S.F. No. 2460, as introduced - 84th Legislative Session (2005-2006)
Posted on Feb 07, 2006
1.1 A bill for an act
1.2 relating to higher education; providing a process for state support of a football
1.3 stadium at the University of Minnesota; providing funding to the Board of
1.4 Regents of the University of Minnesota for biotechnology and medical genomics
1.5 research and academic programs at the University of Minnesota-Rochester;
1.6 establishing a study abroad program; appropriating money;amending Minnesota
1.7 Statutes 2004, sections 297A.71, by adding a subdivision; 340A.404, subdivision
1.8 4a; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapters 136A; 473.
1.9 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.10 ARTICLE 1
1.11 UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOOTBALL STADIUM
1.12 Section 1. PURPOSE; FINDINGS.
1.13 The legislature finds that construction of a new football stadium by the Board of
1.14 Regents of the University of Minnesota on the university's east bank campus in the
1.15 city of Minneapolis serves statewide public purposes. The legislature finds that the
1.16 public purposes served include, but are not limited to, providing an on-campus outdoor
1.17 intercollegiate football stadium as a public amenity for Minnesota's citizens, enhancing
1.18 the enjoyment of its citizens, and enhancing the university experience for students,
1.19 alumni, faculty, staff, and other supporters of the university. The legislature finds that
1.20 the university intends to join together with its students, alumni, faculty, staff, and other
1.21 supporters to raise funds to build a stadium to return college football to the university
1.22 campus. Further, the legislature finds that construction of a University of Minnesota
1.23 football stadium should be supported by the state and that the support should not detract
1.24 from or be a substitute for other operating and capital support by the state for the
1.25 university; however, state financial support for the stadium should be conditioned upon
2.1 the university providing for payment of a significant portion of the stadium's cost from
2.2 nonstate general revenue fund sources. The purpose of this act is to provide a firm 40
2.3 percent level of funding for a new university football stadium to be constructed and owned
2.4 by the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota.
2.5 Sec. 2. DEFINITIONS.
2.6 Subdivision 1. Applicability. The definitions in this section apply to sections 2 to 7.
2.7 Subd. 2. Commissioner. "Commissioner" means the commissioner of finance.
2.8 Subd. 3. Stadium. "Stadium" means an athletic stadium suitable for intercollegiate
2.9 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I football games and related
2.10 infrastructure improvements constructed on the University of Minnesota's east bank
2.11 campus in the city of Minneapolis.
2.12 Subd. 4. Board. "Board" means the Board of Regents of the University of
2.13 Minnesota.
2.14 Subd. 5. Commission. "Commission" means the Metropolitan Sports Facilities
2.15 Commission.
2.16 Sec. 3. ACTIVITIES; CONTRACTS.
2.17 The legislature recognizes that the board has all powers necessary or convenient for
2.18 designing, constructing, equipping, improving, controlling, operating, and maintaining the
2.19 stadium and may enter into contracts that are, in its judgment, in the best interests of the
2.20 public for those purposes. Notwithstanding contrary law, the board may adopt the fair
2.21 and competitive design and construction procurement procedures in connection with the
2.22 stadium that it considers to be in the public interest. The total cost of the stadium must
2.23 not exceed $........ The board must ensure to the greatest extent practicable, that materials
2.24 derived from American-made steel are used in the construction of the stadium. Minnesota
2.25 Statutes, sections 16B.33 and 16B.335, do not apply to the stadium.
2.26 Sec. 4. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW.
2.27 The legislature requests that the board complete an environmental review of the
2.28 stadium project and perform the duties of the responsible governmental unit as prescribed
2.29 in the Minnesota Environmental Policy Act, Minnesota Statutes, chapter 116D, and the
2.30 rules adopted under that chapter. The legislature ratifies the Environmental Quality
2.31 Board's designation of the board as a responsible governmental unit.
2.32 Sec. 5. CONDITIONS FOR PAYMENT TO THE UNIVERSITY.
3.1 Subdivision 1. Nonstate revenues required. Before the commissioner may make
3.2 the first payment to the board authorized in this section, the commissioner must certify that
3.3 the board has received at least $....... in pledges, gifts, sponsorships, and other nonstate
3.4 general fund revenue support for the construction of the stadium.
3.5 Subd. 2. Prohibited funding sources. No part of the money required to be obtained
3.6 by the board under subdivision 1 may be derived from:
3.7 (1) increased fees or charges imposed on students attending the University of
3.8 Minnesota; or
3.9 (2) money paid by any nonpublic entity as consideration for the right to determine
3.10 the name of the stadium.
3.11 Subd. 3. Annual state payments; appropriation. On July 1 of each year after
3.12 certification by the commissioner, but no earlier than July 1, 2007, and for so long
3.13 thereafter as any bonds issued by the board for the construction of the stadium are
3.14 outstanding, the state must transfer to the board $....... to reimburse the board for its
3.15 stadium costs, provided that bonds issued to pay the state's share of such costs shall
3.16 not exceed $........
3.17 $....... is appropriated annually from the general fund for the purpose of this section.
3.18 Except to the extent of the annual appropriation described in this section, the state is not
3.19 required to pay any part of the cost of designing or constructing the stadium.
3.20 Subd. 4. Affordable student access. Before the first payment is made under
3.21 subdivision 3, the board must certify to the commissioner that a provision for affordable
3.22 access for university students to the university sporting events held at the football stadium
3.23 has been made.
3.24 Sec. 6. NO FULL FAITH AND CREDIT.
3.25 Any bonds or other obligations issued by the board under this act are not public debt
3.26 of the state, and the full faith and credit and the taxing powers of the state are not pledged
3.27 for their payment, or of any payments that the state agrees to make under this act.
3.28 Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 297A.71, is amended by adding a subdivision
3.29 to read:
3.30 Subd. 37. Construction materials; University of Minnesota football stadium.
3.31 Materials, supplies, or equipment used or consumed in connection with the construction,
3.32 equipping, or improvement of a football stadium constructed for use by the University
3.33 of Minnesota are exempt. This subdivision expires one year after substantial completion
3.34 of the football stadium.
4.1 Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 340A.404, subdivision 4a, is amended to read:
4.2 Subd. 4a. State-owned recreation; entertainment facilities. Notwithstanding any
4.3 other law, local ordinance, or charter provision, the commissioner may issue on-sale
4.4 intoxicating liquor licenses:
4.5 (1) to the state agency administratively responsible for, or to an entity holding a
4.6 concession or facility management contract with such agency for beverage sales at, the
4.7 premises of any Giants Ridge Recreation Area building or recreational improvement area
4.8 owned by the state in the town of White, St. Louis County;
4.9 (2) to the state agency administratively responsible for, or to an entity holding a
4.10 concession or facility management contract with such agency for beverage sales at, the
4.11 premises of any Ironworld Discovery Center building or facility owned by the state at
4.12 Chisholm; and
4.13 (3) to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota for events at Northrop
4.14 Auditorium and spectator suites and clubs in any intercollegiate football stadium
4.15 constructed by the university on its Minneapolis campus.
4.16 The commissioner shall charge a fee for licenses issued under this subdivision in an
4.17 amount comparable to the fee for comparable licenses issued in surrounding cities.
4.18 Sec. 9. [473.5955] TERMINATION OF LEASE.
4.19 The lease between the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota and the
4.20 commission dated May 19, 1982, that requires the University of Minnesota football team
4.21 to play its home football games at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome until July 1, 2012,
4.22 may be terminated by the board effective on or after the date designated by the board as
4.23 the date of completion of the stadium on the University of Minnesota's east bank campus
4.24 in the city of Minneapolis.
4.25 Sec. 10. EFFECTIVE DATE.
4.26 Sections 1 to 9 are effective the day following final enactment.
4.27 ARTICLE 2
4.28 STUDY ABROAD GRANTS
4.29 Section 1. [136A.89] GRANTS FOR STUDY ABROAD.
4.30 Subdivision 1. Definition; eligible institution. For the purposes of this section, an
4.31 "eligible institution" is an accredited public or private not-for-profit higher education
4.32 institution located in Minnesota that awards primarily four-year academic degrees.
5.1 Subd. 2. Grants. The Office of Higher Education may provide grants to Minnesota
5.2 resident students enrolled at eligible institutions to study abroad for at least one semester
5.3 and not more than one year. Grants must be awarded to eligible students who apply for
5.4 the grant. The number of grants an institution may apply for is limited to the number
5.5 of foreign students enrolled on a full-time basis in a four-year degree program at the
5.6 institution in the previous year. Grants may be awarded only for study-abroad destinations
5.7 that are directly related to the country of citizenship of a foreign student enrolled at the
5.8 institution. An institution, on behalf of the student, must request payment of the grant
5.9 from the Office of Higher Education. The maximum grant amount is $10,000 per student.
5.10 Grants may be awarded only to the extent appropriations are available.
5.11 Subd. 3. Eligibility. A student is eligible for a study-abroad grant if the student is a
5.12 Minnesota resident and enrolled in a four-year degree program at an eligible institution.
5.13 Students in graduate or postgraduate degree programs are eligible for a study-abroad grant.
5.14 To be eligible for a study-abroad grant, a student must demonstrate proficiency in the
5.15 foreign language spoken in the country in which the study-abroad experience will occur
5.16 or have successfully completed at least four semesters of foreign language study in the
5.17 language spoken in the country in which the study-abroad experience will occur. A foreign
5.18 language is a language other than English and which is not the student's primary language.
5.19 Subd. 4. Use of grant. A grant under this section may only be used to support study
5.20 abroad in a program that is approved by the student's school. The grant may be used to
5.21 support study only in countries where English is not the primary language, except that a
5.22 student may receive a grant to study in developing countries as defined by the World Bank.
5.23 Subd. 5. Reporting. Participating institutions must provide to the Office of Higher
5.24 Education the following information each year:
5.25 (1) aggregate data on the number of international students enrolled at the institution;
5.26 (2) the number of its foreign students by country of citizenship;
5.27 (3) the students' level of academic progress; and
5.28 (4) the students' enrollment status.
5.29 Institutions must also provide aggregate data on students participating in a
5.30 study-abroad program supported by a grant under this section, including the countries in
5.31 which the study is taking place, academic status, and the number of successful completions
5.32 of the study-abroad program.
5.33 Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION.
5.34 $....... is appropriated from the general fund in each fiscal year that the state makes a
5.35 transfer to reimburse the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota under article
6.1 1, section 5, subdivision 3, to the Office of Higher Education for study-abroad grants
6.2 under section 1.
6.3 Sec. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.
6.4 Section 1 is effective for study-abroad enrollment beginning in the fall 2007
6.5 semester or its equivalent and thereafter.
6.6 ARTICLE 3
6.7 UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA-ROCHESTER
6.8 Section 1. APPROPRIATIONS.
6.9 (a) $19,000,000 in fiscal year 2006, $18,000,000 in fiscal year 2007, and $18,000,000
6.10 in fiscal year 2008 are appropriated from the general fund to the Board of Regents of the
6.11 University of Minnesota to fund a joint partnership with the University of Minnesota
6.12 and the Mayo Foundation for research in biotechnology and medical genomics. This
6.13 appropriation funds operating cost of the partnership on a reimbursement basis, including
6.14 salaries, and indirect operating costs at the federally negotiated rate of each institution, but
6.15 does not include reimbursement for capital cost.
6.16 (b) $5,000,000 in fiscal year 2006 is appropriated to the Board of Regents of the
6.17 University of Minnesota for academic programs at the University of Minnesota-Rochester.
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