SF 3544

as introduced - 85th Legislature (2007 - 2008) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to state government; establishing a cost-savings initiative suggestion
program for state employees; using the cost savings to fund road improvements;
creating a transportation endowment fund; appropriating money; proposing
coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapters 43A; 160.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

new text begin [43A.52] EMPLOYEE COST-SAVINGS INITIATIVES.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Procedure. new text end

new text begin The commissioner shall ensure that all employees are
provided with an opportunity to propose cost-savings initiatives within state government.
The commissioner shall establish a procedure for internal review and evaluation of each
initiative proposed in writing by an employee or by the employee's immediate supervisor.
Employees may also submit proposed initiatives as a group. If the immediate supervisor
determines that the proposed initiative is meritorious, and that further authorization
is needed to implement the proposal, the supervisor must submit the proposal to the
supervisor's appointing authority for review and consideration. If the supervisor
determines that the proposal is practical and constructive, and that no future authorization
to implement the proposal is necessary, the supervisor shall inform the supervisor's
appointing authority that the proposal has been implemented.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Implementation. new text end

new text begin If the appointing authority described in subdivision 1
determines that the proposal is practical and constructive and takes steps to implement the
proposal, or if the immediate supervisor has implemented the proposal, the appointing
authority must notify the commissioner of finance. Upon notification that an employee
proposal has been implemented under this section, the commissioner of finance must
determine the cost savings attributable to the proposal, and the funding sources benefited
by the cost savings. If the commissioner identifies a savings to the general fund resulting
from the proposal, the commissioner of finance must reduce the relevant general fund
appropriation by the specified amount of savings.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Transfer; cost savings proposal recognition account. new text end

new text begin A sum equivalent
to the amount of the appropriation reduction identified in subdivision 2 is transferred
to a cost-savings proposal recognition account in the special revenue fund. Money in
the cost-savings proposal recognition account is appropriated to the commissioner of
employee relations for the purpose of providing awards to employees for proposals
resulting in cost savings identified under this section. Awards may include, but are not
limited to, items such as discounts on health club memberships and gift certificates.
The awards may not exceed $....... cash value per employee. Money remaining in the
account on June 30 of each year must be transferred to the transportation endowment fund
established in section 160.95 after all employee awards required under this subdivision
have been made.
new text end

Sec. 2.

new text begin [160.95] TRANSPORTATION ENDOWMENT FUND.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Creation. new text end

new text begin The transportation endowment fund is created as an
account in the state treasury to receive money as allotted, appropriated, legislated, or
otherwise transferred.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Investment. new text end

new text begin The State Board of Investment shall invest the fund under
section 11A.24. All interest and profits from these investments must be credited to the
transportation endowment fund.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Annual transfer. new text end

new text begin On July 1 of each year, an amount equal to five
percent of the market value of the fund on the preceding July 1 is appropriated from the
transportation endowment fund to the commissioner of finance for transfer to the funds
specified in this section.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Distribution of available money. new text end

new text begin The commissioner of finance shall
apportion and distribute the available money from the transportation endowment fund
among the several areawide transportation districts to be used for highway purposes on
projects designated by the areawide transportation partnerships, as follows:
new text end

new text begin (1) an amount equal to 40 percent must be apportioned among the several districts so
that each district receives the percentage of that money that its motor vehicle registration
for the calendar year preceding the one last past, determined by residence of registrants,
bears to the total statewide motor vehicle registration; and
new text end

new text begin (2) an amount equal to 60 percent must be apportioned among the several districts
so that each district receives the percentage of that amount that its money needs bears to
the sum of the money needs of all the individual districts.
new text end