SF 3663

01/27/26  REVISOR  EB/HL  26-05997  as introduced
  SENATE
  STATE OF MINNESOTA
  NINETY-FOURTH SESSION  S.F. No. 3663
  (SENATE AUTHORS: CHAMPION)
  DATE       D-PG  OFFICIAL STATUS
  02/19/2026      6334 Introduction and first reading
  Referred to Jobs and Economic Development
1.1A bill for an act
1.2relating to tourism; modifying the membership of Explore Minnesota councils;
1.3amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 116U.242; 116U.25.
1.4    BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.5Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 116U.242, is amended to read:
1.6116U.242 EXPLORE MINNESOTA FOR BUSINESS COUNCIL.
1.7(a) The director shall be advised by the Explore Minnesota for Business Council
1.8    consisting of up to 14 voting members appointed by the governor for four-year terms,
1.9    including:
1.10(1) the executive director of Explore Minnesota and the commissioner of employment
1.11   and economic development, who serve as cochairs;
1.12(2) three representatives in marketing, human resources, or executive leadership from
1.13   Minnesota-based companies with more than 100 employees representing Minnesota's key
1.14   industries, including health care, technology, food and agriculture, manufacturing, retail,
1.15   energy, and support services;
1.16(3) two representatives from statewide or regional marketing or business association
1.17   leadership, the Iron Range, and nonprofits focused on economic development or human
1.18   resource management;
1.19(4) one representative from a Minnesota college or university staff, faculty, leadership,
1.20   student leadership, or alumni association;
Section 1.  1
 01/27/26  REVISOR  EB/HL  26-05997  as introduced
2.1      (5) one member representing Minnesota's small business or start-up and entrepreneurial
2.2  industry who has started at least one Minnesota-based business in the last five years and
2.3  has at least 20 employees;
2.4      (6) two representatives from the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council and Minnesota Tribal
2.5  leadership, including casino management;
2.6      (7) two representatives from Minnesota's Ethnic Chambers of Commerce Leadership
2.7  and the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce one Dakota representative and one Ojibwe
2.8  representative; and
2.9      (8) one at-large representative in the field of general marketing, talent attraction, or
2.10 economic development. representative from the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce; and
2.11     (9) one representative from the Department of Employment and Economic Development
2.12 who must be the commissioner, deputy commissioner, or an assistant commissioner.
2.13     (b) The council shall act to serve the broader interest of promoting overall livability and
2.14 workforce and economic opportunity in Minnesota. Members shall advise Explore Minnesota
2.15 for Business' marketing efforts by emphasizing and prioritizing diversity, equity, inclusion,
2.16 and accessibility and providing professional marketing insights.
2.17   Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 116U.25, is amended to read:
2.18     116U.25 EXPLORE MINNESOTA TOURISM COUNCIL.
2.19     (a) The director shall be advised by the Explore Minnesota Tourism Council consisting
2.20 of up to 35 25 voting members appointed by the governor for four-year terms, including:
2.21     (1) the director of Explore Minnesota Tourism who serves as the chair;
2.22     (2) fourteen four representatives of statewide tourism-related associations representing
2.23 bed and breakfast establishments, golf, festivals and events, counties, convention and visitor
2.24 bureaus, lodging, resorts, trails, campgrounds, restaurants, craft beverage establishments,
2.25 chambers of commerce, chambers of commerce for underrepresented communities, and
2.26 Tribal nations;
2.27     (3) one representative five representatives from each of the tourism marketing regions
2.28 of the state as designated by the office;
2.29     (4) ten representatives of the tourism business representing transportation, retail, travel
2.30 agencies, tour operators, travel media, convention facilities, arts and culture, sports, outdoor
2.31 recreation, and tourism business owners from underrepresented communities;
 Sec. 2.  2
 01/27/26  REVISOR  EB/HL  26-05997  as introduced
3.1      (5) one or more ex officio nonvoting members including at least one member from the
3.2  University of Minnesota Tourism Center;
3.3      (6) four legislators, two from each house, one each from the two largest political party
3.4  caucuses in each house, appointed according to the rules of the respective houses; and
3.5      (7) other persons, if any, as designated from time to time by the governor.
3.6      (b) The council shall act to serve the broader interests of tourism in Minnesota by
3.7  promoting activities that support, maintain, and expand the state's domestic and international
3.8  travel market, thereby generating increased visitor expenditures, tax revenue, and
3.9  employment.
3.10     (c) Filling of membership vacancies is as provided in section 15.059. The terms of
3.11 one-half of the members shall be coterminous with the governor and the terms of the
3.12 remaining one-half of the members shall end on the first Monday in January one year after
3.13 the terms of the other members. Members may serve until their successors are appointed
3.14 and qualify. Members are not compensated. A member may be reappointed.
3.15     (d) The council shall meet at least four two times per year and at other times determined
3.16 by the council.
3.17     (e) If compliance with section 13D.02 is impractical, the Explore Minnesota Tourism
3.18 Council may conduct a meeting of its members by telephone or other electronic means so
3.19 long as the following conditions are met:
3.20     (1) all members of the council participating in the meeting, wherever their physical
3.21 location, can hear one another and can hear all discussion and testimony;
3.22     (2) members of the public present at the regular meeting location of the council can hear
3.23 clearly all discussion and testimony and all votes of members of the council and, if needed,
3.24 receive those services required by sections 15.44 and 15.441;
3.25     (3) at least one member of the council is physically present at the regular meeting location;
3.26 and
3.27     (4) all votes are conducted by roll call, so each member's vote on each issue can be
3.28 identified and recorded.
3.29     (f) Each member of the council participating in a meeting by telephone or other electronic
3.30 means is considered present at the meeting for purposes of determining a quorum and
3.31 participating in all proceedings.
 Sec. 2.  3
01/27/26  REVISOR  EB/HL  26-05997  as introduced
4.1     (g) If telephone or other electronic means is used to conduct a meeting, the council, to
4.2 the extent practical, shall allow a person to monitor the meeting electronically from a remote
4.3 location. The council may require the person making such a connection to pay for
4.4 documented marginal costs that the council incurs as a result of the additional connection.
4.5     (h) If telephone or other electronic means is used to conduct a regular, special, or
4.6 emergency meeting, the council shall provide notice of the regular meeting location, of the
4.7 fact that some members may participate by telephone or other electronic means, and of the
4.8 provisions of paragraph (g). The timing and method of providing notice is governed by
4.9 section 13D.04.
Sec. 2.  4