2nd Engrossment - 89th Legislature (2015 - 2016) Posted on 09/01/2016 11:08am
A bill for an act
relating to state government; limiting the fee or fine increase a state agency may
propose; requiring certain reports from the state auditor; amending Minnesota
Statutes 2014, section 16A.1283.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 16A.1283, is amended to read:
(a) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, an executive branch state agency may
not impose a new fee or increase an existing fee unless the new fee or increase is approved
by law. new text begin An agency must not propose a fee or fine increase of more than ten percent
in a biennium over the same fee or fine in law at the start of the same biennium. new text end For
purposes of this section, a fee is any charge for goods, services, regulation, or licensure,
and, notwithstanding paragraph (b), clause (3), includes charges for admission to or for
use of public facilities owned by the state.
(b) This section does not apply to:
(1) charges billed within or between state agencies, or billed to federal agencies;
(2) the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system;
(3) charges for goods and services provided for the direct and primary use of a
private individual, business, or other entity;
(4) charges that authorize use of state-owned lands and minerals administered by
the commissioner of natural resources by the issuance of leases, easements, cooperative
farming agreements, and land and water crossing licenses and charges for sales of
state-owned lands administered by the commissioner of natural resources; or
(5) state park fees and charges established by commissioner's order.
(c) An executive branch agency may reduce a fee that was set by rule before July
1, 2001, without legislative approval. Chapter 14 does not apply to fee reductions under
this paragraph.
new text begin
The state auditor must report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the
finance committees with jurisdiction over the Office of the State Auditor by January 15,
2017. The report must include a strategic plan to ensure that all local governments receive
adequate oversight from the Office of the State Auditor. In preparing this strategic plan,
the state auditor must assess what types of audits performed by the Office of the State
Auditor are the most effective mechanisms for ensuring that public funds have been used
appropriately, what types of audit work can be performed efficiently by CPA firms, and
what is the most effective deployment of audit resources available to the Office of the
State Auditor. The report must also evaluate the continuing importance of the reports,
other than financial audits, that the Office of the State Auditor produces on a regular basis.
new text end
new text begin
The state auditor must report to the legislature by January 15, 2017, on costs
incurred by Minnesota counties related to eligibility determinations and related enrollment
activities for medical assistance enrollees and MinnesotaCare enrollees that are due to
implementing the Minnesota eligibility technology system administered by MNsure.
new text end