1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to metropolitan government; establishing a 
  1.3             task force to study legislative proposals relating to 
  1.4             metropolitan government structure and to make 
  1.5             recommendations by January 1, 2001. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  [TASK FORCE ON METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT 
  1.8   CREATED.] 
  1.9      Subdivision 1.  [ESTABLISHED.] A task force on metropolitan 
  1.10  government is created. 
  1.11     Subd. 2.  [DUTIES.] The task force shall study and make 
  1.12  recommendations to the legislature by January 1, 2001, on the 
  1.13  appropriate role and responsibilities of metropolitan government 
  1.14  in the metropolitan area, as defined in Minnesota Statutes, 
  1.15  section 473.121, subdivision 2.  Considering the legislation 
  1.16  introduced in the 1999-2000 legislative session, and in 
  1.17  particular, the legislation proposing to eliminate the 
  1.18  metropolitan council, the task force shall examine: 
  1.19     (1) each statute and law that relates to the metropolitan 
  1.20  council and whether powers and duties given to the council are 
  1.21  still appropriate; 
  1.22     (2) what services should be provided and what functions 
  1.23  fulfilled by metropolitan government; 
  1.24     (3) what powers are needed by metropolitan government to 
  1.25  deliver the services and fulfill those functions; 
  2.1      (4) whether any service or function currently performed by 
  2.2   metropolitan government should be discontinued or transferred to 
  2.3   another governmental entity; and 
  2.4      (5) what governance structures will best support the 
  2.5   identified roles and responsibilities of metropolitan 
  2.6   government, and be responsive to, understandable by, and 
  2.7   accountable to citizens. 
  2.8      Subd. 3.  [MEMBERSHIP.] The task force consists of 15 
  2.9   members who serve at the pleasure of their respective appointing 
  2.10  authorities as follows: 
  2.11     (1) the chairs of the house local government and 
  2.12  metropolitan affairs committee and the senate local and 
  2.13  metropolitan government committee, to serve as co-chairs; 
  2.14     (2) two state representatives, one member of the majority 
  2.15  appointed by the speaker of the house, and one member of the 
  2.16  minority appointed by the house minority leader; 
  2.17     (3) two state senators, one member of the majority and one 
  2.18  member of the minority, each appointed by the subcommittee on 
  2.19  committees of the committee on rules and administration; 
  2.20     (4) the governor or the governor's designee; 
  2.21     (5) two local elected officials to represent metropolitan 
  2.22  area counties, appointed by the Association of Minnesota 
  2.23  Counties; 
  2.24     (6) two local elected officials to represent metropolitan 
  2.25  area cities, appointed by the Association of Metropolitan 
  2.26  Municipalities; 
  2.27     (7) two local elected officials to represent metropolitan 
  2.28  area towns, appointed by the Minnesota Association of Townships; 
  2.29  and 
  2.30     (8) two union members employed at the metropolitan council, 
  2.31  appointed by agreement of the union officials at the council. 
  2.32     Members must be appointed as soon as practicable after the 
  2.33  effective date of this section. 
  2.34     Subd. 4.  [ADMINISTRATIVE; STAFF ASSISTANCE.] Legislative 
  2.35  staff shall provide administrative and staff assistance to the 
  2.36  task force.  Executive branch staff shall assist the task force 
  3.1   upon request. 
  3.2      Subd. 5.  [EXPIRATION.] The task force established in this 
  3.3   section expires June 30, 2001.