1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to economic development; taxation; requiring the maintenance of 
1.3 	certain wood products facilities having certain state and local taxation and other 
1.4 	obligations;proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 90.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. [90.43] DUTY TO MAINTAIN WOOD PRODUCTS FACILITY.
1.7 	The owner or operator of a wood products facility shall maintain the facility in 
1.8 	salable operating condition for at least two years after it permanently discontinues 
1.9 	operation of the facility to ensure that public and utility investments in the facility are 
1.10 	protected and that the facility's tax and other obligations to state and local governments 
1.11 	and other residents of Minnesota created by contract or otherwise are satisfied. These 
1.12 	obligations include, in addition to any other obligations, any obligation created by "the 
1.13 	relief payment for timber sale permits" program created by Laws 2007, chapter 57, article 
1.14 	1, section 158. Specifically, and in addition to other obligations on an owner or operator, 
1.15 	this section prohibits the permanent removal from the facility of equipment necessary for 
1.16 	the facility's operation during the two-year period. The requirements of this section are 
1.17 	enforceable on all owners and operators and successors of owners and operators and shall 
1.18 	be enforced by the state in any action brought by the state or others, including actions in 
1.19 	bankruptcy. The attorney general shall bring action to prevent a violation or threatened 
1.20 	violation of this section. For the purpose of this section, "wood products facility" means a 
1.21 	lumber or other company facility that employed more than 100 employees at the facility 
1.22 	at any time in the five-year period immediately prior to discontinuing operations, had 
1.23 	permits to harvest timber used in that operation, and manufactured products derived 
1.24 	from wood at the facility.

2.1 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment 
2.2 	and applies retroactively to the discontinuance of operation occurring on or after January 
2.3 	1, 2008.