1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to environment; appropriating money for study to examine costs and 
1.3 	benefits of requiring environmental assessments of certain building materials used 
1.4 	in state buildings to be included in bids.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. APPROPRIATION; CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS; 
1.7 	ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY.
 1.8 	(a) $100,000 in fiscal year 2021 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner 
1.9 	of administration for completing the study required under this section.
1.10 	(b) The commissioner of administration, in consultation with the commissioner of  
1.11 	transportation, must contract with the Center for Sustainable Building Research at the 
1.12 	University of Minnesota to examine the feasibility, economic costs, and environmental 
1.13 	benefits of requiring a bid that proposes to use or construct one or more eligible materials 
1.14 	in the construction or major renovation of a new state building or state-funded highway, 
1.15 	bridge, or related infrastructure to include a type III environmental product declaration for 
1.16 	each of those materials, which information must be taken into consideration in making a 
1.17 	contract award. In conducting the study, the Center for Sustainable Building Research must 
1.18 	examine and evaluate similar programs adopted in other states.
1.19 	(c) By February 1, 2021, the commissioner of administration must submit the findings 
1.20 	and recommendations of the study to the chairs and ranking minority members of the senate 
1.21 	and house of representatives committees with primary jurisdiction over environmental 
1.22 	policy.
1.23 	(d) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the meanings given:
2.1 	(1) "eligible materials" means any of the following materials that function as part of a 
2.2 	structural system or structural assembly:
2.3 	(i) concrete, including structural cast in place, shortcrete, and precast;
2.4 	(ii) unit masonry;
2.5 	(iii) metal of any type; and
2.6 	(iv) wood of any type, including but not limited to wood composites and wood-laminated 
2.7 	products;
2.8 	(2) "state building" means a building owned by the state of Minnesota;
2.9 	(3) "structural" means a building material or component that supports gravity loads of 
2.10 	building floors, roofs, or both, and is the primary lateral system resisting wind and earthquake 
2.11 	loads, including but not limited to shear walls, braced or moment frames, foundations, 
2.12 	below-grade walls, and floors; and
2.13 	(4) "type III environmental product declaration" means a document verified and registered 
2.14 	by a third party that contains a life-cycle assessment of the environmental impacts, including 
2.15 	the use of water, land, and energy resources in the manufacturing process, of a specific 
2.16 	product constructed or manufactured by a specific firm and that meets the applicable 
2.17 	standards developed and maintained for such assessments by the International Standards 
2.18 	Organization (ISO).