1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to health; establishing a biomedicine and bioethics innovation grant 
1.3 	program; appropriating money; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota 
1.4 	Statutes, chapter 144.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. [144.88] MINNESOTA BIOMEDICINE AND BIOETHICS INNOVATION 
1.7 	GRANTS.
1.8 		Subdivision 1.Account established. A Minnesota biomedicine and bioethics innovation 
1.9 	account is established in the special revenue fund. Money in the account shall be used for 
1.10 	grants awarded according to subdivision 2.
1.11 		Subd. 2.Grants. (a) The commissioner of health, in consultation with interested parties 
1.12 	with relevant knowledge and expertise as specified in subdivision 3, shall award grants from 
1.13 	the Minnesota biomedicine and bioethics innovation account to entities that apply for a 
1.14 	grant under this subdivision. Grant funds must be used to fund biomedical and bioethical 
1.15 	research and related clinical translation and commercialization activities in this state. Entities 
1.16 	applying for a grant must do so in a form and manner specified by the commissioner. The 
1.17 	commissioner and interested parties shall use the following criteria to award grants under 
1.18 	this subdivision:
1.19 	(1) the likelihood that the research will lead to a new discovery;
1.20 	(2) the prospects for commercialization of the research;
2.1 	(3) the likelihood that the research will strengthen Minnesota's economy through the 
2.2 	creation of new businesses, increased public or private funding for research in Minnesota, 
2.3 	or attracting additional clinicians and researchers to Minnesota; and
2.4 	(4) whether the proposed research includes a bioethics research plan to ensure the research 
2.5 	is conducted using ethical research practices.
2.6 	(b) Projects that include the acquisition or use of human fetal tissue are not eligible for 
2.7 	grants under this subdivision. For purposes of this paragraph, "human fetal tissue" has the 
2.8 	meaning given in United States Code, title 42, section 289g-1(f).
2.9 		Subd. 3.Consultation. In awarding grants under subdivision 2, the commissioner must 
2.10 	consult with interested parties who are able to provide the commissioner with technical 
2.11 	information, advice, and recommendations on grant projects and awards. Interested parties 
2.12 	with whom the commissioner must consult include but are not limited to representatives of 
2.13 	the University of Minnesota, Mayo Clinic, and private industries who have expertise in 
2.14 	biomedical research, bioethical research, clinical translation, commercialization, and medical 
2.15 	venture financing.

2.16 	Sec. 2. TRANSFER.
 2.17 	$5,000,000 in fiscal year 2018 is transferred from the general fund to the Minnesota 
2.18 	biomedicine and bioethics innovation account in the special revenue fund. This is a onetime 
2.19 	transfer.

2.20 	Sec. 3. APPROPRIATION.
 2.21 	$....... in fiscal year 2018 and $....... in fiscal year 2019 are appropriated from the 
2.22 	Minnesota biomedicine and bioethics innovation account in the special revenue fund to the 
2.23 	commissioner of health for grants under Minnesota Statutes, section 144.88.