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A bill for an act
relating to state government; providing for the continuing operations of the
legislature in advance of the legislature becoming duly organized; providing that
the term of office of the chief clerk of the house of representatives and the secretary
of the senate shall continue until a successor is elected and qualified; requiring
mandatory reports to be submitted to members of legislative committees
electronically; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 3.195, subdivision 1;
Minnesota Statutes 2025 Supplement, section 3.06, subdivision 2; proposing coding
for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 3.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
Section 1.
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[3.051] CONTINUING OPERATIONS IN ADVANCE OF LEGISLATIVE
ORGANIZATION.
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Subdivision 1.
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House of representatives and senate.
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During the period beginning on
the commencement of a new term, and ending at the time that the applicable house has duly
organized, the chief clerk of the house of representatives and the secretary of the senate are
authorized to direct the following actions and conduct other duties as necessary to maintain
the orderly administrative operation of their respective houses:
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(1) the designation of all last elected officers who are not members of the legislature, to
serve as acting officers and to perform the duties of those offices until such time as successor
officers are elected and qualified; and
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(2) the appointment of all employees employed as of the end of the prior term, to continue
their assigned duties; the appointment of any additional employees agreed to by the
designated leaders of the two largest incoming caucuses; and the granting of administrative
approvals as needed to process employee terminations and leaves.
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Subd. 2.
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Legislative Coordinating Commission.
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The chief clerk of the house and the
secretary of the senate, acting jointly, may direct actions necessary to maintain the orderly
administrative operation of the Legislative Coordinating Commission until both houses of
the legislature have duly organized.
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Sec. 2.
Minnesota Statutes 2025 Supplement, section 3.06, subdivision 2, is amended to
read:
Subd. 2.
Successors.
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Upon the expiration of a term, the last elected chief clerk of the
house of representatives and the last elected secretary of the senate shall continue to exercise
the duties of those offices, until a successor is elected and qualified.
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If an officer of the
house of representatives or senate resigns or dies, the duties of the officer shall be performed
by a successor as provided in the rules of the officer's house until a successor is elected at
a regular or special session.
Sec. 3.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 3.195, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1.
Distribution of reports.
(a) Except as provided in subdivision 4, a report
to the legislature required of a department or agency shall be made, unless otherwise
specifically required by law, by filing one copy with the Legislative Reference Library, and
by making the report available electronically to the Legislative Reference Library.
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Except
as provided in paragraph (e),
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the same distribution procedure shall be followed for other
reports and publications unless otherwise requested by a legislator or the Legislative
Reference Library.
(b) A public entity as defined in section
16C.073
shall not distribute a report or
publication to a member or employee of the legislature, except the Legislative Reference
Library, unless the entity has determined that the member or employee wants the reports
or publications published by that entity or the member or employee has requested the report
or publication. This prohibition applies to both mandatory and voluntary reports and
publications. A report or publication may be summarized in an executive summary and
distributed as the entity chooses. Distribution of a report to legislative committee or
commission members during a committee or commission hearing is not prohibited by this
section.
(c) A report or publication produced by a public entity may not be sent to both the home
address and the office address of a representative or senator unless mailing to both addresses
is requested by the representative or senator.
(d) Reports, publications, periodicals, and summaries under this subdivision must be
printed in a manner consistent with section
16C.073
.
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(e) If a department or agency is required by law to submit a report to one or more
members of a legislative committee, the department or agency must submit the report to
the members electronically.
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