new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Grant. new text end

new text begin (a) A grant is a written instrument or electronic document
defining a legal relationship between a sponsor and a recipient when the principal purpose
of the relationship is to transfer cash or a thing of value to the recipient to support a public
purpose authorized by law instead of acquiring property or services, by professional or
technical contract, purchase, lease, or barter, for the direct benefit or use of the sponsor.
new text end

new text begin (b) This section does not apply to capital project grants to political subdivisions, as
defined by section 16A.86.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Ethical practices and conflict of interest. new text end

new text begin An employee of the executive
branch involved directly or indirectly in a grant process, at any level, is subject to the
code of ethics in section 43A.38.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Conflict of interest policy development. new text end

new text begin (a) The commissioner must
develop a code of ethics and policies regarding conflicts of interest that are designed to
prevent conflicts of interest for employees involved in the award and administration of
grants. The policies must apply to employees who are directly or indirectly involved in
developing requests for proposals, evaluating proposals, awarding grants, drafting and
entering into grant agreements, amending or revising grants, evaluating performance
under these grants, and authorizing payments under the grant.
new text end

new text begin (b) The policies must include:
new text end

new text begin (1) a process for making employees aware of policy and laws relating to conflict of
interest, and training for employees on how to avoid and address potential conflicts;
new text end

new text begin (2) a process under which an employee who has a conflict of interest or a potential
conflict of interest must disclose the matter; and
new text end

new text begin (3) a process under which work on the grant may be assigned to another employee if
possible.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Reporting of violations. new text end

new text begin A state employee who discovers evidence
of a violation of laws or rules governing grants is encouraged to report the violation
or suspected violation to the employee's supervisor, the commissioner, the director,
or the legislative auditor. The legislative auditor shall report to the Legislative Audit
Commission if there are multiple complaints about the same agency. The auditor's report
to the Legislative Audit Commission under this section must disclose only the number and
type of violations alleged. An employee making a good-faith report under this section is
covered by section 181.932.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Creation and validity of grant agreements. new text end

new text begin (a) A grant agreement is not
fully executed and the state is not bound by the grant unless:
new text end

new text begin (1) the grant has been executed by the head of the agency or a delegate who is
a party to the grant; and
new text end

new text begin (2) the accounting system shows an encumbrance for the amount of the grant.
new text end

new text begin (b) The combined grant agreement and amendments must not exceed five years
without specific, written approval by the commissioner according to established policy,
procedures, and standards, or unless the commissioner determines that a longer duration is
in the best interest of the state.
new text end

new text begin (c) A fully executed copy of every grant agreement, amendments to the grant, and
other required records relating to the grant must be kept on file at the granting agency for a
period of time equal to that required for grantees in subdivision 7, paragraph (a).
new text end

new text begin (d) The attorney general may periodically review and evaluate a sample of state
agency grants to ensure compliance with applicable laws.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Grant administration. new text end

new text begin A granting agency shall diligently administer
and monitor any grant it has entered into.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 7. new text end

new text begin Audit. new text end

new text begin (a) A grant agreement made by an executive agency or any unit of
local government must include, expressed or implied, an audit clause that provides that
the books, records, documents, and accounting procedures and practices of the grantee or
other party that are relevant to the grant or transaction are subject to examination by the
granting agency and either the legislative auditor or the state auditor, as appropriate, for a
minimum of four years from the grant agrement end date or receipt and approval of all
final reports, whichever is later.
new text end

new text begin (b) If the granting agency is a local unit of government, and the governing body of
the local unit of government requests that the state auditor examine the books, records,
documents, and accounting procedures and practices of the grantee or other party
according to this subdivision, the granting agency is liable for the cost of the examination.
If the granting agency is a local unit of government, and the grantee or other party requests
that the state auditor examine all books, records, documents, and accounting procedures
and practices related to the grant, the grantee or other party that requested the examination
is liable for the costs of the examination.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 8. new text end

new text begin Authority of attorney general. new text end

new text begin The attorney general may pursue
remedies available by law to avoid the obligation of an agency to pay under a grant or to
recover payments made if activities under the grant are so unsatisfactory, incomplete, or
inconsistent that payment would involve unjust enrichment. The contrary opinion of the
granting agency does not affect the power of the attorney general under this subdivision.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 9. new text end

new text begin Grants with Indian tribes and bands. new text end

new text begin Notwithstanding any other law, an
agency may not require an Indian tribe or band to deny its sovereignty as a requirement or
condition of a grant with an agency.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Account established; appropriation. new text end

new text begin The information and
telecommunications technology systems and services account is created in the special
revenue fund. Funds deposited in the account are appropriated to the Office of Enterprise
Technology to defray the costs of personnel and technology for activities that create
government efficiencies in accordance with this chapter.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Charges. new text end

new text begin Upon agreement of the participating agency, a charge may
be collected by the Office of Enterprise Technology for purchases of information and
telecommunications technology systems and services by state agencies and other
governmental entities through state contracts for purposes described in subdivision
1. Charges collected under this section must be credited to the information and
telecommunications technology systems and services account.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Establishment; administration. new text end

new text begin The commissioner shall establish
and administer the Center for Health Care Purchasing Improvement as an administrative
unit within the Department of Employee Relations. The Center for Health Care Purchasing
Improvement shall support the state in its efforts to be a more prudent and efficient
purchaser of quality health care services. The center shall aid the state in developing and
using more common strategies and approaches for health care performance measurement
and health care purchasing. The common strategies and approaches must promote greater
transparency of health care costs and quality, and greater accountability for health
care results and improvement. The center shall also identify barriers to more efficient,
effective, quality health care and options for overcoming the barriers.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Staffing; duties; scope. new text end

new text begin (a) The commissioner may appoint a director, and
up to three additional senior-level staff or codirectors, and other staff as needed who are
under the direction of the commissioner. The staff of the center are in the unclassified
service.
new text end

new text begin (b) With the authorization of the commissioner of employee relations, and in
consultation or interagency agreement with the appropriate commissioners of state
agencies, the director, or codirectors, may:
new text end

new text begin (1) initiate projects to develop plan designs for state health care purchasing;
new text end

new text begin (2) require reports or surveys to evaluate the performance of current health care
purchasing strategies;
new text end

new text begin (3) calculate fiscal impacts, including net savings and return on investment, of health
care purchasing strategies and initiatives;
new text end

new text begin (4) conduct policy audits of state programs to measure conformity to state statute or
other purchasing initiatives or objectives;
new text end

new text begin (5) support the Administrative Uniformity Committee under section 62J.50 and
other relevant groups or activities to advance agreement on health care administrative
process streamlining;
new text end

new text begin (6) consult with the Health Economics Unit of the Department of Health regarding
reports and assessments of the health care marketplace;
new text end

new text begin (7) consult with the Departments of Health and Commerce regarding health care
regulatory issues and legislative initiatives;
new text end

new text begin (8) work with appropriate Department of Human Services staff and the Centers for
Medicare and Medicaid Services to address federal requirements and conformity issues
for health care purchasing;
new text end

new text begin (9) assist the Minnesota Comprehensive Health Association in health care
purchasing strategies;
new text end

new text begin (10) convene medical directors of agencies engaged in health care purchasing for
advice, collaboration, and exploring possible synergies;
new text end

new text begin (11) contact and participate with other relevant health care task forces, study
activities, and similar efforts with regard to health care performance measurement and
performance-based purchasing; and
new text end

new text begin (12) assist in seeking external funding through appropriate grants or other funding
opportunities and may administer grants and externally funded projects.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Report. new text end

new text begin The commissioner must report annually to the legislature and the
governor on the operations, activities, and impacts of the center. The report must be
posted on the Department of Employee Relations Web site and must be available to the
public. The report must include a description of the state's efforts to develop and use more
common strategies for health care performance measurement and health care purchasing.
The report must also include an assessment of the impacts of these efforts, especially in
promoting greater transparency of health care costs and quality, and greater accountability
for health care results and improvement.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Definitions. new text end

new text begin (a) The definitions in this subdivision apply to this
section.
new text end

new text begin (b) "Active service" has the meaning given in section 190.05, subdivisions 5b and 5c.
new text end

new text begin (c) "Employee" means a person who performs services for compensation, in
whatever form, for an employer.
new text end

new text begin (d) "Employer" means a person or entity located or doing business in this state
and having one or more employees, and includes the state and all political or other
governmental subdivisions of the state.
new text end

new text begin (e) "Immediate family member" means a person's grandparent, parent, legal
guardian, sibling, child, grandchild, spouse, fiance, or fiancee.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Unpaid leave required. new text end

new text begin An employer must grant a leave of absence
without pay to an employee whose immediate family member, as a member of the
United States armed forces, has been injured or killed while engaged in active service.
The length of the leave must be determined by the employee, but may not exceed five
working days, unless agreed to by the employer. The purpose of the leave is to attend to
an injured immediate family member or to attend services for and attend to the affairs of
an immediate family member who has been killed.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Notice. new text end

new text begin An employee must give as much notice to the employee's employer
as practicable of the employee's intent to exercise the leave guaranteed by this section.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Relationship to other leave. new text end

new text begin The length of leave provided under this
section may be reduced by any period of paid leave provided by the employer. Nothing
in this section prevents an employer from providing leave benefits in addition to those
provided in this section or otherwise affects an employee's rights with respect to other
employment benefits.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Posting of law. new text end

new text begin The Department of Labor and Industry shall develop,
with the assistance of interested business and veterans' organizations, an educational
poster stating employees' rights under this section. The department shall make the poster
available, upon request, to employers for posting on the employer's premises.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Individual remedies. new text end

new text begin In addition to any other remedies provided by law, a
person injured by a violation of this section may bring a civil action to recover any and all
damages recoverable at law, together with costs and disbursements, including reasonable
attorney fees, and may receive injunctive and other equitable relief as determined by a
court.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Definitions. new text end

new text begin (a) For the purposes of this section, the following terms
have the meaning given to them in this subdivision.
new text end

new text begin (b) "Employee" means a person who performs services for compensation, in
whatever form, for an employer.
new text end

new text begin (c) "Employer" means a person or entity located or doing business in this state
and having one or more employees, and includes the state and all political or other
governmental subdivisions of the state.
new text end

new text begin (d) "Immediate family member" means a person's grandparent, parent, legal
guardian, sibling, child, grandchild, spouse, fiance, or fiancee.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Unpaid leave required. new text end

new text begin An employer shall grant a leave of absence
without pay to an employee for the actual time necessary for an employee to attend a
send-off or homecoming ceremony for an immediate family member who, as a member of
the United States armed forces, has been mobilized for active service in support of a war or
other national emergency. The leave required by this subdivision must not exceed one day.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Definitions. new text end

new text begin (a) The definitions in this subdivision apply to this
section.
new text end

new text begin (b) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of veterans affairs.
new text end

new text begin (c) "State college or university" means a unit of the University of Minnesota or
Minnesota State Colleges and Universities.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Recognition of courses. new text end

new text begin (a) Minnesota State Colleges and Universities
must recognize courses and award educational credits for courses that were part of a
veteran's military training or service if the courses meet the standards of the American
Council on Education or equivalent standards for awarding academic credits.
new text end

new text begin (b) The University of Minnesota and private colleges and universities in this state
are encouraged to recognize courses and award educational credits for courses that were
part of a veteran's military training or service if the courses meet the standards of the
American Council on Education or equivalent standards for awarding academic credits.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Tuition status. new text end

new text begin A state college or university must treat a veteran as a
resident of this state for purposes of determining the veteran's undergraduate tuition rate,
and must treat a veteran as a resident of this state for purposes of determining the veteran's
graduate school tuition rate if the veteran was a resident of this state on entering military
service and starts attending the state college or university graduate program within two
years of completing military service.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Delayed payment of tuition. new text end

new text begin A state college or university may not assess
late fees or other late charges for veterans who are eligible and have applied for federal
educational assistance but have not yet received it, nor may it prevent these students from
registering for a subsequent term because of outstanding tuition charges that arise from
delayed federal payments. The state college or university may request without delay
the amount of tuition above expected federal educational assistance and may require
payment of the full amount of tuition owed by the veteran within 30 days of receipt of the
expected federal educational assistance.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Establishment. new text end

new text begin The Public Employees Retirement Association must
establish a fund that the city of Duluth may use to hold money to pay for postemployment
benefits owed to officers and employees after termination of service. The fund must
provide that the account is irrevocable, and that money may be withdrawn only as
permitted in this section. All money in the fund is appropriated to the Public Employees
Retirement Association for purposes of this section.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Account maintenance and investment. new text end

new text begin The city may establish an account
in the fund created in this section. The Public Employees Retirement Association shall
maintain a separate account for the city. The Public Employees Retirement Association
may charge the city fees for reasonable administrative costs, and the amount of those fees
is appropriated to the association from the account. The Public Employees Retirement
Association may establish other terms and conditions for participation in the fund.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Status of irrevocable fund. new text end

new text begin (a) All money in the irrevocable fund created
in this section is held in trust for the exclusive benefit of former officers and employees of
the city, and is not subject to claims by creditors of the state, the city, or the current and
former officers and employees of the city.
new text end

new text begin (b) The irrevocable fund created in this section shall be deemed an arrangement
equivalent to a trust for all legal purposes.
new text end