8.4. SR 07-31-1995 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Law summaries continued • • the age group to be served. Addition- ally, bidders will have to submit a design proposal showing the placement of equipment. The law also extends to the acquisition of playground equip- ment. Upon local approval, the law will be effective until December 31, 1996. The city will have to submit a report to the legislature by February 1, 1997 on the effect of this law. 'IYust or escrow accounts authorized for certain damaged private insured property Chapter 170 authorizes municipali- ties to elect a procedure to ensure that insured real property which has been damaged or destroyed by fire or explosion will be repaired, replaced, or removed by establishing a trust or escrow account for a portion of the insurance settlement (the lesser of 15 percent of the actual cash value of the property at the time of loss or 15 percent of the settlement). This law will become effective on January 1, 1996, and cities which want to use its provisions must pass a resolution establishing the trust or escrow account and notify the state. Alternative appointment method for St. Paul charter commission Chapter 181 provides for an alternative to Chapter 410 for the City of St. Paul to authorize the city council to appoint members to the city charter commission. The chief judge of the district court appoints one member from each city council wazd. Each councilmember appoints one member from the ward from which they have been elected. The mayor appoints the chair of the charter commission. Four- year terms aze set for charter commis- sion members. Vacancies aze to be filled by the appointing authority. No local approval of this change is required. The section is effective the day following enactment. Water law technical corrections Chapter 218 makes several minor technical amendments to the state's water laws, most involving the Board of Water and Soil Resources and the Department of Natural Resources. One section allows the commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources to issue a state general permit to a governmental subdivision for classes or types of activities that have minimal impact upon public waters under which more than one project maybe con- ducted under a single permit. This law is effective May 25, 1995. Compatibility of city and soil and water conservation district offices Chapter 222 provides that the office of soil and water conservation district supervisor is compatible with the offices of mayor, clerk/treasurer, or councilmember in statutory or home rule charter cities of not more than 2,500 population and that one person may hold both offices. The law also provides that the person holding both offices shall refrain from voting or taking any other formal action on any matter coming before the soil and water conservation district board or the city council that has a substantial effect on both the soil and water conservation district and the city. The law specifi- cally does not apply to cities located in whole or in part in Anoka, Hennepin, Ramsey, or Washington County. The law is effective retroactively to January 1, 1995. State agency rulemaking Chapter 233 modifies the state's administrative procedures act to increase public involvement in the agency rule-making process. Notice provisions are significantly modified, including allowing interested persons to register with a state agency for individualized notice of rule proceed- ings. Various effective dates, but most of the provisions will go into effect January 1, 1996. Certain advisory councils reinstated Chapter 246 reinstates the emer- gency medical services, the plumbing code, and other Health Department advisory councils. A work group is established to study and report to the legislature on revising the entire plumbing code for the purposes of ensuring protection of the public health. The League is expected to assist the work group in their efforts. Effective June 2, 1995. Omnibus data practices act Chapter 259 is the omnibus data practices act for this year. The new law clarifies that data submitted to the commissioner by a city has the same classifications as when held by the city, and the commissioner's authority to issue advisory opinions was continued. Also, data on undercover law enforcement officer no longer assigned to an undercover position data become public unless the officer's personal safety would be threatened or an active investigation jeopardized. For state officials, only upon completion of an investigation of a complaint or charge against a state official, or if the state official resigns or is terminated while the complaint or charge is pending, all data relating to the complaint or charge aze public unless the investigation would be jeopardized or confidential sources would be revealed. This provision does not apply to city or county officials as finally passed, but did include local government officials in the earlier proposals. "Booking photographs" are public data. The establishment of a pubic information policy training program is authorized for the purpose of training state and local government officials 1995 Law Summaries LS 9