1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to employment; providing for the designation 
  1.3             of telecommuting days; appropriating money; proposing 
  1.4             coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 181. 
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  [181.974] [TELECOMMUTING.] 
  1.7      Subdivision 1.  [FINDINGS.] The legislature finds that: 
  1.8      (1) Minnesota is frequently subjected to weather conditions 
  1.9   that create significant road congestion; 
  1.10     (2) on days of bad weather, significant time is lost to the 
  1.11  economy as workers are unable to get to and from work in a 
  1.12  timely manner; 
  1.13     (3) significant economic losses are incurred on days of bad 
  1.14  weather in time, property damage, and personal injury; 
  1.15     (4) technology is changing the workplace both in terms of 
  1.16  where work is done and how it is done; 
  1.17     (5) traditional transportation costs continue to rise with 
  1.18  little opportunity for adding capacity to the system while costs 
  1.19  of "electronic travel" are rapidly decreasing with a 
  1.20  decentralizing potential for settlement patterns within the 
  1.21  region; and 
  1.22     (6) the cost of government operations will be reduced 
  1.23  significantly if the growth in telecommuting can exceed the 
  1.24  increase in vehicle trip generation. 
  1.25     Therefore, the legislature finds that it is in the best 
  2.1   interests of the state, its agencies, and the communities they 
  2.2   serve to establish criteria by which a telecommuting day will be 
  2.3   announced whereby employers will be encouraged to have their 
  2.4   telecommuting-compatible employees telecommute.  This will 
  2.5   remove a percentage of traffic from the highways, which will 
  2.6   result in a directly proportional reduction in accidents and 
  2.7   time loss.  This process will also communicate the state's 
  2.8   interest in encouraging telecommuting, which will decrease the 
  2.9   likelihood of congestion on any given day. 
  2.10     Subd. 2.  [DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY TO CALL 
  2.11  TELECOMMUTING DAYS.] The department of public safety, in 
  2.12  consultation with the department of transportation and the 
  2.13  United States Weather Service, shall authorize the release of 
  2.14  public service announcements to the media and other appropriate 
  2.15  outlets that a telecommuting day is being called.  The decision 
  2.16  to call a telecommuting day should be made no later than 6:00 
  2.17  a.m. or whatever time is determined to be the beginning of the 
  2.18  morning drive time. 
  2.19     Subd. 3.  [ACTIVITIES.] (a) The criteria by which a 
  2.20  telecommuting day is called will be determined by the department 
  2.21  of public safety in consultation with telecommuter resources and 
  2.22  shall be adopted no later than September 1, 2001. 
  2.23     (b) The department of public safety, in concert with other 
  2.24  interested agencies and organizations, shall develop public 
  2.25  service announcements that would: 
  2.26     (1) encourage employers to call for their telecommuting 
  2.27  checklist; 
  2.28     (2) discuss the economic, community, and worker benefits 
  2.29  that result from telecommuting; 
  2.30     (3) describe telecommuting days, including quantifiable 
  2.31  descriptions of the economic reasons for their establishment; 
  2.32  and 
  2.33     (4) direct individuals to a Web site that would provide 
  2.34  additional information. 
  2.35     Sec. 2.  [APPROPRIATION.] 
  2.36     $....... is appropriated from the general fund to the 
  3.1   department of public safety for the purposes of section 1.  This 
  3.2   appropriation is available until June 30, 2003. 
  3.3      Sec. 3.  [PILOT PROJECT; APPROPRIATION.] 
  3.4      $....... is appropriated from the general fund to the 
  3.5   commissioner of trade and economic development for a limited 
  3.6   pilot project to provide grants to employers for equipment and 
  3.7   other expenses relating to allowing employees who do not 
  3.8   currently telecommute to do so.  The commissioner may make 
  3.9   grants to up to ten employers, and may grant each employer up to 
  3.10  $1,000 for each employee who telecommutes.  Funds granted to an 
  3.11  employer may be used for purposes related to setting up a new 
  3.12  teleworksite, including, but not limited to: 
  3.13     (1) telephone line or cable installation or improvement; 
  3.14     (2) electronic mail or Internet service provider fees; or 
  3.15     (3) fees for telephone, cellular, or other wireless 
  3.16  services necessary for telecommuting. 
  3.17     Funds shall not be used by employers for new or used 
  3.18  equipment that the employee uses for personal purposes on other 
  3.19  than an incidental basis. 
  3.20     Grants shall be made by the commissioner based on 
  3.21  applications submitted by employers, and priority shall be given 
  3.22  to employers who intend to use telecommuting as a way to bring 
  3.23  into the workforce those who otherwise would have difficulty 
  3.24  entering the conventional workforce, including, but not limited 
  3.25  to, senior citizens and people with disabilities.  The 
  3.26  commissioner of trade and economic development shall report to 
  3.27  the legislature on the progress of the pilot project on or 
  3.28  before December 31, 2002.  This appropriation is available until 
  3.29  July 1, 2003, and this section expires on that date.