Tourism, unemployment appeals, Giants Ridge account covered in economic development policy law

Several policy changes, including those focusing on Explore Minnesota Tourism and filing unemployment insurance appeals, are the focus of a new law that also creates a new account supporting the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board.

Rep. Hodan Hassan (DFL-Mpls) and Senate President Bobby Joe Champion (DFL-Mpls) sponsor the law that took effect May 9, 2023, unless otherwise noted.

Policy provisions in the law, many of which make only technical changes, will:

• require the Department of Employment and Economic Development to submit an annual list of its mandated reports without expiration dates along with a discussion of the usefulness or each report and whether an expiration date should be set;

• increase the Explore Minnesota Tourism Council from 28 to 35 voting members, and specifies the constituencies the new members must represent;

• effective May 5, 2024, increases from 20 to 45 days the timeframe for filing appeals on unemployment claim determinations with the Department of Employment and Economic Development;

• create the Giants Ridge Account within the state treasury for the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board to use for capital expenditures, facility operations, or routine and long-term maintenance of the commercial, state-owned assets within the Giants Ridge Recreation Area; and

• authorize the board to provide separation and retention incentive programs consistent with session laws enacted in 2009 and 2010.

The following trio of changes take effect Aug. 1, 2023:

• add federally recognized tribes to the definitions of development authority and municipality that may participate in the contamination cleanup program;

• make a technical change to the Pathways Program; and

• make a technical change to the definition of “displaced homemaker” within the state dislocated worker program.

HF1922/SF2369*/CH33

SF2369* / HF1922 / CH33