<a id="pl.1.3"></a><var>1.3</var>county offices, subject to notice, hearing, reverse referendum; amending <br/>
<a id="pl.1.4"></a><var>1.4</var>Minnesota Statutes 2008, sections 375A.10, subdivision 5; 375A.12, subdivision <br/>
<a id="pl.1.5"></a><var>1.5</var>2, by adding a subdivision; 382.01.<br/>
<a id="pl.1.6"></a><var>1.6</var>BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:<br/>
<br/>
<a id="bill.0.1.0"></a><a id="pl.1.7"></a><var>1.7</var>    Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 375A.10, subdivision 5, is amended to <br/>
<a id="pl.1.8"></a><var>1.8</var>read:<br/>
<a id="pl.1.9"></a><var>1.9</var>    Subd. 5. <b>Auditor-treasurer.</b> In any county exercising the option provided <br/>
<a id="pl.1.10"></a><var>1.10</var>in subdivision 2, clause (c), the office shall be known thereafter as the office of <br/>
<a id="pl.1.11"></a><var>1.11</var>auditor-treasurer, if the office is to remain elective. If the board chooses to make the <br/>
<a id="pl.1.12"></a><var>1.12</var>office of auditor-treasurer elective, and not require a referendum, it must act with the <br/>
<a id="pl.1.13"></a><var>1.13</var>concurrence of 80 percent of its members.<br/>
<a id="pl.1.14"></a><var>1.14</var>In the exercise of this option, the county board shall direct which of the offices of <br/>
<a id="pl.1.15"></a><var>1.15</var>auditor or treasurer shall be terminated for the purpose of providing for the election to <br/>
<a id="pl.1.16"></a><var>1.16</var>the single office of auditor-treasurer. The duties, functions and responsibilities which <br/>
<a id="pl.1.17"></a><var>1.17</var>have been heretofore and which shall hereafter be required by statute to be performed <br/>
<a id="pl.1.18"></a><var>1.18</var>by the county auditor and the county treasurer shall be vested in and performed by the <br/>
<a id="pl.1.19"></a><var>1.19</var>auditor-treasurer without diminishing, prohibiting or avoiding those specific duties <br/>
<a id="pl.1.20"></a><var>1.20</var>required by statute to be performed by the county auditor and the county treasurer.<br/>
<a id="pl.1.21"></a><var>1.21</var>Nothing in this subdivision shall preclude the county from exercising the option to <br/>
<a id="pl.1.22"></a><var>1.22</var>make the combined office of auditor-treasurer appointive as if it had been specifically <br/>
<a id="pl.1.23"></a><var>1.23</var>enumerated in subdivision 2. If the combined office is to be appointive, a referendum <br/>
<a id="pl.1.24"></a><var>1.24</var>under section  
         <statute_ref>375A.12</statute_ref> shall be necessary, except as provided by section 375A.12, <br/>
<a id="pl.1.25"></a><var>1.25</var>subdivision 2a. <br/>
<a id="pl.2.1"></a><var>2.1</var>If the combined office is to be elective, a referendum under section  
         <statute_ref>375A.12</statute_ref> shall <br/>
<a id="pl.2.2"></a><var>2.2</var>be necessary if: <br/>
<a id="pl.2.3"></a><var>2.3</var>(a) the county board requires a referendum; or<br/>
<a id="pl.2.4"></a><var>2.4</var>(b) a referendum is required by a petition of a number of voters equal to ten <br/>
<a id="pl.2.5"></a><var>2.5</var>percent of those voting in the county at the last general election that is received by the <br/>
<a id="pl.2.6"></a><var>2.6</var>county auditor within 30 days after the second publication of the board resolution that <br/>
<a id="pl.2.7"></a><var>2.7</var>orders the combination.<br/>
<a id="pl.2.8"></a><var>2.8</var>The persons last elected to the positions of auditor and treasurer before adoption <br/>
<a id="pl.2.9"></a><var>2.9</var>of the resolution shall serve in those offices and perform the duties of those offices until <br/>
<a id="pl.2.10"></a><var>2.10</var>the completion of the terms to which they were elected.<br/>
<br/>
<a id="bill.0.2.0"></a><a id="pl.2.11"></a><var>2.11</var>    Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 375A.12, subdivision 2, is amended to read:<br/>
<a id="pl.2.12"></a><var>2.12</var>    Subd. 2. <b>Form of government options.</b> Except as provided in subdivision 2a, the <br/>
<a id="pl.2.13"></a><var>2.13</var>options provided in sections  
         <statute_ref>375A.01</statute_ref> to  
         <statute_ref>375A.10</statute_ref> shall be adopted in any county only after <br/>
<a id="pl.2.14"></a><var>2.14</var>an affirmative vote of the voters in the county on the question of the adoption of the <br/>
<a id="pl.2.15"></a><var>2.15</var>option. Except as provided in section  
         <statute_ref>375A.01</statute_ref>, only one such plan may be submitted <br/>
<a id="pl.2.16"></a><var>2.16</var>at any one election. <br/>
<br/>
<a id="bill.0.3.0"></a><a id="pl.2.17"></a><var>2.17</var>    Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 375A.12, is amended by adding a subdivision <br/>
<a id="pl.2.18"></a><var>2.18</var>to read:<br/>
<a id="pl.2.19"></a><var>2.19</var>    Subd. 2a. <b>Publishing resolution; hearing; petition; referendum.</b> An option <br/>
<a id="pl.2.20"></a><var>2.20</var>provided in section 375A.10, subdivision 2, clause (a), for the appointment of the <br/>
<a id="pl.2.21"></a><var>2.21</var>county auditor, county treasurer, or county recorder; or for the appointment of the <br/>
<a id="pl.2.22"></a><var>2.22</var>auditor-treasurer under section 375A.10, subdivision 5, may be adopted by the county <br/>
<a id="pl.2.23"></a><var>2.23</var>board by resolution if the option is approved by at least 80 percent of the members of the <br/>
<a id="pl.2.24"></a><var>2.24</var>county board. Before the adoption of the resolution, the county board must publish a <br/>
<a id="pl.2.25"></a><var>2.25</var>resolution notifying the public of its intent to consider the option once each week for two <br/>
<a id="pl.2.26"></a><var>2.26</var>consecutive weeks in the official publication of the county. Following the publication, <br/>
<a id="pl.2.27"></a><var>2.27</var>the county board shall provide an opportunity at its next regular meeting for public <br/>
<a id="pl.2.28"></a><var>2.28</var>comment relating to the option, prior to formally adopting the option. The resolution <br/>
<a id="pl.2.29"></a><var>2.29</var>may be adopted and implemented without the submission of the question to the voters <br/>
<a id="pl.2.30"></a><var>2.30</var>of the county unless, within 60 days after the second publication of the resolution, a <br/>
<a id="pl.2.31"></a><var>2.31</var>petition requesting a referendum, signed by at least ten percent of the registered voters <br/>
<a id="pl.2.32"></a><var>2.32</var>of the county, is filed with the county auditor. If a petition is filed, the resolution may be <br/>
<a id="pl.2.33"></a><var>2.33</var>implemented unless disapproved by a majority of the voters of the county voting on the <br/>
<a id="pl.2.34"></a><var>2.34</var>question at a regular or special election.<br/>
<br/>
<a id="bill.0.4.0"></a><a id="pl.3.1"></a><var>3.1</var>    Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 382.01, is amended to read:<br/>
<a id="pl.3.2"></a><var>3.2</var><b>382.01 OFFICERS ELECTED; TERMS.</b><br/>
<a id="pl.3.3"></a><var>3.3</var>In every county in this state there shall be elected at the general election in 1918 a <br/>
<a id="pl.3.4"></a><var>3.4</var>county auditor, a county treasurer, sheriff, county recorder, county attorney, and coroner.<br/>
<a id="pl.3.5"></a><var>3.5</var>The terms of office of these officers shall be four years and shall begin on the first <br/>
<a id="pl.3.6"></a><var>3.6</var>Monday in January next succeeding their election. They shall hold office until their <br/>
<a id="pl.3.7"></a><var>3.7</var>successors are elected and qualified. Each of these offices shall must be filled by election <br/>
<a id="pl.3.8"></a><var>3.8</var>every four years thereafter, unless an office is consolidated with another county office, or <br/>
<a id="pl.3.9"></a><var>3.9</var>made appointive under chapter 375A or some other general or special law.<br/>