1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to rulemaking; authorizing notice by electronic mail;amending 
1.3 	Minnesota Statutes 2008, sections 14.07, subdivision 6; 14.14, subdivision 1a; 
1.4 	14.22, subdivision 1; 14.389, subdivision 2; 14.3895, subdivision 3.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 14.07, subdivision 6, is amended to read:
1.7 		Subd. 6.Style and form revisions. The revisor of statutes may periodically 
1.8 	prepare style and form revisions of rules to clarify, modernize, or simplify the text without 
1.9 	material change to the rules' substance or effect. Before beginning any revision, the 
1.10 	revisor shall consult the agency whose rules will be subject to the revision. After the 
1.11 	revision is prepared, the revisor shall present it to the agency and receive its consent to 
1.12 	proceed to seek adoption of the revision. Upon receiving consent, the revisor shall seek 
1.13 	adoption of the rules in accordance with sections 14.05 to 14.28. However, the need and 
1.14 	reasonableness statement and any hearing shall be restricted to the issue of whether any 
1.15 	material change in the substance and effect of the rule is proposed by the revisor. The 
1.16 	revisor shall mail notice by United States mail or electronic mail of any hearing to the 
1.17 	persons registered with the agency whose rules are the subject of the revision. The revisor 
1.18 	shall pay all costs to publish notices in the State Register and to replenish the agency's 
1.19 	stock of rules which exist at the time the revisor adopts the revised rules.  

1.20 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 14.14, subdivision 1a, is amended to read:
1.21 		Subd. 1a.Notice of rule hearing. (a) Each agency shall maintain a list of all 
1.22 	persons who have registered their name and United States mail or electronic mail address
1.23 	with the agency for the purpose of receiving notice of rule proceedings. The agency may 
2.1 	inquire as to whether those persons on the list wish to maintain their names on it and 
2.2 	may remove names for which there is a negative reply or no reply within 60 days. The 
2.3 	agency shall, at least 30 days before the date set for the hearing, give notice of its intention 
2.4 	to adopt rules by United States mail or electronic mail to all persons on its list, and by 
2.5 	publication in the State Register. The mailed notice must include either a copy of the 
2.6 	proposed rule or an easily readable and understandable description of its nature and effect 
2.7 	and an announcement that a free copy of the proposed rule is available on request from 
2.8 	the agency. In addition, each agency shall make reasonable efforts to notify persons or 
2.9 	classes of persons who may be significantly affected by the rule being proposed by giving 
2.10 	notice of its intention in newsletters, newspapers, or other publications, or through other 
2.11 	means of communication. The notice in the State Register must include the proposed rule 
2.12 	or an amended rule in the form required by the revisor under section 14.07, together with 
2.13 	an easily readable and understandable summary of the overall nature and effect of the 
2.14 	proposed rule, a citation to the most specific statutory authority for the proposed rule, a 
2.15 	statement of the place, date, and time of the public hearing, a statement that persons may 
2.16 	register with the agency for the purpose of receiving notice of rule proceedings and notice 
2.17 	that the agency intends to adopt a rule and other information required by law or rule. 
2.18 	When an entire rule is proposed to be repealed, the agency need only publish that fact, 
2.19 	along with an easily readable and understandable summary of the overall nature of the 
2.20 	rules proposed for repeal, and a citation to the rule to be repealed.  
2.21 	(b) The chief administrative law judge may authorize an agency to omit from the 
2.22 	notice of rule hearing the text of any proposed rule, the publication of which would be 
2.23 	unduly cumbersome, expensive, or otherwise inexpedient if:
2.24 	(1) knowledge of the rule is likely to be important to only a small class of persons;
2.25 	(2) the notice of rule hearing states that a free copy of the entire rule is available 
2.26 	upon request to the agency; and
2.27 	(3) the notice of rule hearing states in detail the specific subject matter of the omitted 
2.28 	rule, cites the statutory authority for the proposed rule, and details the proposed rule's 
2.29 	purpose and motivation.

2.30 	Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 14.22, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
2.31 		Subdivision 1.Contents. (a) Unless an agency proceeds directly to a public hearing 
2.32 	on a proposed rule and gives the notice prescribed in section 14.14, subdivision 1a, the 
2.33 	agency shall give notice of its intention to adopt a rule without public hearing. The 
2.34 	notice must be given by publication in the State Register and by United States mail or 
2.35 	electronic mail to persons who have registered their names with the agency under section 
3.1 	14.14, subdivision 1a. The mailed notice must include either a copy of the proposed 
3.2 	rule or an easily readable and understandable description of its nature and effect and 
3.3 	an announcement that a free copy of the proposed rule is available on request from the 
3.4 	agency. In addition, each agency shall make reasonable efforts to notify persons or classes 
3.5 	of persons who may be significantly affected by the rule by giving notice of its intention in 
3.6 	newsletters, newspapers, or other publications, or through other means of communication. 
3.7 	The notice in the State Register must include the proposed rule or the amended rule in the 
3.8 	form required by the revisor under section 14.07, an easily readable and understandable 
3.9 	summary of the overall nature and effect of the proposed rule, a citation to the most 
3.10 	specific statutory authority for the proposed rule, a statement that persons may register 
3.11 	with the agency for the purpose of receiving notice of rule proceedings and notice that a 
3.12 	rule has been submitted to the chief administrative law judge, and other information 
3.13 	required by law or rule. When an entire rule is proposed to be repealed, the notice need 
3.14 	only state that fact, along with an easily readable and understandable summary of the 
3.15 	overall nature of the rules proposed for repeal, and a citation to the rule to be repealed. 
3.16 	The notice must include a statement advising the public:  
3.17 	(1) that the public has 30 days in which to submit comment in support of or in 
3.18 	opposition to the proposed rule and that comment is encouraged;
3.19 	(2) that each comment should identify the portion of the proposed rule addressed, 
3.20 	the reason for the comment, and any change proposed;
3.21 	(3) that if 25 or more persons submit a written request for a public hearing within 
3.22 	the 30-day comment period, a public hearing will be held;
3.23 	(4) of the manner in which persons must request a public hearing on the proposed 
3.24 	rule;
3.25 	(5) of the requirements contained in section 14.25 relating to a written request for a 
3.26 	public hearing, and that the requester is encouraged to propose any change desired;  
3.27 	(6) that the proposed rule may be modified if the modifications are supported by 
3.28 	the data and views submitted; and
3.29 	(7) that if a hearing is not required, notice of the date of submission of the proposed 
3.30 	rule to the chief administrative law judge for review will be mailed to any person 
3.31 	requesting to receive the notice.
3.32 	In connection with the statements required in clauses (1) and (3), the notice must 
3.33 	also include the date on which the 30-day comment period ends.
3.34 	(b) The chief administrative law judge may authorize an agency to omit from the 
3.35 	notice of intent to adopt the text of any proposed rule, the publication of which would be 
3.36 	unduly cumbersome, expensive, or otherwise inexpedient if:
4.1 	(1) knowledge of the rule is likely to be important to only a small class of persons;
4.2 	(2) the notice of intent to adopt states that a free copy of the entire rule is available 
4.3 	upon request to the agency; and
4.4 	(3) the notice of intent to adopt states in detail the specific subject matter of the 
4.5 	omitted rule, cites the statutory authority for the proposed rule, and details the proposed 
4.6 	rule's purpose and motivation.

4.7 	Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 14.389, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
4.8 		Subd. 2.Notice and comment. The agency must publish notice of the proposed 
4.9 	rule in the State Register and must mail the notice by United States mail or electronic mail
4.10 	to persons who have registered with the agency to receive mailed notices. The mailed 
4.11 	notice must include either a copy of the proposed rule or a description of the nature and 
4.12 	effect of the proposed rule and a statement that a free copy is available from the agency 
4.13 	upon request. The notice in the State Register must include the proposed rule or the 
4.14 	amended rule in the form required by the revisor under section 14.07, an easily readable 
4.15 	and understandable summary of the overall nature and effect of the proposed rule, and a 
4.16 	citation to the most specific statutory authority for the rule, including authority for the 
4.17 	rule to be adopted under the process in this section. The agency must allow 30 days after 
4.18 	publication in the State Register for comment on the rule.  

4.19 	Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 14.3895, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
4.20 		Subd. 3.Notice and comment. The agency shall publish notice of the proposed 
4.21 	rule repeal in the State Register. The agency shall also mail the notice by United States 
4.22 	mail or electronic mail to persons who have registered with the agency to receive mailed 
4.23 	notices and to the chairs and ranking minority party members of the legislative policy 
4.24 	and budget committees with jurisdiction over the subject matter of the proposed rule 
4.25 	repeal. The agency shall also give notice according to the notice plan approved under 
4.26 	subdivision 2. The mailed notice must include either a copy of the rule proposed for 
4.27 	repeal or a description of the nature and effect of the proposed rule repeal and a statement 
4.28 	that a free copy is available from the agency upon request. The notice must include a 
4.29 	statement that, if 25 or more people submit a written request, the agency will have to 
4.30 	meet the requirements of sections 14.131 to 14.20 for rules adopted after a hearing or the 
4.31 	requirements of sections 14.22 to 14.28 for rules adopted without a hearing, including the 
4.32 	preparation of a statement of need and reasonableness and the opportunity for a hearing. 
4.33 	The agency shall allow 60 days after publication in the State Register for comment on 
4.34 	the proposed rule repeal.