Minnesota Session Laws - 1991, Regular Session

  

                         Laws of Minnesota 1991 

                        CHAPTER 261-H.F.No. 1042 
 [At the time of publication, the question of whether this 
chapter is law was under consideration by Minnesota courts.] 
           An act relating to economic development; changing the 
          organization of the department of trade and economic 
          development; providing for a report by the house 
          economic development committee and the senate economic 
          development and housing committee to the legislature 
          on proposed economic development policy; creating a 
          workplace safety program; amending Minnesota Statutes 
          1990, section 116J.01, subdivision 3; proposing coding 
          for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 116J. 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
    Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1990, section 116J.01, 
subdivision 3, is amended to read: 
    Subd. 3.  [DEPARTMENTAL ORGANIZATION.] The commissioner 
shall organize the department as provided in section 15.06.  The 
department must be organized into four the following three 
divisions, designated as the business promotion and marketing 
division,:  the community development division, the policy 
business development and analysis and science and technology 
division, and the Minnesota trade division, and the office of 
tourism.  Each division and office shall administer the duties 
and functions assigned to it by law.  When the duties of the 
divisions or office are not allocated by law, the commissioner 
may establish and revise the assignments of each division and 
office.  Each division is under the direction of a deputy 
commissioner in the unclassified service.  The deputy 
commissioner of the Minnesota trade division must be experienced 
and knowledgeable in matters of international trade. 
Each office is under the direction of a director in the 
unclassified service. 
     Sec. 2.  [RECOMMENDATIONS TO LEGISLATURE ON ECONOMIC 
DEVELOPMENT POLICY.] 
    The house economic development committee and the senate 
economic development and housing committee, in consultation with 
the department of trade and economic development, shall hold 
public hearings to receive citizen recommendations and shall 
report to the legislature by January 15, 1993, with 
recommendations on a statewide economic development policy for 
the state.  The report shall: 
    (1) review and catalog the responsibilities and the 
relationships of the various state and local agencies involved 
in the delivery of services that promote economic development 
and redevelopment; 
    (2) recommend ways and means to better coordinate the 
delivery of economic development services; 
    (3) identify the ways in which the state provides support 
to economic development, including financing programs, technical 
assistance programs, promotion, training and education, and 
infrastructure development and maintenance; 
    (4) quantify the amount and types of expenditures on 
economic development; 
    (5) identify measures to evaluate the effectiveness of 
investments in economic development; 
    (6) consider recent changes in state tax law that affect 
economic development and redevelopment and evaluate the impact 
of these changes on local development; 
    (7) review and comment on proposals submitted to it by the 
governor and the legislature; 
    (8) review and comment on research reports, studies, and 
papers on the public sector role in economic development; and 
    (9) hold hearings and conduct informal surveys to solicit 
the positions of business, industry, labor, and service 
providers. 
    Sec. 3.  [116J.661] [WORKPLACE SAFETY PROGRAM.] 
    The commissioner shall provide through the business 
assistance center a program that provides assistance to 
businesses to create a safe workplace and to reduce the number 
and severity of workplace injuries.  The program must include: 
    (1) providing information to business through publications, 
seminars, and other means; 
    (2) providing specific advice to individual businesses; and 
    (3) conducting research and developing safety programs with 
emphasis on businesses that have a high rate of workplace injury.
    Presented to the governor May 29, 1991 
    Filed with the secretary of state June 10, 1991