1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to employment; providing for the designation 
  1.3             of telecommuting days; providing for a regional 
  1.4             telecommuting assessment project; appropriating money; 
  1.5             proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, 
  1.6             chapter 181. 
  1.7   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.8      Section 1.  [181.974] [TELECOMMUTING.] 
  1.9      Subdivision 1.  [FINDINGS.] The legislature finds that: 
  1.10     (1) Minnesota is frequently subjected to weather conditions 
  1.11  that create significant road congestion; 
  1.12     (2) on days of bad weather, significant time is lost to the 
  1.13  economy as workers are unable to get to and from work in a 
  1.14  timely manner; 
  1.15     (3) significant economic losses are incurred on days of bad 
  1.16  weather in time, property damage, and personal injury; 
  1.17     (4) technology is changing the workplace both in terms of 
  1.18  where work is done and how it is done; 
  1.19     (5) traditional transportation costs continue to rise with 
  1.20  little opportunity for adding capacity to the system while costs 
  1.21  of "electronic travel" are rapidly decreasing with a 
  1.22  decentralizing potential for settlement patterns within the 
  1.23  region; and 
  1.24     (6) the cost of government operations will be reduced 
  1.25  significantly if the growth in telecommuting can exceed the 
  1.26  increase in vehicle trip generation. 
  2.1      Therefore, the legislature finds that it is in the best 
  2.2   interests of the state, its agencies, and the communities they 
  2.3   serve to establish criteria by which a telecommuting day will be 
  2.4   announced whereby employers will be encouraged to have their 
  2.5   telecommuting-compatible employees telecommute.  This will 
  2.6   remove a percentage of traffic from the highways, which will 
  2.7   result in a directly proportional reduction in accidents and 
  2.8   time loss.  This process will also communicate the state's 
  2.9   interest in encouraging telecommuting, which will decrease the 
  2.10  likelihood of congestion on any given day. 
  2.11     Subd. 2.  [DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY TO CALL 
  2.12  TELECOMMUTING DAYS.] The department of public safety, in 
  2.13  consultation with the department of transportation and the 
  2.14  United States Weather Service, shall authorize the release of 
  2.15  public service announcements to the media and other appropriate 
  2.16  outlets that a telecommuting day is being called.  The decision 
  2.17  to call a telecommuting day should be made no later than 6:00 
  2.18  a.m. or whatever time is determined to be the beginning of the 
  2.19  morning drive time. 
  2.20     Subd. 3.  [ACTIVITIES.] (a) The criteria by which a 
  2.21  telecommuting day is called will be determined by the department 
  2.22  of public safety in consultation with telecommuter resources and 
  2.23  shall be adopted no later than September 1, 2001. 
  2.24     (b) The department of public safety, in concert with other 
  2.25  interested agencies and organizations, shall develop public 
  2.26  service announcements that would: 
  2.27     (1) encourage employers to call for their telecommuting 
  2.28  checklist; 
  2.29     (2) discuss the economic, community, and worker benefits 
  2.30  that result from telecommuting; 
  2.31     (3) describe telecommuting days, including quantifiable 
  2.32  descriptions of the economic reasons for their establishment; 
  2.33  and 
  2.34     (4) direct individuals to a Web site that would provide 
  2.35  additional information. 
  2.36     Sec. 2.  [PILOT PROJECT; APPROPRIATION.] 
  3.1      $....... is appropriated from the general fund to the 
  3.2   commissioner of trade and economic development for a limited 
  3.3   pilot project to provide grants to employers for equipment and 
  3.4   other expenses relating to allowing employees who do not 
  3.5   currently telecommute to do so.  The commissioner may make 
  3.6   grants to up to ten employers, and may grant each employer up to 
  3.7   $1,000 for each employee who telecommutes.  Funds granted to an 
  3.8   employer may be used for purposes related to setting up a new 
  3.9   teleworksite, including, but not limited to: 
  3.10     (1) telephone line or cable installation or improvement; 
  3.11     (2) electronic mail or Internet service provider fees; or 
  3.12     (3) fees for telephone, cellular, or other wireless 
  3.13  services necessary for telecommuting. 
  3.14     Funds shall not be used by employers for new or used 
  3.15  equipment that the employee uses for personal purposes on other 
  3.16  than an incidental basis. 
  3.17     Grants shall be made by the commissioner based on 
  3.18  applications submitted by employers, and priority shall be given 
  3.19  to employers who intend to use telecommuting as a way to bring 
  3.20  into the workforce those who otherwise would have difficulty 
  3.21  entering the conventional workforce, including, but not limited 
  3.22  to, senior citizens and people with disabilities.  The 
  3.23  commissioner of trade and economic development shall report to 
  3.24  the legislature on the progress of the pilot project on or 
  3.25  before December 31, 2002.  This appropriation is available until 
  3.26  July 1, 2003, and this section expires on that date. 
  3.27     Sec. 3.  [REGIONAL TELECOMMUTING ASSESSMENT PROJECT.] 
  3.28     Subdivision 1.  [PURPOSE.] Telecommuting is the deployment 
  3.29  of electronically based applications that replace a physical 
  3.30  trip.  The purpose of the regional telecommuting assessment 
  3.31  project is to encourage and facilitate transition to increased 
  3.32  telecommuting and telework, with one result being the expansion 
  3.33  of supporting electronic infrastructure needed for improved 
  3.34  Internet access throughout the region. 
  3.35     Subd. 2.  [DEFINITIONS.] For purposes of this section, the 
  3.36  following terms have the meanings given.  "Telework assessment 
  4.1   organization" means an organization that has developed and used 
  4.2   occupational and managerial assessment instruments, has 
  4.3   conducted telework assessments in Minnesota and has conducted at 
  4.4   least one regional telecommuting assessment project in another 
  4.5   region of the nation.  "Occupational Employment Statistics" 
  4.6   means the statistics maintained by the United States Department 
  4.7   of Labor.  "Occupational assessment instrument" means a survey 
  4.8   developed by the telework assessment organization of employee 
  4.9   suitability for transition to telework.  "Managerial assessment 
  4.10  instrument" means a survey developed by the telework assessment 
  4.11  organization of management attitudes toward and suitability for 
  4.12  transition to telework.  "Commissioner" means the commissioner 
  4.13  of trade and economic development. 
  4.14     Subd. 3.  [PHASE ONE:  PROJECT TEAM BUILDING.] A dialogue 
  4.15  about the community application of telecommuting requires the 
  4.16  involvement of the community.  Phase one of the regional 
  4.17  telecommuting assessment project consists of: 
  4.18     (1) identification of the region for which the 
  4.19  telecommuting assessment will be performed; and 
  4.20     (2) solicitation and receipt of letters of commitment to 
  4.21  project participation from chambers of commerce and statewide 
  4.22  organizations.  Phase one is considered completed when the 
  4.23  telework assessment organization provides a report that 
  4.24  identifies the region for the assessment and delivers letters of 
  4.25  commitment to project participation from an adequate number of 
  4.26  chambers of commerce and statewide organizations to the 
  4.27  commissioner. 
  4.28     Subd. 4.  [PHASE TWO:  WORKFORCE PROFILE.] (a) The telework 
  4.29  assessment organization must complete a profile of the regional 
  4.30  workforce.  The profile must use the Occupational Employment 
  4.31  Statistics definitions to quantify the number of employees in 
  4.32  each occupational category.  Based on the distribution of 
  4.33  occupational categories in regional industries, the telework 
  4.34  assessment organization must recruit employees and managers to 
  4.35  complete the occupational assessment and managerial assessment 
  4.36  instruments.  The occupational assessment instrument must: 
  5.1      (1) quantify the number of days per week that each 
  5.2   occupation could function through telework; 
  5.3      (2) identify the level of technology required to support 
  5.4   that occupation; and 
  5.5      (3) profile that occupation against a work typology to 
  5.6   facilitate strategic deployment. 
  5.7      (b) Based on the results from the assessment instruments, 
  5.8   the telework organization must use regional assessment tools to 
  5.9   extend the sample data to the region as a whole to determine: 
  5.10     (1) the potential for telework within the community; 
  5.11     (2) the number of daily work trips that might be offset by 
  5.12  telework; 
  5.13     (3) the estimated number of square feet available for 
  5.14  conversion to support teleworkers at the work place; 
  5.15     (4) the amount of fixed costs available to be saved through 
  5.16  space reductions; and 
  5.17     (5) the level of technology required to support conversion 
  5.18  to telework. 
  5.19     (c) The telework assessment organization shall use the 
  5.20  results of the managerial assessment instrument to determine by 
  5.21  industry group management perspectives on: 
  5.22     (1) attitudes about telework as it relates to business and 
  5.23  community; 
  5.24     (2) perceptions of technical and attitudinal preparedness 
  5.25  for a telework deployment; and 
  5.26     (3) perceptions of managerial and supervisory compatibility 
  5.27  with telework. 
  5.28     (d) Phase two is completed when the telework assessment 
  5.29  organization delivers to the commissioner a report quantifying 
  5.30  the region's telework potential, target occupations and 
  5.31  industries for transition to telework, the impact of telework on 
  5.32  congestion and vehicular emissions, and the attitudinal profile 
  5.33  of the region toward telework. 
  5.34     Subd. 5.  [PHASE THREE:  OPPORTUNITIES FOR TRANSITION TO 
  5.35  TELEWORK.] (a) The telework assessment organization must conduct 
  5.36  interviews with the leaders of the various telecommuting 
  6.1   applications to determine opportunities for an integrated 
  6.2   deployment of transition to telework. 
  6.3      (b) The telework assessment organization must request that 
  6.4   state agencies participate in an evaluation to identify services 
  6.5   that could be provided electronically.  Each participating 
  6.6   agency would prioritize services to be provided electronically 
  6.7   based upon the number of users of the service and the 
  6.8   cost-effectivenesss of electronic service delivery. 
  6.9      (c) Phase three is completed when the telework assessment 
  6.10  organization delivers to the commissioner a report that 
  6.11  identifies specific applications, and how they could be 
  6.12  integrated into a delivery network. 
  6.13     Subd. 6.  [PHASE FOUR:  VISION FOR TELEWORK IN THE REGION.] 
  6.14  The telework assessment organization must consult with community 
  6.15  leaders to develop a common view about the role that 
  6.16  telecommuting should play within the region.  This process would 
  6.17  establish a context and a priority for how electronic service 
  6.18  delivery should be approached in this region.  Phase four is 
  6.19  completed when the telework assessment organization delivers to 
  6.20  the commissioner a report providing strategies and priorities 
  6.21  for different communities within the region, including the 
  6.22  identification of relevant stakeholder groups.  The report shall 
  6.23  recommend an amount to be appropriated for state spending for 
  6.24  implementation under phase five.  Within two months of the 
  6.25  completion of phase four, the commissioner shall report on the 
  6.26  results of phases one to four to the committees of the house and 
  6.27  senate with jurisdiction over economic development.  The report 
  6.28  prepared by the commissioner shall include the reports for 
  6.29  phases one to four received from the telework assessment 
  6.30  organization. 
  6.31     Subd. 7.  [PHASE FIVE:  IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES FOR 
  6.32  TELEWORK TRANSITION.] The telecommuting assessment organization 
  6.33  must reach a consensus with stakeholder groups about the 
  6.34  specific opportunities and techniques for transition to 
  6.35  telework, and regulatory issues that must be addressed.  Phase 
  6.36  five is completed when the telework assessment organization 
  7.1   delivers a report to the commissioner that provides strategies 
  7.2   and time lines for transition to telework, including the 
  7.3   identification and recommendations of relevant stakeholder 
  7.4   groups. 
  7.5      Sec. 5.  [APPROPRIATION.] 
  7.6      (a) $7,500 is appropriated from the general fund to the 
  7.7   commissioner of trade and economic development for a grant to a 
  7.8   telework assessment organization for completion of phase one 
  7.9   under section 3, subdivision 3. 
  7.10     (b) When phase one under section 3, subdivision 3, is 
  7.11  completed an additional $42,500 is appropriated from the general 
  7.12  fund to the commissioner of trade and economic development for a 
  7.13  grant to the telework assessment organization that received the 
  7.14  appropriation in paragraph (a).  This appropriation is for the 
  7.15  completion of phases two and three under section 3, subdivisions 
  7.16  4 and 5. 
  7.17     (c) When phases two and three are completed an additional 
  7.18  $100,000 is appropriated from the general fund to the 
  7.19  commissioner of trade and economic development for a grant to 
  7.20  the telework assessment organization that received the 
  7.21  appropriations in paragraphs (a) and (b).  This appropriation is 
  7.22  for the completion of phase four under section 3, subdivision 6, 
  7.23  and the grant is contingent on receipt by the telework 
  7.24  assessment organization of a matching amount from the private or 
  7.25  not-for-profit sector. 
  7.26     (d) The appropriations in this section are available for 
  7.27  fiscal years 2002 and 2003 and do not become a part of the base.