1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to metropolitan government; establishing a task force to study and make 
1.3 	recommendations on metropolitan governance.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. TASK FORCE ON METROPOLITAN GOVERNANCE.
 1.6 		Subdivision 1.Established. A task force on metropolitan governance is established 
1.7 	to study and make recommendations to the legislature on metropolitan governance.
1.8 		Subd. 2.Membership. The task force consists of 19 members appointed by July 
1.9 	31, 2015, as follows:
1.10 	(1) four legislators with interest and experience in urban and regional government, 
1.11 	appointed one each by the speaker of the house, the house minority leader, the senate 
1.12 	majority leader, and the senate minority leader;
1.13 	(2) two persons representing cities in the metropolitan area and four mayors of 
1.14 	metropolitan area suburbs, appointed by the Association of Metropolitan Municipalities;
1.15 	(3) two county commissioners representing counties in the metropolitan area, 
1.16 	appointed by the Counties Transit Improvement Board, at least one of whom must 
1.17 	represent Scott or Carver County;
1.18 	(4) one person appointed by the mayor of the city of Minneapolis and one person 
1.19 	appointed by the mayor of the city of St. Paul;
1.20 	(5) one person representing townships in the metropolitan area, appointed by the 
1.21 	Minnesota Association of Townships;
1.22 	(6) one person representing an employee collective bargaining unit of the 
1.23 	Metropolitan Council, appointed by the Minnesota AFL-CIO;
2.1 	(7) one person representing private business, appointed by the Minnesota Chamber 
2.2 	of Commerce;
2.3 	(8) the chair of the Counties Transit Improvement Board; and
2.4 	(9) the chair of the Metropolitan Council.
2.5 		Subd. 3.First meeting; chair; other officers. The member appointed by the 
2.6 	senate Subcommittee on Committees of the Committee on Rules and Administration will 
2.7 	convene the first meeting of the task force by August 30, 2015. The task force shall elect 
2.8 	from among its members a chair and vice-chair and any other officers that the task force 
2.9 	determines would be necessary or convenient.
2.10 		Subd. 4.Duties. The task force shall study and evaluate models of metropolitan 
2.11 	governance to address regional planning, financing, construction or acquisition, and 
2.12 	operation of infrastructure and services, including but not limited to transportation, water 
2.13 	and wastewater, parks, trails, recreation facilities, and open space.
2.14 		Subd. 5.State; metropolitan agencies must cooperate; subcommittees. The 
2.15 	Metropolitan Council and state and metropolitan agencies shall cooperate with the task 
2.16 	force and provide information requested in a timely fashion. The task force may establish 
2.17 	subcommittees and invite other stakeholders to participate in the task force's study and 
2.18 	development of recommendations.
2.19 		Subd. 6.No compensation or expenses; grants. Public members of the task 
2.20 	force shall receive no compensation or per diem for participation on the task force. The 
2.21 	task force may accept grant funds from any federal, state, local, or nongovernmental 
2.22 	source to support its work and offset any costs imposed on the Metropolitan Council, 
2.23 	provided accepting the money does not create a conflict of interest under Minnesota 
2.24 	Statutes, section 10A.07, for the task force or its members. Money accepted under this 
2.25 	subdivision is deposited in the general fund and is appropriated from the general fund to 
2.26 	the Metropolitan Council for the purposes of this section. 
2.27 		Subd. 7.Administrative support; staff. The Metropolitan Council must provide 
2.28 	meeting space, administrative support, and staff support for the task force. The task force 
2.29 	may hold meetings in any publicly accessible location in the metropolitan area.
2.30 		Subd. 8.Open meeting law. Meetings of the task force are subject to chapter 13D.
2.31 		Subd. 9.Report. The task force shall report its findings and recommendations to 
2.32 	the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with responsibility 
2.33 	for or jurisdiction over the Metropolitan Council and metropolitan agencies. The report is 
2.34 	due by February 1, 2016.

3.1 	EFFECTIVE DATE; EXPIRATION; APPLICATION. This section is effective 
3.2 	the day following final enactment and expires June 30, 2016. Subdivisions 5, 6, and 7 apply 
3.3 	in the counties of Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, and Washington.