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2003 Notable State Documents
2003 Notable State Documents
These
notable Minnesota documents were produced in 2002-2003. They are a selection of
the quality work done each year by Minnesota state agencies.
Education
2002
Minnesota Education Yearbook: the Status of Pre-K-12 Education in Minnesota. Minneapolis, MN: Office of
Educational Accountability, College of Education and Human Development,
University of Minnesota, 2003. (Minn. Doc. 03-0312) http://education.umn.edu/oea/II/Reports/2002Yearbook/2002yrbk.pdf
This
document, like previous editions of the Yearbook, presents statistics
and analyses of Minnesota's education policy and the state of Minnesota's
students and schools, including coursework, school completion, school finance,
and student achievement. However, a special focus of this edition is the
passage of the federal No Child Left Behind Act and its impact on
accountability and achievement in Minnesota's schools. Included are helpful
policy recommendations, statistical tables, a bibliography, and a glossary.
Investing
in People: Access to Higher Education. Saint Paul, MN: Minnesota Higher Education
Services Office, 2003. (Minn. Doc. 03-0265) http://www.mheso.state.mn.us/pdf/GovReport2003.pdf
This
item describes the Minnesota Higher Education Services Office and its various
services in the interest of furthering access to higher education in Minnesota.
Student aid and tuition reciprocity programs, library information networks and
systems, data collection, and the administration of state and federal higher
education grant programs are covered.
Environment/Natural
Resources
2001
Right-To-Know Chemical Information Report: State of Minnesota. Saint Paul, MN: Minnesota Emergency Response
Commission, Department of Public Safety, November 2002. (Minn. Doc.
02-0540) http://www.erc.state.mn.us/tri/rtk/2001rtkreport.pdf
321,410,932
pounds of hazardous chemicals were released into the environment in 2001 in Minnesota. This summary of toxic release inventory and
pollution prevention reports includes details on the locations and the
chemicals.
Minnesota
Amateur Sports Commission: Special Review.
Saint Paul, MN: Office of the Legislative Auditor, Financial Audit
Division, 2003. (Minn. Doc.
03-0131) http://www.auditor.leg.state.mn.us/fad/pdf/fad0307.pdf
The
review was conducted in response to a request from a member of the Minnesota
Legislature who alleged that the commission unlawfully used part of its
appropriation for development of a National Children's Golf Course to buy land
for soccer fields. The office conducts
several Special Reviews each year, often investigating high-profile entities in
the news.
Minnesota
Invasive Non-Native Terrestrial Plants: an Identification Guide for Resource
Managers. Saint Paul, MN: Department of Natural
Resources, Trails and Waterways Division, 2003.
This
sturdy, small guide includes clear photos of plants and grasses. Ecological
threats and control methods are described. The nominating librarian wrote, "I
love this. Just plain handy for me to
show someone what the dreaded buckthorn looks like!" (Note: This item is available for purchase for $9.95 at
Minnesota's Bookstore. http://www.comm.media.state.mn.us/bookstore/bookstore.asp)
Recreation
Compass
(electronic resource). Saint Paul, MN: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/maps/compass.html
Lake
Finder
(electronic resource). Saint Paul, MN: Minnesota Department of Natural
Resources. http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/lakefind/index.html
One
happy citizen reported using the DNR Recreation Compass database to
"zoom in on an area and find the names of nearby lakes - even tiny little lakes
that don't show up on normal maps and only the locals know about. Then I can use the Lake Finder
database to look up information on the lakes.
The DNR database contains lots of key information, including public
accesses, lake depth maps, and netting surveys. This is a fun and extremely productive tool to use in finding
fishing lakes with high potential."
State-Funded
Trails for Motorized Recreation. Saint
Paul, MN: Office of the Legislative Auditor, Program Evaluation Division,
2003. (Minn. Doc. 03-0022) http://www.auditor.leg.state.mn.us/ped/pedrep/0301all.pdf
This
report on motorized recreation on Minnesota's trails includes recommendations
for future planning and funding of trails, and the enforcement of the laws and
rules governing snowmobiles and off-highway vehicles.
Benson,
David R. Stories in Log and
Stone: The Legacy of the New Deal in Minnesota State Parks. Saint Paul, MN: Minnesota Department of
Natural Resources, Division of Parks and Recreation, 2002.
This
book, containing more than 170 photos, is a story of the Depression, the New
Deal, and the legacy they left in the form of stone and log structures that
remain in 27 Minnesota State Parks. (Note: This book is for sale by the
Department of Natural Resources for $18.95 plus tax. See http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/logstonebook.html)
Health Care
Health
Care Coverage and Financing in Minnesota: Public Sector Programs. Saint Paul, MN: Health Economics Program, Health Policy and
Systems Compliance Division, Minnesota Department of Health, 2003. (Minn. Doc. 03-0110) (http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/hpsc/hep/miscpubs/pubprog.pdf)
Nearly
one quarter of Minnesota residents rely on public health insurance programs
such as Medicare, Medical Assistance, MinnesotaCare, and General
Assistance. The Health Economics
Program staff have written an overview of each program including a brief
history, enrollment figures over time, costs, and sources of funding.
Minnesota Health
Licensing Boards Biennial Reports: July 1, 2000 to June 30, 2002. Minnesota Health Licensing Boards, 2002. (Minn. Doc. 03-0020)
Have
you ever needed to know how many licensed dentists there are in Minnesota? This compilation of reports from the
fourteen independent health licensing boards provides information on the number
of licensed practitioners, the regulatory functions performed, a list of board
members, and the fees assessed by each of the licensing boards.
A
Quiet Crisis: Minnesota's Rural Ambulance Services at Risk. Saint Paul, MN: Office of Rural Health & Primary
Care, Minnesota Department of Health, 2002.
(Minn. Doc. 03-0140) http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/chs/rhpc/PDFdocs/ambulancerpt.pdf
Using
case histories and survey data, this report discusses the demographic and governmental
forces that have created a 'quiet crisis' in Minnesota's rural ambulance
services, where EMTs are often unpaid volunteers with full-time jobs outside
the community, where emergency calls can involve traveling long distances in
poor conditions, and where Medicare patients are the single largest segment of
ambulance service users.
Tobacco
Prevention and Local Public Health Endowment: Biannual Report to the Legislature : 2002 Activities. Saint Paul, MN: Minnesota Dept. of Health, 2003. (Minn. Doc. 03-0058) http://www.mntobacco.net/LegislativeReport2002.pdf
The
first required evaluation of the youth tobacco prevention programs funded
through an endowment established as part of Minnesota's historic settlement
with the tobacco companies highlights notable programs around the state. Answers to a survey measure progress toward
the goal of a 30 percent reduction in youth tobacco use by 2005.
Governing/Government
2003
New Laws
(electronic resource). Saint Paul, MN: Minnesota House of Representatives
Public Information Office, 2003. http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/hinfo/2003nulaw.htm
This annual publication provides a summary of the 2003 Legislative
session divided into three highly usable sections. Part one provides highlights
of the session. Section two includes additional highlights, as well as all the bills
the governor vetoed, including reasons, and selected bills that were
considered, but not passed. Section three is technical summaries and an index. Previous
editions were available in print, but the 2003 edition is online only.
Indians,
Indian Tribes, and State Government, 3rd ed. Saint Paul, MN: Research
Department, Minnesota House of Representatives, 2003. (Minn. Doc. 03-0103)
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/hrd/pubs/indiangb.pdf
This
publication introduces readers to the major legal issues involved in the
relationship between Indian tribes, Indians, and state government. Information
includes demographic data for tribes in Minnesota, terms and concepts necessary
for understanding the basic nature of state and federal power relative to
Indians and Indian tribes, and a series of papers on specific legal issues
relevant to policy makers, such as criminal and civil jurisdiction in Indian
Country, gaming regulation, and education laws affecting Indian students.
Todd,
Tom. Making Laws. Saint Paul, MN: Research Department, Minnesota
House of Representatives, 2002. (Minn. Doc. 02-0580)
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/hrd/pubs/mkglaws.pdf
This
House Research Information Brief outlines clearly the process of making laws in
Minnesota through flowchart and narrative. Good references point to appropriate
places in the Minnesota Constitution, House Rules, Senate Rules, and Statutes.
Judicial
Administration/Courts
Diebel,
Jeffrey. The Minnesota Judiciary: a Guide for Legislators. Saint
Paul, MN: Research Dept., Minnesota House of Representatives, March 2003.
http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/hrd/pubs/judiciary.pdf
This
guide provides a very clear and concise description of the structure,
functions, personnel, and finances of the Minnesota Judicial Branch.
Information is presented through maps, charts, and a glossary.
Labor &
Employment Issues
Minnesota
Salary Survey. Minnesota Department of
Economic Security, Research and Statistics Office, December 2002. (Minn. Doc.
03-0168)
Based
on the 1999, 2000 and 2001 versions of an annual mail survey done by the
Occupational Employment Statistics program, this publication provides estimates
of employment and wages for 793 occupations.
Grouped by occupation, this handy listing shows employment levels and
wages regionally and statewide in comparison to the national average. How many surveyors in Minnesota? 930, including 730 from Minneapolis-St.
Paul, 50 from Duluth, 20 from St. Cloud, 10 from Rochester. Nationwide?
Approximately 54,650. (A
searchable version of the salary survey is available at http://www.mnwfc.org/lmi/salary/.)
Local Government
Survey
of Legal Costs: July 2000-June 2001. Saint Paul, MN: Minnesota Office of the State
Auditor, 2002. (Minn. Doc. 02-0544)
http://www.osa.state.mn.us/reports/gid/2001/legal/legal_01_report.pdf
The
1997 Legislature approved legislation having the State Auditor (OSA) gather
data on legal-service costs of counties, some cities and many school districts.
Included in this document is information on the spending of public funds for
legal services or used to defend the county, etc., in a court action.
Special Study: Local Government Aid and Its Effect on Expenditures. Saint Paul, MN: Government Information Division, Office of
the State Auditor, State of Minnesota, 2003. (Minn. Doc. 03-0138)
http://www.osa.state.mn.us/reports/gid/2003/lga_study/lga_030210_report.pdf
The
Governor and Legislature are looking at state programs during this time of
budget crisis. In particular, the Local Government Aid (LGA) program has been
open to much debate and controversy. This special study, from the Office of the
State Auditor, considers the effect of LGA on spending patterns of cities of
over 2,500 population.
Taxation
Minnesota
Tax Incidence Study: An Analysis of Minnesota's Household and Business Taxes. Saint Paul, MN: Minnesota Department of Revenue, Tax Research
Division, March 2003. (Minn. Doc. 03-0227)
http://www.taxes.state.mn.us/taxes/legal_policy/other_supporting_content/whole_doc_feb2003.pdf
This study, mandated biennially by Minnesota Statutes
270.0682, estimates how tax burden was distributed across income groups in
Minnesota previously, and also makes projections about what can be expected for
state and local taxes in 2005. Tax
burden is shown in a number of ways, including total tax burden, taxes by
sector, taxes by decile and overall tax rates.
Impacts on both households and businesses are examined, with the aim of
providing a tool for evaluation of the overall tax system in Minnesota.
Miscellaneous
Enterprise
Management Reporting System (EMRS(electronic resource). Saint Paul, MN: Minnesota
Department of Finance, 2002
http://rpt.finance.state.mn.us/eis/
This
website database provides access to financial and human resources reports with
the option of investigating specific boards or agencies, or viewing statewide
budget information. In addition to the board or agency's mission, different
report types show budget expenditures, revenues, or the number of active
employees categorized by bargaining unit.
A useful link to state agency background information allows for more
in-depth exploration of an agency's functions and budget.
Minnesota
Impaired Driving Facts, 2001. Saint
Paul, MN: Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Office of Traffic Safety,
2003. (Minn. Doc. 03-0368)
http://www.dps.state.mn.us/OTS/crashdata/2001Impaired_Facts/Impaired_Facts2001.pdf
This
publication provides thorough statistics on impaired driving, as well as
information on and clarification of Minnesota's impaired driving law. Impaired
driving incident statistics are broken down in a number of ways, including by
gender, age, type of incident, violations involved, time, location of incident,
and area of residence of violator. Included are criminal conviction rates,
recidivism, and crash data.
Minnesota
Population Projections 2000 - 2030. Saint
Paul, MN: Minnesota Planning, State Demographic Center, 2002. (Minn. Doc. 03-0337) http://www.demography.state.mn.us/DownloadFiles/00Proj/PopulationProjections02.pdf
This
report projects Minnesota's population growth to reach 5,452,500 by 2010 and
6,268,200 by 2030. Estimates shown by county, development region and
metropolitan area illustrate which regions should expect continued growth, and
which regions might lose population.
Charts include information about age and gender, as well as projected
percentage changes in population. (Note: Although Minnesota Planning has been
merged with the Minnesota Department of Administration, the State Demographic
Center continues with their invaluable work analyzing and distributing
demographic data. See their new Web
site at: http://www.demography.state.mn.us/index.html)