2005 Minnesota Statutes

     116J.58 Powers and duties. 

    Subdivision 1.    Enumeration.  The commissioner shall: 

    (1) investigate, study, and undertake ways and means of 
 promoting and encouraging the prosperous development and 
 protection of the legitimate interest and welfare of Minnesota 
 business, industry, and commerce, within and outside the state; 

    (2) locate markets for manufacturers and processors and aid 
 merchants in locating and contacting markets; 

    (3) investigate and study conditions affecting Minnesota 
 business, industry, and commerce and collect and disseminate 
 information, and engage in technical studies, scientific 
 investigations, and statistical research and educational 
 activities necessary or useful for the proper execution of the 
 powers and duties of the commissioner in promoting and 
 developing Minnesota business, industry, and commerce, both 
 within and outside the state; 

    (4) plan and develop an effective business information 
 service both for the direct assistance of business and industry 
 of the state and for the encouragement of business and industry 
 outside the state to use economic facilities within the state; 

    (5) compile, collect, and develop periodically, or 
 otherwise make available, information relating to current 
 business conditions; 

    (6) conduct or encourage research designed to further new 
 and more extensive uses of the natural and other resources of 
 the state and designed to develop new products and industrial 
 processes; 

    (7) study trends and developments in the industries of the 
 state and analyze the reasons underlying the trends; study costs 
 and other factors affecting successful operation of businesses 
 within the state; and make recommendations regarding 
 circumstances promoting or hampering business and industrial 
 development; 

    (8) serve as a clearinghouse for business and industrial 
 problems of the state; and advise small business enterprises 
 regarding improved methods of accounting and bookkeeping; 

    (9) cooperate with interstate commissions engaged in 
 formulating and promoting the adoption of interstate compacts 
 and agreements helpful to business, industry, and commerce; 

    (10) cooperate with other state departments, and with 
 boards, commissions, and other state agencies, in the 
 preparation and coordination of plans and policies for the 
 development of the state and for the use and conservation of its 
 resources insofar as the use, conservation, and development may 
 be appropriately directed or influenced by a state agency; 

    (11) assemble and coordinate information relative to the 
 status, scope, cost, and employment possibilities and the 
 availability of materials, equipment, and labor in connection 
 with public works projects, state, county, and municipal; 
 recommend limitations on the public works; gather current 
 progress information with reference to public and private works 
 projects of the state and its political subdivisions with 
 reference to conditions of employment; inquire into and report 
 to the governor, when requested by the governor, with respect to 
 any program of public state improvements and the financing 
 thereof; and request and obtain information from other state 
 departments or agencies as may be needed properly to report 
 thereon; 

    (12) study changes in population and current trends and 
 prepare plans and suggest policies for the development and 
 conservation of the resources of the state; 

    (13) confer and cooperate with the executive, legislative, 
 or planning authorities of the United States and neighboring 
 states and provinces and of the counties and municipalities of 
 such neighboring states, for the purpose of bringing about a 
 coordination between the development of such neighboring 
 provinces, states, counties, and municipalities and the 
 development of this state; 

    (14) generally, gather, compile, and make available 
 statistical information relating to business, trade, commerce, 
 industry, transportation, communication, natural resources, and 
 other like subjects in this state, with authority to call upon 
 other departments of the state for statistical data and results 
 obtained by them and to arrange and compile that statistical 
 information in a manner that seems wise; 

    (15) publish documents and annually convene regional 
 meetings to inform businesses, local government units, 
 assistance providers, and other interested persons of changes in 
 state and federal law related to economic development; 

    (16) annually convene conferences of providers of economic 
 development related financial and technical assistance for the 
 purposes of exchanging information on economic development 
 assistance, coordinating economic development activities, and 
 formulating economic development strategies; 

    (17) provide business with information on the economic 
 benefits of energy conservation and on the availability of 
 energy conservation assistance; and 

    (18) prepare, as part of biennial budget process, 
 performance measures for each business loan or grant program 
 within the jurisdiction of the commissioner.  Measures would 
 include source of funds for each program, numbers of jobs 
 proposed or promised at the time of application and the number 
 of jobs created, estimated number of jobs retained, the average 
 salary and benefits for the jobs resulting from the program, and 
 the number of projects approved. 

    Subd. 2.    Promotional contracts.  In order to best 
 carry out duties and responsibilities and to serve the people of 
 the state in the promotion of tourism, trade, and economic 
 development, the commissioner may engage in programs and 
 projects jointly with a private person, firm, corporation or 
 association and may enter into contracts under terms to be 
 mutually agreed upon to carry out such programs and projects not 
 including acquisition of land or buildings.  Contracts may be 
 negotiated and are not subject to the provisions of chapter 16C 
 relating to competitive bidding.  

    Subd. 3. Repealed, 1Sp2005 c 1 art 4 s 124 

    Subd. 4. Repealed, 1986 c 465 art 1 s 31 

    HIST: 1947 c 587 s 6; 1967 c 299 s 5; 1979 c 333 s 98; 1981 c 
 284 s 1; 1981 c 356 s 207,248; 1983 c 289 s 54; 1984 c 582 s 
 1,23; 1984 c 640 s 32; 1985 c 248 s 30; 1Sp1985 c 14 art 8 s 63; 
 1986 c 444; 1987 c 312 art 1 s 16; 1989 c 335 art 1 s 140; 1993 
 c 163 art 1 s 15; 1993 c 252 s 1; 1995 c 232 s 1; 1996 c 369 s 
 4; 1998 c 386 art 2 s 35; 2002 c 380 art 2 s 2