1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to economic development; providing funding 
  1.3             for commercial application of e-learning in rural 
  1.4             Minnesota; appropriating money.  
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  [APPROPRIATION; GRANTS FOR RURAL E-LEARNING 
  1.7   COMMERCIAL APPLICATION.] 
  1.8      $1,000,000 in fiscal year 2004 and $1,000,000 in fiscal 
  1.9   year 2005 are appropriated from the general fund to the 
  1.10  commissioner of employment and economic development for a grant 
  1.11  to a rural joint partnership between a nonprofit foundation and 
  1.12  a regional development commission to promote and implement the 
  1.13  commercial application of client-based e-learning knowledge 
  1.14  transfer and to facilitate job creation in rural Minnesota.  The 
  1.15  appropriation must be matched by nonstate funds.  In fiscal year 
  1.16  2004, the appropriation must be used to develop a business plan, 
  1.17  including salaries, but may not be used for capital 
  1.18  expenditures.  The grantee must submit a business plan to the 
  1.19  commissioner, the chair of the house jobs and economic 
  1.20  development committee, and the chair of the senate jobs, 
  1.21  housing, and community development committee no later than 
  1.22  October 1, 2004.  The plan must identify specific disciplines 
  1.23  for development and collaboration, data access, and 
  1.24  confidentiality policies; timelines; and include a discussion of 
  1.25  the expected economic benefits of the partnership to the state 
  2.1   of Minnesota. 
  2.2      After adoption of the business plan by the governing bodies 
  2.3   of the partnership, the appropriation in fiscal year 2005 is for 
  2.4   implementation of the business plan.  A preliminary report to 
  2.5   the commissioner on the budgeted expenditure of these funds 
  2.6   should be submitted no later than October 1, 2005.  A final 
  2.7   report to the commissioner on the expenditure of these funds 
  2.8   should be submitted no later than July 31, 2006.  
  2.9      Sec. 2.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  2.10     Section 1 is effective the day following final enactment.