1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to state government; promoting efficiency and energy savings through 
1.3 	electronic conduct of state meetings and through telework; proposing coding for 
1.4 	new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapters 3; 15.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. [3.091] REDUCED ENERGY USE AND COST; TELEWORK.
1.7 	To reduce state government building energy use and costs associated with work by 
1.8 	legislative employees, each department supervisor in the house of representatives and the 
1.9 	senate and each appointing authority of joint legislative entities, in consultation with 
1.10 	appropriate human resources staff, may develop and implement a telework policy for 
1.11 	employees within their department. The policy may include:
1.12 	(1) the option for telework from home for up to 20 percent of the work days when 
1.13 	the legislature is not meeting in regular or special session; and
1.14 	(2) the option to work a regular schedule of four ten-hour days each week, or a 
1.15 	similar schedule that will reduce commuting to work by 20 percent, when the legislature is 
1.16 	not meeting in regular or special session.

1.17 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

1.18 	Sec. 2. [15.436] ELECTRONIC CONDUCT OF STATE MEETINGS.
1.19 	To the greatest extent practical, state executive agency meetings must be conducted 
1.20 	by videoconference, audioconference, or other electronic means if the meetings otherwise 
1.21 	would involve travel for which agency employees would be reimbursed. An agency 
1.22 	head or an official of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities designated by the 
1.23 	chancellor may grant exemptions from this requirement as necessary to allow people other 
2.1 	than state employees to participate effectively in meetings, or when otherwise essential to 
2.2 	efficient and effective conduct of state business. This section does not authorize an agency 
2.3 	to avoid compliance with the open meeting law in chapter 13D.

2.4 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.