SF 4542

as introduced - 92nd Legislature (2021 - 2022) Posted on 06/22/2022 02:24pm

A bill for an act
relating to economic development; requiring the commissioner of employment
and economic development to prepare and submit an application for federal funds;
appropriating money; amending Laws 2021, First Special Session chapter 10,
article 1, section 7.

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

Section 1.

Laws 2021, First Special Session chapter 10, article 1, section 7, is amended
to read:

Sec. 7. BROADBAND DEVELOPMENT; APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL
FUNDING; APPROPRIATION.

(a) The commissioner of employment and economic development must prepare and
submit an application to the United States Department of the Treasury requesting that
$70,000,000 of Minnesota's capital projects fund allocation under Public Law 117-2 be
awarded to the state. The commissioner must submit the application required under this
paragraph by the later of September 30, 2021, or 90 days after the date on which the United
States Department of the Treasury begins accepting capital projects fund applications. The
commissioner must specify in the application that the award will be used for grants deleted text begin and deleted text end new text begin that
satisfy new text end the purposes specified under Minnesota Statutes, section 116J.395.

(b) Of the amount awarded to the state of Minnesota pursuant to the application required
in paragraph (a), notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, sections 3.3005 and 4.07, 50 percent
in fiscal year 2022 and 50 percent in fiscal year 2023 are appropriated to the commissioner
of employment and economic development. This is a onetime appropriation and must be
used for grants deleted text begin and deleted text end new text begin that satisfy new text end the purposes specified under Minnesota Statutes, section
116J.395. new text begin All money awarded under this section must be spent by December 31, 2026.
new text end

(c) The commissioner of employment and economic development may temporarily
modify program standards under Minnesota Statutes, section 116J.395, to the degree
necessary to comply with federal standards for funding received under this section.

Sec. 2. new text begin LOWER POPULATION DENSITY PILOT PROGRAM.
new text end

new text begin (a) The commissioner of employment and economic development must establish a pilot
program to provide broadband service to unserved and underserved areas, as defined in
Minnesota Statutes, section 116J.394, of the state where a 50 percent match formula is not
adequate to make a business case for the extension of broadband facilities. Grants awarded
under this section shall adhere to all other requirements of Minnesota Statutes, section
116J.395, subdivisions 1 to 6, and may fund up to 75 percent of the total cost of a project,
notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 116J.395, subdivision 7. Grants awarded to a
single project under this section may not exceed $5,000,000.
new text end

new text begin (b) The commissioner of employment and economic development may use up to
$15,000,000 from the appropriations in sections 3 and 4 for the lower population density
pilot program under paragraph (a).
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end

Sec. 3. new text begin BROADBAND DEVELOPMENT; APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL
FUNDING; APPROPRIATION.
new text end

new text begin (a) The commissioner of employment and economic development must prepare and
submit a grant plan application to the United States Department of the Treasury requesting
that $110,703,000 of Minnesota's capital projects fund allocation under Public Law 117-2
be used for grants that satisfy the purposes specified under section 2 and Minnesota Statutes,
section 116J.395. The commissioner must submit the application required under this
paragraph by September 24, 2022.
new text end

new text begin (b) Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, sections 3.3005 and 4.07, the amount awarded
to Minnesota pursuant to the application required in paragraph (a) is appropriated to the
commissioner of employment and economic development. This appropriation (1) must be
used only for grants that satisfy the purposes specified under section 2 and Minnesota
Statutes, section 116J.395, and (2) is available until December 31, 2026.
new text end

new text begin (c) The commissioner of employment and economic development may temporarily
modify program standards under section 2 and Minnesota Statutes, section 116J.395, to the
extent necessary to comply with federal standards that apply to funding received under this
section.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end

Sec. 4. new text begin BROADBAND DEVELOPMENT; APPROPRIATION.
new text end

new text begin (a) Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, sections 3.3005 and 4.07, if Minnesota receives
federal money for broadband development under Public Law 117-58, the Infrastructure
Investment and Jobs Act, the money is appropriated to the commissioner of economic
development for grants that satisfy the purposes specified under section 2 and Minnesota
Statutes, section 116J.395.
new text end

new text begin (b) The commissioner of employment and economic development may temporarily
modify program standards under section 2 and Minnesota Statutes, section 116J.395, to the
extent necessary to comply with federal standards that apply to funding received under this
section.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end