Minnesota Session Laws - 1984, Regular Session

  

                         Laws of Minnesota 1984 

                        CHAPTER 480-H.F.No. 1156
           An act relating to Minnesota Statutes; recodifying the 
          laws governing the office of the revisor of statutes 
          and the publication of Minnesota Statutes; providing 
          for the replacement of gender-specific references with 
          neutral or equal references to gender; imposing duties 
          on the revisor of statutes; setting goals; providing 
          for the accomplishment of goals within existing 
          resources; amending Minnesota Statutes 1982, sections 
          15.18; 16.02, subdivision 24; 60B.01, subdivision 1; 
          336.1-101; 480.057; and 524.1-101; proposing new law 
          coded in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 645; proposing 
          new law coded as Minnesota Statutes, chapter 3C; 
          repealing Minnesota Statutes 1982, sections 645.03; 
          645.04; 645.05; and 645.06; and chapters 482 and 648.  
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
    Section 1.  [3C.01] [APPOINTMENT OF REVISOR.] 
    The legislative coordinating commission shall appoint a 
qualified person to the position of revisor of statutes.  The 
revisor shall serve at the pleasure of the commission.  The 
commission shall fix the revisor's salary.  
    Sec. 2.  [3C.02] [REVISOR'S POWERS.] 
    Subdivision 1.  [REGULAR STAFF; HIRING AND SALARIES.] The 
revisor shall employ and may fix the salaries of drafters and 
technical, research, and clerical assistants necessary to do the 
work of the revisor's office.  
    Subd. 2.  [ADDITIONAL STAFF; CONTRACTORS.] When full-time 
employees are not available to do the work of the office, the 
revisor may contract for drafting, technical, research, or 
clerical services.  
    Subd. 3.  [PURCHASING.] The revisor may purchase necessary 
office furniture and supplies.  
    Subd. 4.  [CONTRACTING.] The revisor may enter into 
contracts to provide necessary services and supplies to the 
office.  
    Subd. 5.  [LIMITATION OF POWERS.] The exercise of the 
powers set forth in subdivisions 1 to 4 is subject to the 
control of the legislative coordinating commission.  
    Sec. 3.  [3C.03] [DRAFTING DUTIES OF REVISOR'S OFFICE.] 
    Subdivision 1.  [LIMITATION.] As far as personnel and 
available appropriations permit, the revisor's office shall 
perform the drafting duties described in subdivisions 2 to 4.  
    Subd. 2.  [DRAFTING DEPARTMENT.] The revisor's office shall 
maintain a drafting department.  On request, the office shall 
draft or help to draft bills, resolutions, and amendments for 
the governor, members of the legislature, departments or 
agencies of the state, or special committees or commissions 
created by the legislature or appointed by the governor to study 
or revise the laws.  The revisor's office also has the rule 
drafting duties described in chapter 14.  
    Subd. 3.  [REQUESTS FOR DRAFTING SERVICES.] The persons or 
bodies listed in subdivision 2 may submit to the revisor's 
office requests for drafting services.  A request must state 
briefly the policy and purpose of the document to be drafted. 
Documents must be drafted to conform to the instructions given 
in the request.  
    Subd. 4.  [DRAFTING MANUAL.] The revisor's office shall 
prepare and issue a bill drafting manual containing styles and 
forms for drafting bills, resolutions, and amendments.  
    Sec. 4.  [3C.04] [OTHER OFFICE DUTIES DURING LEGISLATIVE 
SESSION.] 
    Subdivision 1.  [ADVICE CONCERNING EFFECT OF BILLS.] The 
revisor's office shall give members of the legislature advice 
concerning the legal effect of bills or proposed bills, but only 
at the request of the members.  
    Subd. 2.  [INFORMATION GATHERING.] The revisor's office 
shall gather information about the practical operation and 
effect of statutes of this and other states.  
    Subd. 3.  [REPORT TO LEGISLATURE.] The revisor's office 
shall report to the legislature any statutory changes 
recommended or discussed or statutory deficiencies noted in any 
opinion of the supreme court of Minnesota.  The report must be 
made by November 15 of each even-numbered year.  It must treat 
opinions filed during the two-year period immediately preceding 
September 30 of the year before the year in which the session is 
held.  It must include any comment necessary to outline clearly 
the legislative problem reported.  
    Subd. 4.  [TECHNICAL BILLS.] The revisor's office shall 
prepare and submit to the legislature bills clarifying and 
correcting the statutes.  
    Subd. 5.  [ENGROSSMENT AND ENROLLMENT.] The revisor's 
office shall assist in the enrollment and engrossment of bills 
and related documents.  Senate bills and related documents are 
to be under the supervision of the secretary of the senate. 
House bills and related documents are to be under the 
supervision of the chief clerk of the house of representatives.  
    In preparing an engrossment or enrollment, the revisor may 
correct misspelled words and other minor clerical errors.  No 
correction of this kind constitutes an alteration or departure 
from the text as shown in the journals of the Senate and House 
of Representatives.  
    Subd. 6.  [OTHER SERVICES.] The revisor's office shall 
perform other services requested by the legislature or either of 
its branches.  
    Sec. 5.  [3C.05] [PROHIBITIONS AND LIMITATIONS.] 
    Subdivision 1.  [GENERAL.] The revisor, employees of the 
revisor's office, and persons assisting the office as part-time 
employees or independent contractors are subject to the 
following prohibitions and limitations:  
    (a) They may not reveal to any person not employed by the 
revisor's office the content or nature of a request for drafting 
services.  The content of the request and documents and 
communications relating to the drafting service supplied is not 
public and is not subject to subpoena, search warrant, 
deposition, writ of mandamus, interrogatory, or other disclosure.
    (b) They may not urge or oppose legislation on issues 
susceptible to action in the Minnesota legislature.  
    (c) They may not use office time to conduct legal business 
other than the business of the revisor's office.  
    (d) They may not engage in outside activities that violate 
the ethical considerations concerning independent professional 
judgment and interests of multiple clients contained in the code 
of professional responsibility for lawyers.  
    (e) They may not engage in activities of a partisan nature. 
    Subd. 2.  [OFFICE HOURS.] The revisor's office must be kept 
open during the time provided by law for other state offices. 
When the legislature is in session the office must be kept open 
at the hours most convenient to the members of the legislature.  
    Sec. 6. [3C.06] [LAWS OF MINNESOTA.] 
    Subdivision 1.  [GENERAL REQUIREMENTS.] As soon as possible 
after a session of the legislature has adjourned each year, the 
revisor shall publish the laws and resolutions passed at the 
session in a publication called "Laws of Minnesota."  It must be 
identified by the year of the session and have suitable 
headnotes and indexes as required by subdivision 4.  
    Subd. 2.  [APPROVAL DATES OF LOCAL LAWS.] For each special 
law for which the certificate of local approval required by 
section 645.021 has been filed with the secretary of state 
before the printer's copy for Laws of Minnesota is prepared, the 
published volume must give the date of filing.  The published 
volume containing the special laws must include a table giving 
the approval date for all special laws adopted during the 
biennium ending on the previous December 31.  
    Subd. 3.  [TABLE OF SECTIONS AFFECTED.] Each edition of 
Laws of Minnesota must contain a table showing the sections of 
the Minnesota Statutes and the session laws affected by the acts 
passed at that session of the legislature.  
    Subd. 4.  [INDEX.] Each edition of Laws of Minnesota must 
contain an alphabetical index of the laws contained in the 
edition.  
    Sec. 7.  [3C.07] [MINNESOTA STATUTES, HISTORICAL STATUS.] 
    Subdivision 1.  [MINNESOTA REVISED STATUTES.] The 
compilation and revision of the general and permanent statutes 
of Minnesota, prepared by the revisor under the provisions of 
Laws of Minnesota 1943, chapter 545, and filed with the 
secretary of state on December 28, 1944, is adopted and enacted 
as Minnesota Revised Statutes.  Minnesota Revised Statutes must 
not be cited, enumerated, or otherwise treated as a session 
law.  Acts passed at the 1945 biennial session of the 
legislature are not repealed or modified by the adoption of 
Minnesota Revised Statutes.  The laws contained in Minnesota 
Revised Statutes are continuations of the acts from which 
compiled and are not new enactments.  
    Subd. 2.  [MINNESOTA STATUTES 1945; TEXT, CODING, 
HISTORIES.] Immediately after the end of the biennial session of 
the legislature in 1945, the revisor of statutes shall prepare 
and deliver to the commissioner of administration printer's copy 
for Minnesota Statutes 1945.  This copy must contain all the 
text embodied in the "Minnesota Revised Statutes" except as 
provided in this chapter.  The revisor shall incorporate with 
the body of the text of the "Minnesota Revised Statutes" the 
amendments made to any of its sections at the 1945 biennial 
session of the Legislature and omit any statutes expressly 
repealed at that session.  The laws contained in Minnesota 
Statutes 1945 are continuations of the acts from which compiled 
and are not new enactments.  
    The revisor shall compile and include in Minnesota Statutes 
1945, in an appropriate place and classification, all general 
and permanent laws enacted at the 1945 biennial session.  The 
revisor shall assign these laws appropriate chapter and section 
identification by the decimal system of numbering.  
     After each section the revisor shall place a source note 
indicating the chapter and section of the session law from which 
the section was derived.  
    Sec. 8.  [3C.08] [MINNESOTA STATUTES; CONTENTS.] 
    Subdivision 1.  [PERMANENT REQUIRED CONTENTS.] The 
revisor's office shall publish editions of Minnesota Statutes. 
Minnesota Statutes must contain the constitution of the United 
States, the constitution of Minnesota, all general and permanent 
statutes in force, an alphabetical index, a table of permanent 
local laws, rules of the supreme court, rules of the district 
court, rules of the county court, rules of other courts, rules 
applicable to the courts generally, and any other information 
the revisor considers desirable and practicable.  
    Subd. 2.  [DECIMAL CODING SYSTEM.] The decimal system of 
numbering of sections contained in Minnesota Statutes 1945 must 
be continued in all future editions of Minnesota Statutes, 
except that alphabetical letters may be used in addition to the 
decimal numbers.  Chapters and sections of Minnesota Statutes 
retain the numbers and titles given them in Minnesota Revised 
Statutes until changed by the revisor or by statute.  
    Subd. 3.  [HEADNOTES.] The headnotes of the sections of any 
edition of the Minnesota Statutes printed in boldface type are 
mere catchwords to indicate the contents of the section and are 
not any part of the statute.  
    Subd. 4.  [NEW LAWS INCORPORATED.] As soon as possible 
after a session of the legislature has adjourned, the revisor's 
office shall incorporate into the text of Minnesota Statutes the 
permanent general laws enacted and the amendments made to the 
statutes at that session and at any extra session of the 
legislature.  The office shall also omit any sections expressly 
repealed.  The office shall assign appropriate chapter and 
section numbers to these laws and shall arrange them in proper 
order.  After each section the office shall place a source note 
indicating the chapter and section of the session law from which 
the section was derived.  
    Subd. 5.  [FORM AND STYLE CHANGES.] The form and style of 
Minnesota Statutes may be changed as necessary to improve its 
quality and to permit the use of electronic data processing 
equipment, computer compatible media, and other related 
equipment in connection with its publication.  
    Sec. 9.  [3C.09] [MINNESOTA STATUTES; SUPPLEMENTATION.] 
    If the revisor's office does not publish an edition of 
Minnesota Statutes in a given year, it may publish a supplement 
to Minnesota Statutes.  The supplement must be identifed by the 
year of publication and to the extent possible must otherwise 
comply with section 9.  
    Sec. 10.  [3C.10] [PUBLICATION POWERS.] 
    Subdivision 1.  [EDITORIAL POWERS FOR STATUTES.] The 
revisor's office, in preparing printer's copy for editions of 
statutes, may not alter the sense, meaning, or effect of any 
legislative act, but may:  
    (a) renumber sections or subdivisions and parts of sections 
or subdivisions;  
    (b) change the wording of headnotes;  
    (c) rearrange sections or subdivisions;  
    (d) combine sections or subdivisions into other sections or 
other subdivisions, or both;  
    (e) divide sections or subdivisions into other sections or 
subdivisions so as to give to distinct subject matters a section 
or subdivision number;  
    (f) substitute the proper section, chapter, or subdivision 
numbers for the terms "this act," "the preceding section," and 
the like;  
    (g) substitute figures for written words and vice versa;  
    (h) substitute the date on which the law becomes effective 
for the words "the effective date of this act," and the like;  
    (i) change capitalization for the purpose of uniformity;  
    (j) correct manifest clerical, typographical, grammatical, 
or punctuation errors;  
    (k) correct words misspelled in enrollments;  
    (l) change reference numbers to agree with renumbered 
chapters, sections, or subdivisions;  
    (m) delete the phrases "Minnesota Statutes," "Minnesota 
Statutes 1980," and phrases identifying other editions of and 
supplements to Minnesota Statutes if the phrases are used in a 
reference to a statutory section; and 
     (n) make similar editorial changes to ensure the accuracy 
and utility of the publication.  
    Subd. 2.  [AGENCY RULES.] The revisor's office may 
integrate agency rules into Minnesota Statutes, or publish the 
rules as an adjunct to Minnesota Statutes, or coordinate 
publication of the rules with Minnesota Statutes.  
    Subd. 3.  [NEGOTIATED CONTRACTS.] The revisor's office may 
negotiate for all or part of the editing, indexing, compiling, 
and printing of Minnesota Statutes, supplements to Minnesota 
Statutes, and Laws of Minnesota and contract with a law book 
publisher for these services.  The provisions of chapter 16 as 
they relate to competitive bidding do not apply to these 
contracts.  No contract may be made until the revisor of 
statutes has consulted with the legislative coordinating 
commission.  Failure or refusal of the commission to make a 
recommendation promptly shall be deemed an affirmative 
recommendation.  
    Sec. 11.  [3C.11] [GENERAL PUBLICATION DUTIES.] 
    Subdivision 1.  [CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTNESS.] In preparing 
an edition of Minnesota Statutes, a supplement to Minnesota 
Statutes, or an edition of Laws of Minnesota, the revisor's 
office shall compare each section in the edition with the 
original section of the statutes or with the original section in 
the enrolled act from which the section was derived, together 
with all amendments of the original section.  In one copy of the 
edition, the revisor shall attach a certificate certifying that 
this comparison has been made and that all sections appear to be 
correctly printed.  The copy containing the revisor's 
certificate must be filed in the office of the secretary of 
state as a public record.  All other copies of the edition must 
contain a printed copy of the certificate.  
    Subd. 2.  [PAMPHLETS.] The revisor's office shall compose, 
print, and deliver pamphlets containing parts of Minnesota 
Statutes, parts of Minnesota Rules, or combinations of parts of 
the statutes and rules as may be necessary for the use of public 
officers and departments.  The revisor's office shall use a 
standard form for the pamphlets.  The cost of composition, 
printing, and delivery of the pamphlets is to be borne by the 
office or department requesting them.  The printing must be 
limited to actual needs as shown by experience or other 
competent proof.  
    Subd. 3.  [SLIP LAWS.] In the time before Laws of Minnesota 
is published each year, the revisor's office shall furnish, upon 
request and without charge, a copy of each law or resolution to 
a member of the legislature, a legislative staff member, a 
constitutional officer, a justice of the supreme court, or a 
judge of the court of appeals.  
    Sec. 12.  [3C.12] [SALE AND DISTRIBUTION OF STATUTES AND 
LAWS.] 
    Subdivision 1.  [NUMBER OF COPIES PRINTED.] The revisor 
shall determine how many copies of Minnesota Statutes, 
supplements to Minnesota Statutes, and Laws of Minnesota are to 
be printed.  Subject to the requirements of subdivision 2, the 
revisor shall determine how the copies are to be distributed and 
disposed of.  
    Subd. 2.  [FREE DISTRIBUTION.] The revisor shall distribute 
without charge copies of each edition of Minnesota Statutes, 
supplements to Minnesota Statutes, and Laws of Minnesota to the 
persons or bodies listed in this subdivision.  Before 
distributing the copies, the revisor shall ask these persons or 
bodies whether their work requires the full number of copies 
authorized by this subdivision.  Unless a smaller number is 
needed, the revisor shall distribute:  
    (a) 30 copies to the supreme court;  
    (b) 30 copies to the court of appeals;  
    (c) one copy to each judge of a district court;  
    (d) one copy to the clerk of each district court for use in 
each courtroom of the district court;  
    (e) one copy to each judge, district attorney, clerk of 
court of the United States, and deputy clerk of each division of 
the United States district court in Minnesota;  
    (f) 100 copies to the office of the attorney general;  
    (g) ten copies each to the governor's office, the 
departments of agriculture, commerce, corrections, education, 
health, transportation, labor and industry, economic security, 
natural resources, public safety, public service, public 
welfare, revenue, and the pollution control agency;  
    (h) two copies each to the lieutenant governor, the state 
treasurer, and the secretary of state;  
    (i) 20 copies each to the department of administration, 
state auditor, and legislative auditor;  
    (j) one copy each to other state departments, agencies, 
boards, and commissions not specifically named in this 
subdivision;  
    (k) one copy to each member of the legislature;  
    (l) 150 copies for the use of the senate and 200 copies for 
the use of the house of representatives;  
    (m) 50 copies to the revisor of statutes from which the 
revisor shall send the appropriate number to the Library of 
Congress for copyright and depository purposes;  
    (n) four copies to the secretary of the senate;  
    (o) four copies to the chief clerk of the house of 
representatives;  
    (p) 100 copies to the state law library;  
    (q) 100 copies to the law school of the University of 
Minnesota;  
    (r) five copies to the Minnesota historical society; and 
    (s) one copy to each county library maintained pursuant to 
chapter 134, except in counties containing cities of the first 
class.  If a county has not established a county library 
pursuant to chapter 134, the copy shall be provided to any 
public library in the county.  
    Subd. 3.  [MARKING OF STATE COPIES.] Copies of Minnesota 
Statutes distributed to public officers, except members and 
officers of the legislature and officers of the United States, 
must be marked with the words "State Copy" and kept for the use 
of the office.  
    Subd. 4.  [SALE TO COUNTY OFFICERS.] Each county shall 
purchase from the revisor one copy each for the use of the judge 
of the county court or county municipal court, clerk of the 
county court or county municipal court, county attorney, 
sheriff, auditor, treasurer, county recorder, and superintendent 
of schools.  
    Subd. 5.  [SALE TO CITY AND TOWN OFFICERS.] Each city and 
town shall purchase from the revisor the number of copies the 
city or town determines is needed for the use of each clerk of 
the city or town.  
    Subd. 6.  [SALE TO STATE DEPARTMENTS.] A department, 
agency, board, commission, or other instrumentality of the state 
listed in this section may purchase from the revisor of statutes 
any additional copies which may be required.  
    Subd. 7.  [SALE PRICE.] The revisor shall fix the sale 
price of an edition of Minnesota Statutes, supplement to 
Minnesota Statutes, or edition of Laws of Minnesota according to 
the limits of this subdivision.  The sale price for an edition 
of Minnesota Statutes is the actual cost of composition, 
printing, binding, and distribution of all books ordered, but 
not less than $75.  The sale prices of each edition of the Laws 
of Minnesota and supplement to Minnesota Statutes are not less 
than the actual cost of composition, printing, binding, and 
distribution of all books ordered, but not less than $10. 
Revenue from the sale of the Minnesota Statutes, supplements to 
Minnesota Statutes, and Laws of Minnesota must be deposited in 
the general fund.  
    Sec. 13.  [3C.13] [LEGAL STATUS OF STATUTES.] 
    Any volume of Minnesota Statutes, supplement to Minnesota 
Statutes, and Laws of Minnesota certified by the revisor 
according to section 12, subdivision 1, is prima facie evidence 
of the statutes contained in it in all courts and proceedings.  
    Revised Laws of Minnesota 1905, General Statutes of 
Minnesota 1913, General Statutes of Minnesota 1923, Mason's 
Minnesota Statutes 1927, and supplements, appendix and addenda, 
or added volumes to these publications are prima facie evidence 
of the statutes contained in them in all courts and proceedings. 
    Sec. 14.  Minnesota Statutes 1982, section 15.18, is 
amended to read: 
    15.18 [DISTRIBUTION OF PUBLICATIONS.] 
    Except as provided in sections 5.08, 16.02, and 648.39 
section 13, subdivision 2, when any department, agency, or 
official of the state issues for public distribution any book, 
document, journal, map, pamphlet, or report copies thereof shall 
be delivered immediately as follows: 
    Four copies to the Minnesota Historical Society; 
    One copy to the general library of the University of 
Minnesota, and may, upon request of the librarian, deliver 
additional copies; 
    Two copies to the state library, and such additional copies 
as the state librarian deems necessary for exchange with other 
libraries, with other states, with the United States, and with 
governments of foreign countries; 
    One copy to the public library of any city of the first 
class; 
    One copy to the library of each state university as defined 
in chapter 136. 
    Sec. 15.  Minnesota Statutes 1982, section 16.02, 
subdivision 24, is amended to read:  
    Subd. 24.  To provide for the sale and distribution of 
copies of laws and resolutions on file in the office of the 
secretary of state in accordance with the provisions of this 
subdivision, and as soon as practicable after their enactment: 
    (a) The commissioner shall establish charges for such laws 
and resolutions sufficient to cover the cost thereof but not 
exceeding 25 cents for laws or resolutions of two pages or less 
or 15 cents per page for each page in addition to two. 
    (b) Fees established for the sale and distribution of laws 
and resolutions, including mailing and postage charges, may be 
accepted by the commissioner of administration in advance, and 
any unused portions amounting to one dollar or more may be 
returned to the person entitled thereto upon request, 
notwithstanding the provision of any other law prohibiting 
refunds; 
    (c) The secretary of state and the revisor of statutes 
shall cooperate with the commissioner of administration in order 
that he may furnish the services provided for in this 
subdivision; 
    (d) Moneys collected by the commissioner of administration 
under this subdivision shall be deposited in the central 
services revolving fund in the state treasury. Moneys in such 
fund are hereby appropriated annually to the commissioner for 
the purposes of carrying out the provisions of this subdivision. 
    Sec. 16.  Minnesota Statutes 1982, section 60B.01, 
subdivision 1, is amended to read:  
    Subdivision 1.  [SHORT TITLE.] Sections 60B.01 to 60B.61 
may be cited as the "insurers rehabilitation and liquidation 
act" and shall appear in the next edition of Minnesota Statutes 
as Chapter 60B but subject to the provisions of section 648.34 
11, subdivision 1.  
    Sec. 17.  Minnesota Statutes 1982, section 336.1-101, is 
amended to read:  
    336.1-101 [SHORT TITLE AND NUMBERING SYSTEM.] 
    This chapter shall be known and may be cited as Uniform 
Commercial Code.  It is arranged and numbered, subject, however, 
to the provisions of Minnesota Statutes 1961, Section 648.34 
section 11, subdivision 1, so that the enacted chapter may be 
compiled in the next published edition of Minnesota Statutes 
without change and in conformity with the official numbering of 
the Uniform Commercial Code.  
    Sec. 18.  Minnesota Statutes 1982, section 480.057, is 
amended to read:  
    480.057 [PROMULGATION.] 
    Subdivision 1.  [EFFECTIVE DATE OF RULES; PUBLICATION.] All 
rules promulgated under sections 480.051 to 480.058 shall be are 
effective at a time fixed by the court and shall.  The rules 
must be published in the appendix to the official reports of the 
supreme court and shall be bound therewith as part of Minnesota 
Statutes according to section 9.  
    Subd. 2.  [INDEX; PRINTING, PUBLISHING, AND DISTRIBUTING.] 
The revisor of statutes shall index and the commissioner of 
administration shall print, publish, and distribute copies 
thereof to the bench and bar and as required by law of the rules 
according to section 13.  
    Sec. 19.  Minnesota Statutes 1982, section 524.1-101, is 
amended to read:  
    524.1-101 [CITATION AND NUMBERING SYSTEM.] 
    This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the uniform 
probate code.  It is arranged and numbered, subject however to 
the provisions of section 648.34 section 11, subdivision 1, so 
that the enacted chapter may be compiled in the next published 
edition of Minnesota Statutes without change and in conformity 
with the official numbering of the uniform probate code.  The 
articles of Laws 1974, Chapter 442 are numbered out of sequence 
to facilitate the possible inclusion of other articles of the 
probate code in one chapter.  
    Sec. 20.  [645.49] [HEADNOTES.] 
    The headnotes printed in boldface type before sections and 
subdivisions in editions of Minnesota Statutes are mere 
catchwords to indicate the contents of the section or 
subdivision and are not part of the statute.  
    Sec. 21.  [MINNESOTA STATUTES; GENDER-SPECIFIC TERMINOLOGY 
TO BE REMOVED.] 
    Subdivision 1.  [GUIDELINES FOR REVISION.] The revisor of 
statutes shall prepare guidelines for the removal from Minnesota 
Statutes, without substantive change in legal effect, of 
specific-gender references applicable to human beings.  The 
guidelines shall be similar to the guidelines for style and form 
bills drafted under Minnesota Statutes, section 482.09, 
paragraph 6, and section 648.37, subdivision 2.  The guidelines 
shall provide for preferred and alternative methods of removing 
specific-gender references.  The guidelines shall give specific 
attention to replacing masculine pronouns and possessives with 
either neutral or equal references.  Specific-gender references 
may be retained only when necessary to avoid changes in legal 
effect or where the context requires the retention.  The revisor 
should not use coined or otherwise artificial words in 
substitution for specific-gender references.  The revisor shall 
not mechanically replace masculine pronouns and possessives with 
masculine and feminine equivalents but shall avoid repetition 
and preserve normal English word patterns.  
    Subd. 2.  [PREPARATION OF REVISION.] The revisor shall 
prepare a revision of Minnesota Statutes accomplishing the 
changes following the prepared guidelines.  The text of the 
revised Minnesota Statutes must show all changes by strikes and 
underlines in a fashion similar to bill drafts.  
    The legislature intends that the work of revising Minnesota 
Statutes be performed with existing staff and other resources. 
However, the revision is to be given high priority among the 
tasks that are or will also be assigned.  
    If the revisor needs additional substantive authorization 
or clarification of the authority provided in this section in 
order to complete the revision, then the revisor shall request 
it.  
    Subd. 3.  [COPIES TO CONCERNED PARTIES; RECOMMENDATIONS.] 
The revisor shall provide a copy of the proposed revision of a 
statute to any agency involved in administering a statute.  If 
no agency is involved, then a copy must be furnished to the 
attorney general.  The revisor shall also furnish a copy to any 
person requesting a copy.  The revisor shall receive 
recommendations of anyone caring to submit them before preparing 
a final revision of the statutes.  
    Subd. 4.  [FILING AND ADOPTION.] When the revision is 
complete, the revisor shall certify it and file it with the 
secretary of state.  The revisor shall file it not later than 
January 1, 1988.  The legislature intends to amend Minnesota 
Statutes by reference to the revision prepared by the revisor 
and filed with the secretary of state.  No change is effective 
until adopted by the legislature.  The procedure for adoption 
will be that used to adopt Minnesota Revised Statutes 1943.  The 
legislature may amend the revisor's revision when adopting the 
revision.  
    Subd. 5.  [OVERSIGHT.] The revisor's work on this revision 
shall be monitored by the revisor's bill subcommittee that is 
usually appointed by the judiciary committees of the two houses. 
    Sec. 22.  [REPEALER.] 
    Minnesota Statutes 1982, sections 482.01, 482.021, 482.031, 
482.07, 482.09, 482.101, 482.11, 482.12, 482.131, 482.14, 
645.03, 645.04, 645.05, 645.06, 648.11, 648.14, 648.31, 648.32, 
648.33, 648.34, subdivision 1, 648.35, 648.36, 648.37, 648.39, 
648.40, 648.41, 648.42, 648.43, and 648.44 are repealed. 
    Approved April 25, 1984