1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to higher education; creating a Rochester
1.3 	Higher Education Development Committee; appropriating
1.4 	money.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. ROCHESTER HIGHER EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT
1.7 	COMMITTEE.
 1.8 		Subdivision 1.Establishment. The Rochester Higher
1.9 	Education Development Committee is established to research and
1.10 	make recommendations to the governor and legislature on the
1.11 	creation of mission-driven postsecondary educational programs or
1.12 	institutions in the Rochester area that meet the educational
1.13 	needs of the region and the state and that capitalize on the
1.14 	unique opportunities for educational partnerships presented in
1.15 	the Rochester area.
1.16 		Subd. 2.Membership. The committee is composed of 11
1.17 	members, to be appointed by the governor, as follows:
1.18 	(1) a trustee of the Minnesota State Colleges and
1.19 	Universities, or the trustee's designee;
1.20 	(2) a regent of the University of Minnesota, or the
1.21 	regent's designee;
1.22 	(3) six persons from the Rochester area representing
1.23 	business, health and medical sciences, and technology;
1.24 	(4) the commissioner of finance, or the commissioner's
1.25 	designee;
2.1 	(5) one person who by training or experience has special
2.2 	expertise in postsecondary finance and planning; and 
2.3 	(6) one person who by training or experience has special
2.4 	expertise in postsecondary academic planning and programming.
2.5 	Before the first meeting of the committee, the governor
2.6 	shall select one person from the committee who shall serve as
2.7 	chair.
2.8 		Subd. 3.Compensation and removal. Appointments to the
2.9 	committee are not subject to Minnesota Statutes, section 15.0597.
2.10 	Members of the committee are not entitled to reimbursement under
2.11 	Minnesota Statutes, section 15.059, subdivision 6.  Members may
2.12 	be removed and vacancies filled pursuant to Minnesota Statutes,
2.13 	section 15.059, subdivision 4.  The director of the Higher
2.14 	Education Services Office may provide administrative support to
2.15 	the committee.
2.16 		Subd. 4.Duties. (a) The committee shall develop a
2.17 	recommendation for establishment and implementation of expanded
2.18 	higher education programs or institutions in Rochester.  The
2.19 	committee's report must include recommendations on:
2.20 	(1) the mission and focus of the programs or institutions;
2.21 	(2) the nature of undergraduate and graduate programs to be
2.22 	offered;
2.23 	(3) site and facility needs;
2.24 	(4) funding sources and opportunities;
2.25 	(5) operational needs;
2.26 	(6) status and benefits of potential employees, including
2.27 	coverage under the Minnesota State Retirement System;
2.28 	(7) alliances or other types of cooperative arrangements
2.29 	with public and private institutions;
2.30 	(8) governance structures; and 
2.31 	(9) mechanisms to ensure that the expanded programs are
2.32 	aligned with the unique needs and opportunities of the Rochester
2.33 	area and that programs take advantage of opportunities presented
2.34 	by regional business and industry.
2.35 	(b) The committee must consider specifically whether
2.36 	expansion of the University of Minnesota in Rochester is the
3.1 	most appropriate method of meeting the region's needs.
3.2 	(c) The committee may also research and provide
3.3 	recommendations on sites for the facilities and programs.  The
3.4 	committee shall recommend any changes to Minnesota law required
3.5 	to implement recommendations of the committee.
3.6 		Subd. 5.Report. The committee must issue a report with
3.7 	recommendations to the governor and the legislature by January
3.8 	15, 2006.
3.9 		Subd. 6.Sunset. The committee expires on December 31,
3.10 	2007.

3.11 	Sec. 2. ROCHESTER HIGHER EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT ACCOUNT.
 3.12 	A Rochester higher education development account is created
3.13 	in the state treasury in the special revenue fund.  Money in
3.14 	this account is appropriated to the Higher Education Services
3.15 	Office for allocation to the committee established in section 1
3.16 	and the implementation activities outlined in section 3.  The
3.17 	office shall serve as fiscal agent for the committee established
3.18 	in section 1.

3.19 	Sec. 3. APPROPRIATION.
 3.20 		Subdivision 1.Planning activities. $200,000 is
3.21 	appropriated to the Higher Education Services Office from the
3.22 	general fund for fiscal year 2006, for the purposes of section 1.
3.23 	This is a onetime appropriation.
3.24 		Subd. 2.Implementation funding. $.,...,... is
3.25 	appropriated from the general fund to the Higher Education
3.26 	Services Office for fiscal year 2006.  This is a onetime
3.27 	appropriation that must be deposited into the Rochester higher
3.28 	education development account.  With the approval of the Higher
3.29 	Education Services Office, money in this account may be used to:
3.30 	(1) provide additional planning and development funds, if
3.31 	needed;
3.32 	(2) provide initial funding for academic program
3.33 	development; or 
3.34 	(3) provide funding related to academic facilities, if
3.35 	needed.
3.36 	The appropriation under this subdivision is available until
4.1 	June 30, 2009.

4.2 	Sec. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE.
 4.3 	This act is effective the day following final enactment.