HF 4004
1st Engrossment - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026)
Posted on 03/23/2026 05:01 p.m.
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A bill for an act
relating to tourism; modifying the membership of Explore Minnesota councils;
amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 116U.242; 116U.25.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
Section 1.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 116U.242, is amended to read:
116U.242 EXPLORE MINNESOTA FOR BUSINESS COUNCIL.
(a) The director shall be advised by the Explore Minnesota for Business Council
consisting of up to 14 voting members appointed by the governor for four-year terms,
including:
(1) the new text begin executive new text end director of Explore Minnesota deleted text begin and the commissioner of employment
and economic development, who serve as cochairsdeleted text end ;
(2) three representatives in marketing, human resources, or executive leadership from
Minnesota-based companies with more than 100 employees representing Minnesota's key
industries, including health care, technology, food and agriculture, manufacturing, retail,
energy, and support services;
(3) two representatives from statewide or regional marketing or business association
leadership, the Iron Range, and nonprofits focused on economic development or human
resource management;
(4) one representative from a Minnesota college or university staff, faculty, leadership,
student leadership, or alumni association;
(5) one member representing Minnesota'snew text begin small business or new text end start-up and entrepreneurial
industry who has started at least one Minnesota-based business in the last five years deleted text begin and
has at least 20 employeesdeleted text end ;
(6) two representatives from the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council and Minnesota Tribal
leadership, including casino management;
(7) deleted text begin two representatives from Minnesota's Ethnic Chambers of Commerce Leadership
and the Minnesota Chamber of Commercedeleted text end new text begin one Dakota representative and one Ojibwe
representativenew text end ; deleted text begin and
deleted text end
(8) one deleted text begin at-large representative in the field of general marketing, talent attraction, or
economic development.deleted text end new text begin representative from the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce; and
new text end
new text begin
(9) one representative from the Department of Employment and Economic Development
who must be the commissioner, deputy commissioner, or an assistant commissioner.
new text end
(b) The council shall act to serve the broader interest of promoting overall livability and
workforce and economic opportunity in Minnesota. Members shall advise Explore Minnesota
for Business' marketing efforts by emphasizing and prioritizing diversity, equity, inclusion,
and accessibility and providing professional marketing insights.
Sec. 2.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 116U.25, is amended to read:
116U.25 EXPLORE MINNESOTA TOURISM COUNCIL.
(a) The director shall be advised by the Explore Minnesota Tourism Council consisting
of up to deleted text begin 35deleted text end new text begin 25new text end voting members appointed by the governor for four-year terms, including:
(1) the director of Explore Minnesota Tourism who serves as the chair;
(2) deleted text begin fourteendeleted text end new text begin fournew text end representatives of statewidenew text begin tourism-relatednew text end associations deleted text begin representing
bed and breakfast establishments, golf, festivals and events, counties, convention and visitor
bureaus, lodging, resorts, trails, campgrounds, restaurants, craft beverage establishments,
chambers of commerce, chambers of commerce for underrepresented communities, and
Tribal nationsdeleted text end ;
(3) one representative from each of the new text begin fivenew text end tourism marketing regions of the state as
designated by the office;
(4) ten representatives of the tourism business representing transportation, retail, travel
agencies, tour operators, travel media, convention facilities, arts and culture, sports, outdoor
recreation, and tourism business owners from underrepresented communities;
(5) one deleted text begin or moredeleted text end ex officio nonvoting deleted text begin members including at least onedeleted text end new text begin member new text end from the
University of Minnesota Tourism Center;
(6) four legislators, two from each house, one each from the two largest political party
caucuses in each house, appointed according to the rules of the respective houses; and
(7) other persons, if any, as designated from time to time by the governor.
(b) The council shall act to serve the broader interests of tourism in Minnesota by
promoting activities that support, maintain, and expand the state's domestic and international
travel market, thereby generating increased visitor expenditures, tax revenue, and
employment.
(c) Filling of membership vacancies is as provided in section 15.059. The terms of
one-half of the members shall be coterminous with the governor and the terms of the
remaining one-half of the members shall end on the first Monday in January one year after
the terms of the other members. Members may serve until their successors are appointed
and qualify. Members are not compensated. A member may be reappointed.
(d) The council shall meet at least deleted text begin fourdeleted text end new text begin twonew text end times per year and at other times determined
by the council.
(e) If compliance with section 13D.02 is impractical, the Explore Minnesota Tourism
Council may conduct a meeting of its members by telephone or other electronic means so
long as the following conditions are met:
(1) all members of the council participating in the meeting, wherever their physical
location, can hear one another and can hear all discussion and testimony;
(2) members of the public present at the regular meeting location of the council can hear
clearly all discussion and testimony and all votes of members of the council and, if needed,
receive those services required by sections 15.44 and 15.441;
(3) at least one member of the council is physically present at the regular meeting location;
and
(4) all votes are conducted by roll call, so each member's vote on each issue can be
identified and recorded.
(f) Each member of the council participating in a meeting by telephone or other electronic
means is considered present at the meeting for purposes of determining a quorum and
participating in all proceedings.
(g) If telephone or other electronic means is used to conduct a meeting, the council, to
the extent practical, shall allow a person to monitor the meeting electronically from a remote
location. The council may require the person making such a connection to pay for
documented marginal costs that the council incurs as a result of the additional connection.
(h) If telephone or other electronic means is used to conduct a regular, special, or
emergency meeting, the council shall provide notice of the regular meeting location, of the
fact that some members may participate by telephone or other electronic means, and of the
provisions of paragraph (g). The timing and method of providing notice is governed by
section 13D.04.