1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to elections; establishing the Elections Emergency Planning Task Force; 
1.3 	appropriating money.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. ELECTIONS EMERGENCY PLANNING TASK FORCE.
 1.6 		Subdivision 1.Membership. (a) The Elections Emergency Planning Task Force 
1.7 	consists of the following members:
1.8 	(1) the director of the Department of Public Safety, Division of Homeland Security 
1.9 	and Emergency Management, or designee;
1.10 	(2) the secretary of state, or designee;
1.11 	(3) one individual designated by the secretary of state, from the elections division in 
1.12 	the Office of the Secretary of State;
1.13 	(4) the Minnesota Adjutant General, or designee;
1.14 	(5) one county auditor, appointed by the Minnesota Association of County Auditors;
1.15 	(6) one local professional emergency manager, appointed by the Association of 
1.16 	Minnesota Emergency Managers;
1.17 	(7) one town election official, appointed by the Minnesota Association of Townships;
1.18 	(8) one city election official, appointed by the League of Minnesota Cities;
1.19 	(9) one school district election official, appointed by the Minnesota School Boards 
1.20 	Association;
1.21 	(10) one representative appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives;
1.22 	(11) one representative appointed by the minority leader of the house of 
1.23 	representatives;
1.24 	(12) one senator appointed by the senate majority leader; and
2.1 	(13) one senator appointed by the senate minority leader.
2.2 	(b) Any vacancy shall be filled by appointment of the appointing authority for the 
2.3 	vacating member.
2.4 	(c) Members shall be appointed by July 1, 2015.
2.5 		Subd. 2.Duties. The task force must research the following issues:
2.6 	(1) potential emergency scenarios that could impact elections;
2.7 	(2) current capacity and authority to address emergency situations;
2.8 	(3) potential direct and indirect costs of an emergency that disrupts elections;
2.9 	(4) maintaining ballot security in event of an emergency;
2.10 	(5) continuity of operations procedures; and
2.11 	(6) communications plans and key emergency contacts.
2.12 		Subd. 3.First meeting; chair. The secretary of state, or the secretary's designee, 
2.13 	must convene the initial meeting of the task force by August 1, 2015. The members of 
2.14 	the task force must elect a chair and vice-chair from the members of the task force at the 
2.15 	first meeting.
2.16 		Subd. 4.Compensation. Public members of the task force shall be compensated 
2.17 	pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, section 15.059, subdivision 3.
2.18 		Subd. 5.Staff. The Legislative Coordinating Commission shall provide staff 
2.19 	support, as needed, to facilitate the task force's work.
2.20 		Subd. 6.Report. The task force must submit a report by January 1, 2016, to the 
2.21 	chairs and ranking minority members of the committees in the senate and house of 
2.22 	representatives with primary jurisdiction over elections, summarizing its findings and 
2.23 	listing recommendations for the development of elections emergency plans statewide. The 
2.24 	report shall include draft legislation to implement the recommendations of the task force.
2.25 		Subd. 7.Sunset. The task force shall sunset the day following the submission of the 
2.26 	report under subdivision 6, or January 1, 2016, whichever is earlier.

2.27 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION.
 2.28 	$....... is appropriated from the general fund to the Legislative Coordinating 
2.29 	Commission in fiscal year 2016 for the purposes of this act.

2.30 	Sec. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.
 2.31 	This act is effective the day following final enactment.