1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to economic development; appropriating money for relief grants to event 
1.3 	centers; allowing for event center safe operation during the COVID-19 pandemic; 
1.4 	requiring a report.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. EVENT VENUE SAFE OPERATION DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC.
 1.7 	Notwithstanding Executive Order 21-01, as amended by Executive Order 21-07, or any 
1.8 	other related executive orders issued pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, section 12.21 or 12.31, 
1.9 	an event venue that hosts celebrations, receptions, private parties, or other social gatherings, 
1.10 	including but not limited to those connected to weddings, funerals, life milestones, family 
1.11 	reunions, planned religious services, and other similar occasions may operate at 50 percent 
1.12 	capacity, if the business develops and implements a COVID-19 safety plan.

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

1.14 	Sec. 2. GRANTS TO EVENT CENTERS; APPROPRIATION.
 1.15 		Subdivision 1.Appropriation. $....... in fiscal year 2021 is appropriated from the general 
1.16 	fund to the commissioner of employment and economic development for grants under this 
1.17 	section. Of this amount, no more than $....... may be used for the administrative costs incurred 
1.18 	in making these payments. This is a onetime appropriation and is available until expended.
1.19 		Subd. 2.Grants. (a) To be eligible for a grant under this subdivision, a business must, 
1.20 	to the extent it is feasible for the commissioner of employment and economic development 
1.21 	to determine:
2.1 	(1) be an event center with a capacity of less than 1,500 but more than 200, that is not 
2.2 	part of a hotel, restaurant, bar, university, or retail mall, or a publicly owned facility and is 
2.3 	primarily used as a music venue, a wedding venue, or for private parties and receptions;
2.4 	(2) have experienced a decline in overall sales between 2019 and 2020 of 30 percent or 
2.5 	more;
2.6 	(3) have been directly impacted by an executive order related to the COVID-19 pandemic;
2.7 	(4) have a physical location in the state of Minnesota and be owned by a resident of 
2.8 	Minnesota; and
2.9 	(5) have no current tax liens on record with the secretary of state as of the time of 
2.10 	application for a grant under this section.
2.11 	(b) The commissioner of employment and economic development shall make grants to 
2.12 	eligible event centers proportional to the size of the venue, taking into account the number 
2.13 	of months the event center has been closed due to the pandemic, with no event center 
2.14 	receiving a grant of more than $....... Grant funds must be used for operation expenses 
2.15 	incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic.
2.16 	(c) Priority in awarding grants shall be given to event centers that did not receive a grant 
2.17 	under Laws 2020, Seventh Special Session chapter 2.
2.18 	(d) Grants and the process of making grants under this section are exempt from the 
2.19 	following statutes and related policies: Minnesota Statutes, sections 16A.15, subdivision 3; 
2.20 	16B.97; and 16B.98, subdivisions 5, 7, and 8. The commissioner of employment and 
2.21 	economic development shall monitor the use of grant funds under this section. The 
2.22 	exemptions under this paragraph expire when the appropriation under paragraph (a) has 
2.23 	been expended.
2.24 		Subd. 3.Report to legislature. By August 1, 2021, the commissioner of employment 
2.25 	and economic development shall submit a report to the chairs and ranking minority members 
2.26 	of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over business development detailing the use 
2.27 	of funds under this section.

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