The following House Files were introduced:

Peterson, Winter, Kubly, Vickerman and Wenzel introduced:

H. F. No. 1961, A bill for an act relating to community development; providing for a center for rural policy and development; appropriating money.

The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Agriculture.

Sykora introduced:

H. F. No. 1962, A bill for an act relating to sports; providing for a Minnesota baseball stadium limited partnership; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 473.

The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Local Government and Metropolitan Affairs.

Abrams, Greiling and Leppik introduced:

H. F. No. 1963, A bill for an act proposing an amendment to the Minnesota Constitution; providing for a bipartisan congressional and legislative reapportionment commission; amending the Minnesota Constitution , Article IV, section 3; and by adding an article.

The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on General Legislation, Veterans Affairs and Elections.

Olson, E., introduced:

H. F. No. 1964, A bill for an act relating to taxation; modifying provisions imposing restrictions, conditions , And limitations on tax increment financing; amending Minnesota Statutes 1996, sections 273.1399, by adding a subdivision; 469.176, subdivisions 1b, 1e, 4j , And 5; 469.1763, subdivision 3; and 469.177, subdivision 1; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 469.

The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Taxes.

Hilty introduced:

H. F. No. 1965, A bill for an act relating to state agencies; codifying reorganization orders relating to the department of administration, the office of environmental assistance, the public service department, the state archaeologist , And the transportation regulation board; amending Minnesota Statutes 1996, sections 15A.081, subdivision 1; 16B.42; 115D.08; 138.31, by adding a subdivision; 138.35; 174.02, subdivisions 4 and 5; 174.10, subdivisions 1, 3 , And 4; 174A.02, subdivisions 1, 2, and 4; 174A.04; 174A.06; 216C.41, subdivision 2; 218.041, subdivisions 6 and 7; 219.074, subdivisions 1 and 2; 219.402; and 221.031, subdivision 1; repealing Minnesota Statutes 1996, sections 174A.01; 174A.02, subdivision 5; 174A.03; 174A.05; and 218.011, subdivision 7; Minnesota Rules, part 8850.6900.

The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Governmental Operations.

Pugh introduced:

H. F. No. 1966, A bill for an act relating to education; allowing any school district to alter its organization into separate election districts; amending Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 205A.12, subdivision 1.

The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Education.

Farrell, Trimble, Kraus, Schumacher and Pugh introduced:

H. F. No. 1967, A bill for an act relating to crime prevention; requiring mandatory minimum sentences for gang-motivated or facilitated crimes; increasing penalties for soliciting juveniles to commit criminal acts; prohibiting adults from soliciting minors to commit crimes for the benefit of a gang; creating the crime of tampering with a juror; making changes related to the joinder of offenses and defendants in criminal trials; limiting the scope of the community crime reduction grant program; creating a gang prevention grant program; amending the definition of "violent crime" and "crime of violence"; providing criminal penalties; appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes 1996, sections 119A.31, subdivision 1; 609.035, subdivision 1; 609.152, subdivision 1; 609.494, subdivisions 1 and 2; 609.749, subdivision 3; 624.712, subdivision 5; and 631.035; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapters 299A; 609; and 631; repealing Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 609.229.

The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Kahn, Jefferson, Murphy, Mares and Smith introduced:

H. F. No. 1968, A bill for an act relating to retirement; changing investment reporting requirements; modifying penalty provisions; amending Minnesota Statutes 1996, sections 69.051, subdivisions 1, 1a , And 1b; 356.20, by adding a subdivision; 356.219; and 424A.02, subdivision 10; repealing Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 356.218.

The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Governmental Operations.

Ness, Kelso, Solberg, Mares and Seagren introduced:

H. F. No. 1969, A bill for an act relating to education; authorizing summer school funding for elementary pupils; amending Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 124.17, subdivision 5.

The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Education.

Ness, Tomassoni, Kelso, Mares and Weaver introduced:

H. F. No. 1970, A bill for an act relating to education; creating a state aid to replace reductions in title I money; appropriating money; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 124.

The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Education.

Mahon, Seagren, Knight, Sykora and Folliard introduced:

H. F. No. 1971, A bill for an act relating to parks; funding the operation and maintenance of parks in the metropolitan area; appropriating money.

The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Finance.

Luther; Mariani; Johnson , A.; Kinkel and Davids introduced:

H. F. No. 1972, A bill for an act relating to energy assistance; providing funding for various energy assistance programs; appropriating money.

The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Education.

Farrell and Trimble introduced:

H. F. No. 1973, A bill for an act relating to the military; authorizing the payment of salary differential for reserve forces on active duty in Haiti; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 43A.

The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on General Legislation, Veterans Affairs and Elections.

Broecker, Mares and Krinkie introduced:

H. F. No. 1974, A bill for an act relating to highways; authorizing transfers of money in the county state-aid highway fund between the county turnback account and the construction account in certain circumstances; amending Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 161.082, by adding a subdivision.

The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Transportation and Transit.

Carlson, Pelowski, Seagren, Bettermann and Kinkel introduced:

H. F. No. 1975, A bill for an act proposing an amendment to the Minnesota Constitution, article XIII, section 3; changing the number of members of the University of Minnesota board of regents; amending Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 137.024.

The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Education.

Dawkins and Johnson , A., introduced:

H. F. No. 1976, A bill for an act relating to taxation; individual income; exempting AmeriCorp and youth works program stipends; amending Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 290.01, subdivision 19b.

The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Taxes.

Slawik, Larsen, Marko and Johnson , A., introduced:

H. F. No. 1977, A bill for an act relating to education; eliminating the $100 referendum subtraction requirement for certain school districts; authorizing a discretionary levy for technology improvements for school districts with low revenues; providing additional state aid for school districts with low revenues; appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes 1996, sections 124.95, subdivision 1; and 124A.03, subdivision 3c; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 124C.

The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Education.

Anderson, B.; Osskopp; Tuma; Hasskamp and Dehler introduced:

H. F. No. 1978, A bill for an act relating to education; offering an alternative of a locally controlled graduation rule; providing locally controlled graduation rule aid and district assistance and academic enhancement aid; appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 120.101, subdivision 8 , And by adding a subdivision; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 124.

The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Education.

Mullery, Farrell, Leighton, Pugh and Murphy introduced:

H. F. No. 1979, A bill for an act relating to health; requiring the attorney general to investigate unfair drug price discrimination; giving the commissioner of administration authority to negotiate contract prices for prescription drugs; requiring the commissioner of administration to establish and administer a nongovernmental pharmaceutical contracting alliance; modifying prescription dispensing requirements; requiring a pharmacy to post a sign on generic substitution; appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes 1996, sections 8.31, subdivision 1; and 151.21, subdivisions 2, 3 , And by adding a subdivision; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 16B.

The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Health and Human Services.

Stanek introduced:

H. F. No. 1980, A bill for an act relating to crime prevention; prohibiting the prosecuting attorney from disclosing certain information in a juvenile proceeding unless first requested to do so; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 260.

The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Huntley, Rukavina, Ness and Jaros introduced:

H. F. No. 1981, A bill for an act relating to vocational rehabilitation; authorizing additional funding for employment support services for persons with mental illness; appropriating money.

The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Economic Development and International Trade.

Pugh introduced:

H. F. No. 1982, A bill for an act relating to education; providing a grant to independent school district No. 197, West St. Paul-Mendota Heights-Eagan, for implementing multiple pathways for students to meet graduation standards; appropriating money.

The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Education.

Hausman introduced:

H. F. No. 1983, A bill for an act relating to state lands; authorizing the sale of certain tax-forfeited land that borders public water in Blue Earth, Cass, Crow Wing, Becker , Aitkin, Mille Lacs , And Washington counties.

The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources.

Hausman introduced:

H. F. No. 1984, A bill for an act relating to transportation; appropriating $10,000,000 to the commissioner of transportation for a grant to Ramsey county for a pilot program for assisting community-based organizations in providing or facilitating job-related transportation for certain low-income persons.

The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Transportation and Transit.

Wejcman introduced:

H. F. No. 1985, A bill for an act relating to taxation; providing a sales tax exemption for construction materials and supplies used to build certain business incubator and industrial park facilities; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 297A.

The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Taxes.

Wenzel and Dehler introduced:

H. F. No. 1986, A bill for an act relating to solid waste; requiring the state to return a portion of solid waste assessments for landfill cleanup to certain counties; amending Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 116.07, subdivision 10.

The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources.

Evans, Skoglund and Weaver introduced:

H. F. No. 1987, A bill for an act relating to controlled substances; creating a drug-free zone around residential chemical dependency treatment facilities; increasing criminal penalties for drug crimes committed within these zones; amending Minnesota Statutes 1996, sections 152.01, by adding a subdivision; 152.021, subdivision 1; 152.022, subdivision 1; 152.023, subdivision 2; 152.024, subdivision 1; and 152.029.

The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Greenfield introduced:

H. F. No. 1988, A bill for an act relating to health; providing for alternative dispute resolution in proceedings involving health-related licensing boards; specifying procedures for contested case hearings in proceedings involving health-related licensing boards; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 214.

The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Health and Human Services.

Mares and Swenson, D., introduced:

H. F. No. 1989, A bill for an act relating to parks; funding the operation and maintenance of parks in the metropolitan area; appropriating money.

The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Finance.

Ozment introduced:

H. F. No. 1990, A bill for an act relating to retirement; authorizing the voluntary consolidation of the Hampton and Randolph volunteer firefighters relief associations.

The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Governmental Operations.

Entenza introduced:

H. F. No. 1991, A bill for an act relating to contempt of court; clarifying the distinctions among various types of contempt of court; amending Minnesota Statutes 1996, sections 588.01; 588.03; 588.05; 588.09; 588.10; and 588.11; repealing Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 588.13.

The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Skoglund introduced:

H. F. No. 1992, A bill for an act relating to crimes; clarifying certain sentencing provisions; authorizing use of preliminary breath test evidence in certain proceedings; authorizing vehicle forfeiture for third-time DWI offenders; clarifying criminal penalty for driving in violation of license restriction; making it a crime for motor vehicle operator to refuse to submit to drug recognition test upon lawful demand of drug recognition expert; requiring traffic-related criminal convictions to be maintained in offender's driving record for 15 years; providing for adult court jurisdiction over petty misdemeanors, misdemeanors , And nonfelony moving traffic offenses committed by juveniles 16 years old and older; clarifying effect of stay of imposition of sentence; increasing penalties for fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle; clarifying "good time" reductions in jail sentences; authorizing room and board fees for county prisoners; amending Minnesota Statutes 1996, sections 152.18, subdivision 1; 169.121, subdivisions 1a and 6; 169.1217, subdivision 1; 171.09; 171.12, subdivision 3; 260.015, subdivisions 5 and 21; 260.111, subdivision 1a; 260.193, subdivisions 1 and 4; 609.055, subdivision 2; 609.135, subdivision 1; 609.487, subdivisions 3 and 4; 641.12; 641.13; 641.15, by adding a subdivision; and 643.29, subdivision 1.

The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Pugh and Milbert introduced:

H. F. No. 1993, A bill for an act relating to taxation; reducing the MinnesotaCare provider tax rate for furnishing dental goods and services; amending Minnesota Statutes 1996, sections 295.52, subdivision 2; 295.53, subdivision 4; and 295.582.

The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Health and Human Services.

Jefferson introduced:

H. F. No. 1994, A bill for an act relating to Hennepin county; extending the period for reductions or abatements of property value for tax purposes for a certain property in the city of Minneapolis.

The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Taxes.

Rest , Abrams, McElroy and Long introduced:

H. F. No. 1995, A bill for an act relating to public finance; modifying provisions relating to the issuance of debt and the use and investment of public funds; amending Minnesota Statutes 1996, sections 118A.04, subdivision 9; 118A.05, subdivision 4; 136A.32, subdivision 7; 373.01, subdivision 3; 373.40, subdivision 7; 410.32; 412.301; 414.067, subdivision 2; 429.021, subdivision 1; 447.45, subdivision 2; 465.71; 469.0171; 469.059, subdivision 6; 469.101, subdivision 6; 469.153, subdivision 2; 469.154, subdivisions 3, And 6; 469.155, by adding a subdivision; 471.981, by adding a subdivision; 475.61, subdivision 3; 475.67, subdivision 12; and 641.23; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapters 471; and 475.

The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Taxes.