1.1                          A bill for an act
  1.2             relating to economic development and decentralization 
  1.3             of state government; creating a task force on 
  1.4             migration and economic development. 
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  [PURPOSE.] 
  1.7      The legislature finds that economic trends within the state 
  1.8   economy include: 
  1.9      (1) out-migration of employers and individuals from rural 
  1.10  regions into the metropolitan area that may have contributed to 
  1.11  lower aggregate real income for rural communities and fewer job 
  1.12  opportunities; and 
  1.13     (2) in-migration into the metropolitan area that may have 
  1.14  contributed to surplus labor and high unemployment rates within 
  1.15  certain urban communities in the metropolitan area. 
  1.16     The legislature directs the creation of a task force to 
  1.17  study the relationship of migration and economic development 
  1.18  from rural to urban communities.  The task force shall examine 
  1.19  possible policies that slow migration from rural Minnesota into 
  1.20  the metropolitan area and further the economic development of 
  1.21  both rural and urban communities. 
  1.22     Sec. 2.  [TASK FORCE ON MIGRATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 
  1.23  AND DECENTRALIZATION OF STATE GOVERNMENT.] 
  1.24     Subdivision 1.  [AUTHORIZATION.] (a) A 20-member task force 
  1.25  on migration and economic development is created that includes 
  2.1   one member from each of the following agencies appointed by its 
  2.2   commissioner:  the departments of agriculture, trade and 
  2.3   economic development, and economic security and the housing 
  2.4   finance agency.  The speaker of the house shall appoint eight 
  2.5   members.  The senate rules committee shall appoint eight 
  2.6   members.  The task force shall elect a chair from its members.  
  2.7      (b) The task force shall be funded and staffed by existing 
  2.8   legislative committees and staff and member state agencies. 
  2.9      (c) The task force shall expire on, and report its 
  2.10  recommendations to the appropriate committees of the legislature 
  2.11  by, February 1, 1996.  
  2.12     Subd. 2.  [TASK FORCE RECOMMENDATIONS.] (a) The task force 
  2.13  shall determine whether out-migration from rural areas into 
  2.14  larger metropolitan areas within Minnesota has contributed to 
  2.15  lower aggregate income, higher rates of poverty, and higher 
  2.16  unemployment rates within some communities of Minnesota.  The 
  2.17  task force shall provide the state with policy recommendations 
  2.18  to alleviate the problem and contribute to the development of 
  2.19  both rural and urban areas. 
  2.20     (b) The task force shall include within its policy 
  2.21  recommendations specific recommendations regarding the following 
  2.22  policy proposals: 
  2.23     (1) the provision of tax-forfeited lands to attract family 
  2.24  farming in Minnesota by counties and townships; 
  2.25     (2) the provision of job training programs administered in 
  2.26  cooperation with the state agricultural schools; 
  2.27     (3) the establishment of first-time farm buying programs 
  2.28  and a rural housing initiative administered by the Minnesota 
  2.29  housing finance agency; 
  2.30     (4) the establishment of property and tax incentives to 
  2.31  encourage farm and economic development in depressed rural and 
  2.32  urban areas; 
  2.33     (5) a relocation of staff to greater Minnesota from all 
  2.34  state departments and agencies to help develop and implement 
  2.35  economic incentives for greater Minnesota.  The relocated staff 
  2.36  shall also assist manufacturers in increasing exports; 
  3.1      (6) a Minnesota public/private partnership established by 
  3.2   the issuance of state and local bonds and private contributions 
  3.3   to facilitate public improvements in state and local parks, 
  3.4   recreational facilities, and other projects to revitalize the 
  3.5   state's economy and put people to work; the department of human 
  3.6   services and local county social services departments shall be 
  3.7   consulted on the components of the partnership; 
  3.8      (7) identification of benefits and costs of programs for 
  3.9   reverse migration into rural areas; and 
  3.10     (8) the effects of each program on minority groups.