1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to economic development; establishing a relief program for businesses 
1.3 	due to lack of snow and ice; appropriating money.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. RELIEF PROGRAM FOR BUSINESSES DUE TO LACK OF SNOW 
1.6 	AND ICE.
 1.7 		Subdivision 1.Establishment. The commissioner of employment and economic 
1.8 	development shall establish a loan program to make forgivable loans to eligible businesses 
1.9 	that experienced a loss in revenue due to lack of snow and ice that is greater than 20 percent 
1.10 	during the period between December 1, 2023, and March 31, 2024, as compared to December 
1.11 	1, 2022, to March 31, 2023.
1.12 		Subd. 2.Qualification requirements.  To be eligible for a forgivable loan, under this 
1.13 	section, a business must:
1.14 	(1) be located in a Minnesota county under open Drought Disasters declared by the 
1.15 	United States Secretary of Agriculture in the time period of December 1, 2023, to March, 
1.16 	31, 2024;
1.17 	(2) document a reduction of at least 20 percent in gross receipts between December 1, 
1.18 	2023, to March 31, 2024, as compared to December 1, 2022, to March 31, 2023;
1.19 	(3) demonstrate the reduction in gross receipts is correlated to the lack of snow and ice 
1.20 	during the winter months of December 2023 to March 2024; and
1.21 	(4) as determined by the commissioner of employment and economic development, be 
1.22 	a business in one of the following industries as defined within the North American Industry 
2.1 	Classification System: accommodation, restaurant, bar, amusement and recreation, skiing 
2.2 	facility, food and beverages retail, sporting goods, miscellaneous retail, general retail, 
2.3 	museum, historical site, health and personal care, gas station, general merchandise, business 
2.4 	and professional membership, or nonstore retailer.
2.5 		Subd. 3.Application. (a) The commissioner shall develop forms and procedures for 
2.6 	soliciting and reviewing applications for loans under this section.
2.7 	(b) Loans shall be made before December 30, 2024. Any money not spent by June 30, 
2.8 	2025, must be returned to the general fund.
2.9 	(c) If there is insufficient money to fund all claims in full, the commissioner shall 
2.10 	distribute money on a prorated basis.
2.11 		Subd. 4.Forgiveness. Loans are forgiven for an eligible business if the business remains 
2.12 	in operation for at least two years after the date of the loan and remain in good standing on 
2.13 	repayment efforts.

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

2.15 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION.
 2.16 	$....... in fiscal year 2024 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of  
2.17 	employment and economic development for the relief program for businesses due to lack 
2.18 	of snow and ice across Minnesota under section 1. This is a onetime appropriation.

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