1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to human rights; making technical changes to 
  1.3             chapter 363; amending Minnesota Statutes 1998, 
  1.4             sections 363.03, subdivision 8; and 363.05, 
  1.5             subdivision 1; repealing Minnesota Statutes 1998, 
  1.6             section 363.03, subdivision 8b. 
  1.7   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.8      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 363.03, 
  1.9   subdivision 8, is amended to read: 
  1.10     Subd. 8.  [CREDIT; DISCRIMINATION.] It is an unfair 
  1.11  discriminatory practice:  
  1.12     (1) to discriminate in the extension of personal or 
  1.13  commercial credit to a person, or in the requirements for 
  1.14  obtaining credit, because of race, color, creed, religion, 
  1.15  disability, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, or marital 
  1.16  status~~;~~, or due to the receipt of federal, state, or local 
  1.17  public assistance, including medical assistance; or 
  1.18     (2) to discriminate in the extension of personal or 
  1.19  commercial credit, or in the requirements for obtaining credit, 
  1.20  against any person who is a tenant receiving federal, state, or 
  1.21  local housing subsidies, including rental assistance or rent 
  1.22  supplements, because the individual is a recipient of those 
  1.23  subsidies or assistance; or 
  1.24     (3) for a credit card issuer to refuse to issue a credit 
  1.25  card to a woman under her current or former surname unless there 
  1.26  is an intent to defraud or mislead, except that a credit card 
  2.1   issuer may require that a woman requesting a card under a former 
  2.2   surname open a separate account in that name.  A credit card 
  2.3   issuer may also require disclosure of any other names under 
  2.4   which the credit card applicant may have a credit history. 
  2.5      Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 363.05, 
  2.6   subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
  2.7      Subdivision 1.  [FORMULATION OF POLICIES.] The commissioner 
  2.8   shall formulate policies to effectuate the purposes of this 
  2.9   chapter and shall: 
  2.10     (1) exercise leadership under the direction of the governor 
  2.11  in the development of human rights policies and programs, and 
  2.12  make recommendations to the governor and the legislature for 
  2.13  their consideration and implementation; 
  2.14     (2) establish and maintain a principal office in St. Paul, 
  2.15  and any other necessary branch offices at any location within 
  2.16  the state; 
  2.17     (3) meet and function at any place within the state; 
  2.18     (4) employ attorneys, clerks, and other employees and 
  2.19  agents as the commissioner may deem necessary and prescribe 
  2.20  their duties; 
  2.21     (5) to the extent permitted by federal law and regulation, 
  2.22  utilize the records of the department of economic security of 
  2.23  the state when necessary to effectuate the purposes of this 
  2.24  chapter; 
  2.25     (6) obtain upon request and utilize the services of all 
  2.26  state governmental departments and agencies; 
  2.27     (7) adopt suitable rules for effectuating the purposes of 
  2.28  this chapter; 
  2.29     (8) issue complaints, receive and investigate charges 
  2.30  alleging unfair discriminatory practices, and determine whether 
  2.31  or not probable cause exists for hearing; 
  2.32     (9) subpoena witnesses, administer oaths, take testimony, 
  2.33  and require the production for examination of any books or 
  2.34  papers relative to any matter under investigation or in question 
  2.35  as the commissioner deems appropriate to effectuate the purposes 
  2.36  of this chapter; 
  3.1      (10) attempt, by means of education, conference, 
  3.2   conciliation, and persuasion to eliminate unfair discriminatory 
  3.3   practices as being contrary to the public policy of the state; 
  3.4      (11) develop and conduct programs of formal and informal 
  3.5   education designed to eliminate discrimination and intergroup 
  3.6   conflict by use of educational techniques and programs the 
  3.7   commissioner deems necessary; 
  3.8      (12) make a written report of the activities of the 
  3.9   commissioner to the governor each year; 
  3.10     (13) accept gifts, bequests, grants or other payments 
  3.11  public and private to help finance the activities of the 
  3.12  department; 
  3.13     (14) create such local and statewide advisory committees as 
  3.14  will in the commissioner's judgment aid in effectuating the 
  3.15  purposes of the department of human rights; 
  3.16     (15) develop such programs as will aid in determining the 
  3.17  compliance throughout the state with the provisions of this 
  3.18  chapter, and in the furtherance of such duties, conduct research 
  3.19  and study discriminatory practices based upon race, color, 
  3.20  creed, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital 
  3.21  status, status with regard to public assistance, familial 
  3.22  status, sexual orientation, or other factors and develop 
  3.23  accurate data on the nature and extent of discrimination and 
  3.24  other matters as they may affect housing, employment, public 
  3.25  accommodations, schools, and other areas of public life; 
  3.26     (16) develop and disseminate technical assistance to 
  3.27  persons subject to the provisions of this chapter, and to 
  3.28  agencies and officers of governmental and private agencies; 
  3.29     (17) provide staff services to such advisory committees as 
  3.30  may be created in aid of the functions of the department of 
  3.31  human rights; 
  3.32     (18) make grants in aid to the extent that appropriations 
  3.33  are made available for that purpose in aid of carrying out 
  3.34  duties and responsibilities; and 
  3.35     (19) cooperate and consult with the commissioner of labor 
  3.36  and industry regarding the investigation of violations of, and 
  4.1   resolution of complaints regarding section 363.03, subdivision 9.
  4.2      In performing these duties, the commissioner shall give 
  4.3   priority to those duties in clauses (8), (9), and (10) and to 
  4.4   the duties in section 363.073.  
  4.5      Sec. 3.  [REVISOR INSTRUCTION.] 
  4.6      In the next and subsequent editions of Minnesota Statutes, 
  4.7   the revisor shall renumber each section listed in column A with 
  4.8   the corresponding number in column B.  The revisor shall correct 
  4.9   all cross-references in Minnesota Statutes and Minnesota Rules 
  4.10  to be consistent with the renumbering. 
  4.11            Column A                Column B
  4.12            363.01, subd. 45        363.01, subd. 41a
  4.13            363.01, subd. 41a       363.01, subd. 41b 
  4.14            363.01, subd. 41b       363.01, subd. 41c 
  4.15     Sec. 4.  [REPEALER.] 
  4.16     Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 363.03, subdivision 8b, is 
  4.17  repealed.