1.1                          A bill for an act
  1.2             relating to state government; creating an office of 
  1.3             customer service; requiring certain actions to meet 
  1.4             customer needs; imposing time limits for certain state 
  1.5             agency actions; proposing coding for new law in 
  1.6             Minnesota Statutes, chapter 4. 
  1.7   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.8      Section 1.  [4.50] [OFFICE OF CUSTOMER SERVICE CREATED.] 
  1.9      The office of customer service is created.  The governor 
  1.10  shall determine the appropriate agency for the office.  The 
  1.11  purpose of the office is to provide a centralized entry and 
  1.12  coordination point for customers of state government and those 
  1.13  regulated by state government. 
  1.14     Sec. 2.  [4.51] [CUSTOMER SERVICE.] 
  1.15     Subdivision 1.  [DEFINITIONS.] For purposes of this section 
  1.16  and section 4.52: 
  1.17     (1) "contract" means the contract described in subdivision 
  1.18  3; 
  1.19     (2) "customer" means an individual or business needing 
  1.20  service from state government or an individual or business 
  1.21  requesting licenses or permits or other forms of approval from 
  1.22  state government; and 
  1.23     (3) "office" means the office of customer service. 
  1.24     Subd. 2.  [RESPONSIBILITY FOR CUSTOMER NEEDS.] Where a 
  1.25  customer identifies to the office more than one department or 
  1.26  agency of state government that must take action before a 
  2.1   customer can proceed with an activity, the office must assume 
  2.2   primary responsibility for coordinating the actions of all 
  2.3   identified departments or agencies. 
  2.4      Subd. 3.  [CONTRACT WITH CUSTOMER.] Where, pursuant to 
  2.5   subdivision 2, the office has assumed primary responsibility 
  2.6   with respect to coordinating state government's responses to a 
  2.7   customer, the customer may require the office to enter into a 
  2.8   contract regarding the following issues: 
  2.9      (1) specifying each department or agency necessary to serve 
  2.10  the customer's needs; 
  2.11     (2) identifying the specific employee or employees in each 
  2.12  department or agency who will be accountable for that 
  2.13  department's or agency's work in serving the customer, along 
  2.14  with each employee's telephone number, fax number, if any, 
  2.15  postal address, and electronic mail address, if any; 
  2.16     (3) identifying all licenses, permits, or other forms of 
  2.17  approval the customer will need from state government for the 
  2.18  customer to proceed with the customer's activity; 
  2.19     (4) a timetable and work plan by which the various 
  2.20  departments and agencies will respond to the customer's needs; 
  2.21  and 
  2.22     (5) other matters the office and the customer agree should 
  2.23  be addressed in the contract. 
  2.24     Sec. 3.  [4.52] [TIME LIMITATION.] 
  2.25     Subdivision 1.  [COORDINATION; APPROVAL.] The office must 
  2.26  assure that all identified departments and agencies take action 
  2.27  on all licenses, permits, or other forms of approval identified 
  2.28  in the contract.  If action on any license, permit, or other 
  2.29  form of approval is not concluded within 45 days of the signing 
  2.30  of the contract, or within a longer period specified pursuant to 
  2.31  subdivision 2, the license, permit, or other form of approval is 
  2.32  deemed granted. 
  2.33     Subd. 2.  [LONGER TIME LIMITS.] The office may provide a 
  2.34  time limit longer than the 45 days provided in subdivision 1 
  2.35  only if the office certifies that a longer period is necessary 
  2.36  to protect against serious and significant harm to the public 
  3.1   health, safety, or welfare, or if a longer period is required by 
  3.2   other state or federal law, in which case the office must 
  3.3   specify a longer period in the contract. 
  3.4      Subd. 3.  [COMPLIANCE.] Where a license, permit, or other 
  3.5   form of approval is deemed granted pursuant to subdivision 1, 
  3.6   nothing in this section limits the ability or right of any state 
  3.7   agency or department to suspend, limit, revoke, or change a 
  3.8   license, permit, or other form of approval for failure by the 
  3.9   customer to comply with applicable laws or rules. 
  3.10     Sec. 4.  [TRANSFER OF STAFF.] 
  3.11     The governor must transfer to the office of customer 
  3.12  service sufficient staff, functions, and budgets as appropriate 
  3.13  to carry out the duties of the office without additional state 
  3.14  appropriations.