Minnesota Session Laws - 2016, Regular Session

CHAPTER 94--H.F.No. 2514

An act

relating to economic development; modifying host community economic development grants;

amending Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 116J.548, subdivisions 2, 3.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 116J.548, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

Definitions.

For purposes of this section:

(a) "Capital costs" means expenditures for the new text begin public new text end acquisition deleted text begin and deleted text end new text begin of land and buildings, new text end betterment of public lands and buildings, and for other publicly owned capital improvements. Capital costs also include expenditures for predesign, design, engineering, and similar activities for specifically identified eligible projects.

(b) "Eligible project" means a development or redevelopment project that will generate economic development new text begin within a time frame of five years or less or facilitate the preparation of long-term economic development new text end within a host community.

(c) "Economic development" means new text begin assistance in preparation of a redevelopment or development area contained in the application that results in at least one of the following: new text end

new text begin (1) new text end job creation, new text begin including jobs relating to construction and temporary jobs; new text end

new text begin (2) new text end an increase in the tax base deleted text begin , deleted text end new text begin ; new text end

new text begin (3) new text end the deleted text begin capacity deleted text end new text begin ability new text end of the eligible project to attract private investment deleted text begin , and deleted text end new text begin ; new text end

new text begin (4) long-term economic development; new text end

new text begin (5) needed public infrastructure or transportation-related improvements to facilitate long-term redevelopment or development; or new text end

new text begin (6) new text end other objective criteria established by the commissioner that demonstrate a public benefit to the host community.

(d) "Host community" means a city located within the seven-county metropolitan area, as defined in section 473.121, subdivision 2, that is the site of a waste disposal facility that meets the standards in section 473.849, that accepts unprocessed mixed municipal solid waste generated in the metropolitan area.

new text begin (e) "Long-term economic development" means capital costs associated with economic development projects identified by a host community comprehensive plan or redevelopment plan that will generate eligible economic development. new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 116J.548, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3.

Application.

Host communities may apply for a grant under this section on a form and in a manner prescribed by the commissioner. In awarding grants under this section, deleted text begin the commissioner shall give priority to eligible projects that, based on a cost-benefit analysis, provide the highest return on public investment. deleted text end the commissioner must allocate available money between host communities as evenly as practicable.

Presented to the governor May 4, 2016

Signed by the governor May 6, 2016, 3:20 p.m.