Minnesota Session Laws - 1990, Regular Session

  

                         Laws of Minnesota 1990 

                        CHAPTER 584-S.F.No. 1001 
           An act relating to the community dispute resolution 
          program; establishing eligibility criteria for grant 
          recipients; appropriating money; amending Minnesota 
          Statutes 1988, sections 494.01, subdivisions 1 and 2; 
          proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, 
          chapter 494. 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
     Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1988, section 494.01, 
subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
    Subdivision 1.  [DEFINITION.] For the purposes of Laws 
1984, chapter 654, article 2, sections 133 to 136 this 
chapter, "dispute resolution" means a process voluntarily 
entered by parties in disagreement using mediation or 
arbitration to reconcile the parties' differences.  
    Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1988, section 494.01, 
subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
    Subd. 2.  [ESTABLISHMENT; ADMINISTRATION.] The dispute 
resolution program shall be established and administered by the 
state court administrator's office administrator shall 
administer the dispute resolution program.  
    Sec. 3.  [494.015] [TRAINING AND PROGRAM CERTIFICATION 
GUIDELINES.] 
    Subdivision 1.  [GUIDELINES.] The state court administrator 
shall adopt guidelines for use by community dispute resolution 
programs and training programs for mediators and arbitrators for 
the community dispute resolution programs.  The guidelines must 
include provisions to ensure that participation in dispute 
resolution is voluntary, procedures for case processing, and 
program certification criteria that must be met to receive court 
referrals.  
    Subd. 2.  [CERTIFICATION.] The state court administrator 
shall certify programs that meet the requirements for 
certification set under subdivision 1. 
    Sec. 4.  [494.05] [GRANTS.] 
    Subdivision 1.  [ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.] A community 
dispute resolution program is not eligible for a grant under 
this section unless it: 
    (1) complies with this chapter and the guidelines and rules 
adopted under this chapter; 
    (2) is certified by the state court administrator under 
section 3, subdivision 2; 
    (3) demonstrates that at least two-thirds of its annual 
budget will be derived from sources other than the state; 
    (4) documents evidence of support within its service area 
by community organizations, administrative agencies, and 
judicial and legal system representatives; and 
    (5) is exempt or has applied for exemption from federal 
taxation under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 
1986 or is administered and funded by a city, county, or court 
system as a distinct, identifiable unit that has a separate and 
distinguishable operating budget. 
    Subd. 2.  [FUNDING.] Grants under this section must be used 
for the costs of operating approved programs.  A program is 
eligible to receive a grant equal to one-third of its estimated 
annual budget, not more than $25,000 a year.  
    Subd. 3.  [REPORTS.] The state court administrator shall 
compile a summary report of the data submitted in the previous 
year and any other relevant information from other sources.  The 
report must be submitted to the legislature by February 1 of 
each year. 
    Sec. 5.  [APPROPRIATION.] 
    $100,000 is appropriated from the general fund to the state 
court administrator in fiscal year 1991 for grants under section 
4.  This is a one-time expenditure and is available until 
expended. 
    Presented to the governor April 28, 1990 
    Signed by the governor May 3, 1990, 6:05 p.m.