Minnesota Session Laws - 1990, Regular Session

  

                         Laws of Minnesota 1990 

                        CHAPTER 423-S.F.No. 2360 
           An act relating to economic development; clarifying 
          the appointing authority for the board of the 
          Minnesota Project Outreach Corporation; requiring 
          duties of the Minnesota Project Outreach Corporation; 
          requiring notification under the capital access 
          program; removing the requirement that employees of 
          the Greater Minnesota Corporation file statements of 
          economic interest; changing the procedure for adopting 
          a neighborhood revitalization program; amending 
          Minnesota Statutes 1989 Supplement, sections 116J.691, 
          subdivisions 1, 2, and 4; 116J.8766, by adding a 
          subdivision; 116O.03, subdivision 11; and 469.203, 
          subdivision 4; repealing Minnesota Statutes 1989 
          Supplement, section 469.203, subdivision 5. 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 2, 
     Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1989 Supplement, section 
116J.691, subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
    Subdivision 1.  [ESTABLISHMENT; PURPOSE.] The Minnesota 
Project Outreach Corporation is established as a nonprofit 
public corporation under chapter 317 and is subject to the 
provisions of that chapter.  The corporation is not a state 
agency.  The purpose of the corporation is to (i) facilitate the 
transfer of technology and scientific advice from the University 
of Minnesota and other institutions to businesses in the state 
that may make economic use of the information; and (ii) to 
assist small and medium-sized businesses in finding technical 
and financial assistance providers that meet their needs. 
    Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1989 Supplement, section 
116J.691, subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
    Subd. 2.  [BOARD OF DIRECTORS; EMPLOYEES.] The Minnesota 
Project Outreach Corporation shall be governed by a nine-member 
board of directors consisting of the president of the University 
of Minnesota or the president's designee, the deputy 
commissioner of trade and economic development for community 
development or the commissioner's designee, the chair of the 
Greater Minnesota Corporation board of directors or the chair's 
designee, the president of the Minnesota Project Outreach 
Corporation, a member of the state senate appointed by the 
subcommittee on committees of the senate rules and 
administration committee, a member of the house of 
representatives appointed by the speaker, a representative of 
person who has experience with small manufacturing firms located 
outside the metropolitan area, a representative of person who 
has experience with medium-sized manufacturing firms located in 
the metropolitan area, one of which must be actively engaged in 
manufacturing, and a private sector person representing the 
general public.  The governor shall appoint the representatives 
of the manufacturing firms and the general public.  Vacancies on 
the board for the members who are representatives of the 
manufacturing firms and the general public appointed by the 
governor shall be filled by the board until the respective term 
expires.  The president of the Minnesota Project Outreach 
Corporation shall be appointed by at least a two-thirds majority 
of the other members of the board. 
    The terms of the directors appointed by the governor shall 
be three years.  The directors appointed by the governor shall 
serve until their successors are appointed and qualify.  The 
board may elect a chair and form committees of the board.  The 
officers and any employees of the corporation are not state 
employees. 
    Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 1989 Supplement, section 
116J.691, subdivision 4, is amended to read: 
    Subd. 4.  [DUTIES.] The Minnesota Project Outreach 
Corporation shall: 
    (1) establish a technology assistance system to assist 
business, specifically new and other small and medium-sized 
businesses across the state, in gaining access to technical 
information, including but not limited to technologies developed 
by the University of Minnesota and other higher education 
systems and their personnel; and in gaining access to 
technology-related federal programs.; 
    (2) establish and maintain a data base or data bases that 
provide information for the technology assistance system under 
clause (1) that may include information on (i) science and 
technology experts, (ii) technical research projects underway at 
public higher education institutions in the state, (iii) 
licensable technology available at public higher education 
institutions in the state, (iv) access to federal technology and 
technical information, and (v) access to technical and business 
education; 
    (3) provide literature search and document retrieval 
services through the technology assistance system under clause 
(1); 
    (4) establish and continually update a business assistance 
referral system which includes a data base of economic 
development related technical assistance and financial 
assistance providers or programs sponsored by federal agencies, 
state agencies, educational institutions, chambers of commerce, 
civic organizations, community development groups, local 
governments, private industry associations, and other 
organizations and individuals that provide assistance; 
    (3) (5) establish and maintain or contract for the 
establishment of a toll-free telephone number operated by 
trained staff familiar with the business assistance referral 
system and data base; 
    (4) (6) maintain a marketing and outreach program informing 
persons interested in starting, operating, or expanding small 
business and assistance providers of the technology assistance 
system and the business assistance referral system; 
    (5) (7) establish, where possible, regional bases and 
referral systems for the business assistance referral system; 
and 
    (6) (8) make available the data base of the business 
assistance referral system to the legislature, the department of 
trade and economic development, and other state agencies for 
evaluating the effectiveness and efficiency of the provision of 
economic development-related technical and financial assistance 
in the state. 
    Sec. 4.  Minnesota Statutes 1989 Supplement, section 
116J.8766, is amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
    Subd. 4.  [TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.] When a borrower becomes 
60 days delinquent in the payments of an enrolled loan or before 
a lender files a claim with the commissioner, the lender must 
notify the commissioner of the delinquency.  The commissioner, 
after notification, shall inform the borrower of the technical 
assistance providers in the borrower's area that may assist in 
solving any business or management problems experienced by the 
borrower. 
    Sec. 5.  Minnesota Statutes 1989 Supplement, section 
116O.03, subdivision 11, is amended to read: 
    Subd. 11.  [STATEMENTS OF ECONOMIC INTEREST.] 
Directors, and officers, and employees of the corporation are 
public officials for the purpose of section 10A.09, and must 
file statements of economic interest with the ethical practices 
board. 
    Sec. 6.  Minnesota Statutes 1989 Supplement, section 
469.203, subdivision 4, is amended to read: 
    Subd. 4.  [CITY APPROVAL OF PROGRAM.] (a) For the purposes 
of this subdivision, "city" means the cities of Minneapolis and 
Duluth.  
    (b) Before adoption of a revitalization program under 
paragraph (c) (b), the city must submit a preliminary program to 
the commissioner, the state planning agency, and the Minnesota 
housing finance agency for their comments.  The city may not 
adopt the revitalization program until comments have been 
received from the state agencies or 30 days have elapsed without 
response after the program was sent to them.  Comments received 
by the city from the state agencies within the 30-day period 
must be responded to in writing by the city before adoption of 
the program by the city. 
    (c) (b) The city may adopt a revitalization program only 
after holding a public hearing after the program has been 
prepared.  Notice of the hearing must be provided in a newspaper 
of general circulation in the city and in the most widely 
circulated community newspaper in the targeted neighborhoods not 
less than ten days nor more than 30 days before the date of the 
hearing. 
    (d) (c) A certification by the city that a revitalization 
program has been approved by the city council for the targeted 
neighborhood must be provided to the commissioner together with 
a copy of the program.  A copy of the program must also be 
provided to the Minnesota housing finance agency and the state 
planning agency. 
    (e) (d) A revitalization program for the city may be 
modified at any time by the city council after a public hearing, 
notice of which is published in a newspaper of general 
circulation in the city and in the targeted neighborhood at 
least ten days nor more than 30 days before the date of the 
hearing.  If the city council determines that the proposed 
modification is a significant modification to the program 
originally certified under paragraph (d) (c), the city council 
shall implement the revitalization program approval and 
certification process of this subdivision for the proposed 
modification. 
    Sec. 7.  [REPEALER.] 
    Minnesota Statutes 1989 Supplement, section 469.203, 
subdivision 5, is repealed. 
    Presented to the governor April 9, 1990 
    Signed by the governor April 12, 1990, 10:45 a.m.