2001 Minnesota Statutes

     124D.385 Minnesota commission on national and community 
  service. 

    Subdivision 1.    Creation.  The Minnesota commission on 
 national and community service is established to assist the 
 governor and the legislature in implementing sections 124D.37 to 
 124D.45 and federal law.  Retroactive to the first Monday in 
 January 1994, the terms of the members of the first commission 
 shall be, as nearly as possible, one year for one-third of the 
 members, two years for one-third of the members, and three years 
 for one-third of the members.  The members of the first 
 commission shall determine the length of their terms by lot.  
 Thereafter, the terms of commission members shall be for three 
 years.  Commission members may be reappointed upon the 
 completion of their current term.  The compensation, filling of 
 vacancies, and removal of members are governed by section 
 15.0575.  The commission may accept gifts and contributions from 
 public and private organizations. 

    Subd. 2.    Membership.  (a) The commission consists of 
 18 voting members.  Voting members shall include the 
 commissioner of children, families, and learning, a 
 representative of the children's cabinet elected by the members 
 of the children's cabinet, and the executive director of the 
 higher education services office. 

    (b) The governor shall appoint 15 additional voting 
 members.  Eight of the voting members appointed by the governor 
 shall include a representative of public or nonprofit 
 organizations experienced in youth employment and training, 
 organizations promoting adult service and volunteerism, 
 community-based service agencies or organizations, local public 
 or private sector labor unions, local governments, business, a 
 national service program, and Indian tribes.  The remaining 
 seven voting members appointed by the governor shall include an 
 individual with expertise in the educational, training, and 
 development needs of youth, particularly disadvantaged youth; a 
 youth or young adult who is a participant in a higher 
 education-based service-learning program; a disabled individual 
 representing persons with disabilities; a youth who is 
 out-of-school or disadvantaged; an educator of primary or 
 secondary students; an educator from a higher education 
 institution; and an individual between the ages of 16 and 25 who 
 is a participant or supervisor in a youth service program. 

    (c) The governor shall appoint up to five ex officio 
 nonvoting members from among the following agencies or 
 organizations:  the departments of economic security, natural 
 resources, human services, health, corrections, agriculture, 
 public safety, finance, and labor and industry, the Minnesota 
 office of citizenship and volunteer services, the housing 
 finance agency, and Minnesota Technology, Inc.  A representative 
 of the corporation for national and community service shall also 
 serve as an ex officio nonvoting member. 

    (d) Voting and ex officio nonvoting members may appoint 
 designees to act on their behalf.  The number of voting members 
 who are state employees shall not exceed 25 percent. 

    (e) The governor shall ensure that, to the extent possible, 
 the membership of the commission is balanced according to 
 geography, race, ethnicity, age, and gender.  The speaker of the 
 house and the majority leader of the senate shall each appoint 
 two legislators to be nonvoting members of the commission. 

    Subd. 3.    Duties.  (a) The commission shall: 

    (1) develop, with the assistance of the governor, the 
 commissioner of children, families, and learning, and affected 
 state agencies, a comprehensive state plan to provide services 
 under sections 124D.37 to 124D.45 and federal law; 

    (2) actively pursue public and private funding sources for 
 services, including funding available under federal law; 

    (3) coordinate volunteer service-learning programs within 
 the state; 

    (4) develop, in cooperation with the workforce development 
 council and the commissioner of children, families, and 
 learning, volunteer service-learning programs, including 
 curriculum, materials, and methods of instruction; 

    (5) work collaboratively with the workforce development 
 council, the commissioner of children, families, and learning, 
 schools, public and private agencies, for-profit and nonprofit 
 employers, and labor unions to identify mentoring and 
 service-learning opportunities, solicit and recruit participants 
 for these programs, and disseminate information on the programs; 

    (6) administer the youth works grant program under sections 
 124D.39 to 124D.44, with assistance from the commissioner of 
 children, families, and learning and the executive director of 
 the higher education services office, including soliciting and 
 approving grant applications from eligible organizations, and 
 administering individual postservice benefits; 

    (7) establish an evaluation plan for programs developed and 
 services provided under sections 124D.37 to 124D.45; 

    (8) report to the governor, commissioner of children, 
 families, and learning, and legislature; 

    (9) provide oversight and support for school, campus, and 
 community-based service programs; and 

    (10) administer the federal AmeriCorps program. 

    (b) Nothing in sections 124D.37 to 124D.45 precludes an 
 organization from independently seeking public or private 
 funding to accomplish purposes similar to those described in 
 paragraph (a). 

    (c) The commissioner of children, families, and learning 
 shall consult with commission members before the commissioner 
 selects the executive director for the commission, who shall 
 serve in the unclassified service. 

    HIST: 1993 c 146 art 5 s 5; 1994 c 483 s 1; 1994 c 647 art 4 s 
 4; 1995 c 131 s 2,3; 1995 c 212 art 3 s 59; 1Sp1995 c 3 art 4 s 
 30,31; art 16 s 13; 1996 c 305 art 1 s 30; 1Sp1997 c 4 art 3 s 
 10; 2000 c 254 s 50