| 1 | 1 | | 1.1 A bill for an act |
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| 2 | 2 | | 1.2 relating to transportation; employment and economic development; awarding |
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| 3 | 3 | | 1.3 construction mitigation grants to businesses affected by Trunk Highway 65 |
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| 4 | 4 | | 1.4 construction; requiring a report; appropriating money. |
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| 5 | 5 | | 1.5BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: |
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| 6 | 6 | | 1.6 Section 1. TRUNK HIGHWAY 65 CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION GRANTS. |
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| 7 | 7 | | 1.7 Subdivision 1.Definitions.(a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have |
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| 8 | 8 | | 1.8the meanings given. |
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| 9 | 9 | | 1.9 (b) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of employment and economic development. |
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| 10 | 10 | | 1.10 (c) "Qualified business" means a business that employs up to 40 full-time or part-time |
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| 11 | 11 | | 1.11employees and experiences substantial business impacts as a result of the project. |
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| 12 | 12 | | 1.12 (d) "Substantial business impacts" means impairment of road access, parking, or visibility |
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| 13 | 13 | | 1.13for one or more qualified businesses as a result of the project, for a minimum period of one |
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| 14 | 14 | | 1.14month. |
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| 15 | 15 | | 1.15 (e) "Trunk Highway 65 construction project" or "project" means the construction work |
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| 16 | 16 | | 1.16to improve intersections along marked Trunk Highway 65 in the city of Blaine at 99th |
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| 17 | 17 | | 1.17Avenue Northeast; 105th Avenue Northeast; Anoka County State-Aid Highway 12, known |
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| 18 | 18 | | 1.18as 109th Avenue Northeast; and 117th Avenue Northeast, including the associated frontage |
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| 19 | 19 | | 1.19roads and backage roads within the trunk highway system. |
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| 20 | 20 | | 1.20 Subd. 2.Establishment.The commissioner, in consultation with the commissioner of |
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| 21 | 21 | | 1.21transportation, must award grants to qualified businesses that are negatively affected by the |
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| 22 | 22 | | 1Section 1. |
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| 23 | 23 | | 25-04606 as introduced03/07/25 REVISOR KRB/VJ |
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| 24 | 24 | | SENATE |
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| 25 | 25 | | STATE OF MINNESOTA |
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| 26 | 26 | | S.F. No. 2747NINETY-FOURTH SESSION |
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| 27 | 27 | | (SENATE AUTHORS: KREUN, Gustafson, Bahr, Hoffman and Abeler) |
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| 28 | 28 | | OFFICIAL STATUSD-PGDATE |
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| 29 | 29 | | Introduction and first reading03/20/2025 |
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| 30 | 30 | | Referred to Transportation 2.1Trunk Highway 65 construction project for the purpose of maintaining the businesses during |
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| 31 | 31 | | 2.2the project. |
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| 32 | 32 | | 2.3 Subd. 3.Grant awards.(a) The commissioner must prioritize the awarding of each |
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| 33 | 33 | | 2.4grant on a case-by-case basis, including but not limited to the following criteria: |
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| 34 | 34 | | 2.5 (1) rate of decline in revenue; |
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| 35 | 35 | | 2.6 (2) duration of construction; |
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| 36 | 36 | | 2.7 (3) proximity to construction; |
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| 37 | 37 | | 2.8 (4) severity of traffic disruption; and |
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| 38 | 38 | | 2.9 (5) lack of access for pedestrian traffic. |
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| 39 | 39 | | 2.10 (b) When determining grant awards, the commissioner must consult with the |
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| 40 | 40 | | 2.11commissioner of transportation and with the business liaison designated for the project |
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| 41 | 41 | | 2.12under Minnesota Statutes, section 160.165. |
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| 42 | 42 | | 2.13 (c) Grant funds awarded under this section may be used for employee payroll expenses, |
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| 43 | 43 | | 2.14operating expenses, or facilities expenses. Grant awards must not be used for bonuses; new |
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| 44 | 44 | | 2.15equipment, furniture, or capital improvements; or construction or expansion. |
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| 45 | 45 | | 2.16 Subd. 4.Report.By January 15, 2027, and annually thereafter on January 15 until the |
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| 46 | 46 | | 2.17project is completed, the commissioner must submit a report on the grants awarded under |
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| 47 | 47 | | 2.18this section to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with |
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| 48 | 48 | | 2.19jurisdiction over employment and economic development and transportation finance and |
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| 49 | 49 | | 2.20policy. At a minimum, the report must include a complete list of grants awarded in the |
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| 50 | 50 | | 2.21previous calendar year, including business names and addresses, types of businesses, and |
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| 51 | 51 | | 2.22the amount of each award. |
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| 52 | 52 | | 2.23 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective July 1, 2025. |
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| 53 | 53 | | 2.24 Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION. |
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| 54 | 54 | | 2.25 $5,000,000 in fiscal year 2026 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner |
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| 55 | 55 | | 2.26of employment and economic development for the grant awards under section 1. |
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| 56 | 56 | | 2.27Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 16B.98, subdivision 14, the commissioner |
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| 57 | 57 | | 2.28may retain up to two percent of this appropriation for administrative costs. This is a onetime |
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| 58 | 58 | | 2.29appropriation and is available until June 30, 2029. |
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| 59 | 59 | | 2.30 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective July 1, 2025. |
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| 60 | 60 | | 2Sec. 2. |
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| 61 | 61 | | 25-04606 as introduced03/07/25 REVISOR KRB/VJ |
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