1.1 A bill for an act
1.2 relating to the Minnesota Braille and Talking Book Library; moving responsibility
1.3 for the library from the Department of Education to the Department of Employment
1.4 and Economic Development; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 248.07,
1.5 by adding a subdivision; repealing Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 134.31,
1.6 subdivisions 4a, 6, 7.
1.7BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.8 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 248.07, is amended by adding a subdivision
1.9to read:
1.10 Subd. 5a.Minnesota Braille and Talking Book Library; advisory committee.(a)
1.11The Department of Employment and Economic Development must provide specialized
1.12services to people with visual and physical disabilities through the Minnesota Braille and
1.13Talking Book Library under a cooperative plan with the National Library Service for the
1.14Blind and Print Disabled of the Library of Congress.
1.15 (b) The commissioner of employment and economic development must appoint an
1.16advisory committee of five members to advise the staff of the Minnesota Braille and Talking
1.17Book Library on long-range plans and library services. Advisory committee members must
1.18be people who use the library. Section 15.059 governs this committee.
1.19 (c) Notwithstanding section 13D.01, the advisory committee for the Minnesota Braille
1.20and Talking Book Library may conduct a meeting of its members by telephone or other
1.21electronic means so long as the following conditions are met:
1.22 (1) all members of the committee participating in the meeting, wherever their physical
1.23locations, must be able to hear one another and all discussion and testimony;
1Section 1.
REVISOR CR/HL 25-0075711/26/24
State of Minnesota
This Document can be made available
in alternative formats upon request
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
H. F. No. 1467
NINETY-FOURTH SESSION 2.1 (2) members of the public present at the regular meeting location of the committee must
2.2be able to hear all discussion, testimony, and votes of the members of the committee;
2.3 (3) at least one member of the committee must be physically present at the regular
2.4meeting location; and
2.5 (4) all votes must be conducted by roll call and each member's vote on each issue must
2.6be identified and recorded.
2.7 (d) If telephone or other electronic means is used to conduct a meeting, the committee
2.8must allow a person to monitor the meeting electronically, to the extent practicable, from
2.9a remote location. The committee may require the person making the connection to pay for
2.10the documented additional costs that the committee incurs because of the additional
2.11connection.
2.12 (e) If telephone or other electronic means is used to conduct a regular, special, or
2.13emergency meeting, the committee must provide notice of the regular meeting location, the
2.14fact that some members may participate by telephone or other electronic means, and the
2.15provisions of this subdivision regarding monitoring the meeting from a remote location and
2.16the responsibility for additional costs incurred. The timing and the method of providing
2.17notice is governed by section 13D.04.
2.18 Sec. 2. ADVISORY COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS.
2.19 Advisory committee members appointed by the commissioner of education may continue
2.20to serve on the committee until the end of their term. Subsequent appointments or
2.21reappointments must be made by the commissioner of employment and economic
2.22development.
2.23 Sec. 3. REPEALER.
2.24 Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 134.31, subdivisions 4a, 6, and 7, are repealed.
2Sec. 3.
REVISOR CR/HL 25-0075711/26/24 134.31 DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION; LIBRARY RESPONSIBILITIES.
Subd. 4a.Services to people with visual and physical disabilities.The Minnesota Department
of Education shall provide specialized services to people with visual and physical disabilities through
the Minnesota Braille and Talking Book Library under a cooperative plan with the National Library
Service for the Blind and Print Disabled of the Library of Congress.
Subd. 6.Advisory committee.The commissioner shall appoint an advisory committee of five
members to advise the staff of the Minnesota Braille and Talking Book Library on long-range plans
and library services. Members shall be people who use the library. Section 15.059 governs this
committee.
Subd. 7.Telephone or electronic meetings.(a) Notwithstanding section 13D.01, the Advisory
Committee for the Minnesota Braille and Talking Book Library may conduct a meeting of its
members by telephone or other electronic means so long as the following conditions are met:
(1) all members of the committee participating in the meeting, wherever their physical locations,
can hear one another and can hear all discussion and testimony;
(2) members of the public present at the regular meeting location of the committee can hear all
discussion, testimony, and votes of the members of the committee;
(3) at least one member of the committee is physically present at the regular meeting location;
and
(4) all votes are conducted by roll call, so each member's vote on each issue can be identified
and recorded.
(b) Each member of the committee participating in a meeting by telephone or other electronic
means is considered present at the meeting for purposes of determining quorum and participating
in all proceedings.
(c) If telephone or other electronic means is used to conduct a meeting, to the extent practical,
the committee shall allow a person to monitor the meeting electronically from a remote location.
The committee may require the person making the connection to pay for the documented additional
costs that the committee incurs as a result of the additional connection.
(d) If telephone or other electronic means is used to conduct a regular, special, or emergency
meeting, the committee shall provide notice of the regular meeting location, the fact that some
members may participate by telephone or other electronic means, and the provisions of paragraph
(c). The timing and method of providing notice is governed by section 13D.04.
1R
APPENDIX
Repealed Minnesota Statutes: 25-00757