1E Relating to employment and economic development and unemployment insurance regulations

ARTICLE 1 - EMPLOYMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POLICY

Expanding the bioscience business development public infrastructure grant program to include public higher education institutions; requiring commissioner of employment and economic development (DEED) to provide certain funding for strategic investments in renewable energy market development; limiting liability for blind persons vending stands and machines on governmental property; expanding the authorized use of the Minnesota investment fund; modifying application requirements for assistance in establishing or operating a community rehabilitation facility

ARTICLE 2 - EMPLOYMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TECHNICAL CHANGES

Making technical amendments and updating certain employment and economic development provisions; modifying certain provisions relating to regional organization agreements with DEED, department motor vehicle use authority and aggregate land identification and classification requirements; enumerating and clarifying certain powers and duties of commissioner; modifying certain duties of the bureau of small business; updating certain workforce development provisions and modifying membership terms of the job skills partnership board; specifying instructions to revisor of statutes; repealing certain provisions relating to cooperative contracts, rural development powers, certain powers and duties of commissioner, imprest funds use, small business access to federal research funds, distance-work grants, local service unit plans and office of tourism transition requirements

ARTICLE 3 - UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE POLICY

Modifying certain unemployment insurance policy provisions relating to election by state or political subdivision to be a taxpaying employer and election reimbursement by nonprofit organizations; modifying certain cancellation determinations by commissioner of payments due from employers and certain compromise determinations; modifying certain provisions relating to payments delaying applicant unemployment benefits, receipt of back pay and the definition of available for suitable employment; modifying certain exceptions to the prohibition on the payment of benefits for voluntary quit; providing for preponderance of available evidence; clarifying the definitions of quit and employment misconduct; requiring employer-agency appeals to be filed online; providing for collection of fees; regulating continued request for unemployment benefits filings; providing administrative penalties; waiving certain requirements for dislocated workers under the Project Gate (Growing America Through Entrepreneurship) federal grant program, specifying limitations and an expiration date

ARTICLE 4 - UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE TECHNICAL CHANGES

Making technical amendments to certain unemployment insurance provisions; providing for computations of money rounded down under the unemployment insurance program; defining and clarifying the terms independent contractor for construction, determination and filing or filed, and preponderance of the evidence; modifying certain determinations of coverage provisions; benefit account provisions; modifying and clarifying eligibility conditions for weekly unemployment benefits; defining continued request for unemployment benefits, specifying certain filing requirements, defining good cause, clarifying preponderance of the available evidence for discharge from employment; modifying employer notification requirements for determinations on issues of ineligibility; allowing requests for reconsideration for appeals by electronic transmission to commissioner; modifying certain appeal procedures, specifying certain notice requirements for evidentiary hearings; specifying certain duties of an employment law judge relating to subpoena requests; modifying administration account and contingent provisions; specifying instructions to revisor of statutes; repealing certain provisions relating to the definition of able to work and continued request for unemployment benefits on an active benefit account
(je)