative 
  1.21  procedures established under subdivision 4, is waived for the 
  1.22  purposes of these projects.  The commissioner may not use an 
  1.23  experimental or research project under this section to transfer 
  1.24  positions between the unclassified and the classified service. 
  1.25  The number of appointments under this subdivision may not exceed 
  2.1   five percent of the total number of appointments in the 
  2.2   preceding fiscal year, unless the commissioner authorizes 
  2.3   appointments in excess of five percent with the mutual agreement 
  2.4   of any affected bargaining unit. 
  2.5      The commissioner shall report by September 1 to the joint 
  2.6   subcommittee on employee relations the results of the 
  2.7   experimental research projects conducted in the preceding fiscal 
  2.8   year. 
  2.9      Sec. 2.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  2.10     Section 1 is effective the day following final enactment.