Subdivision 1. Definitions. For purposes of this section and section 15.992:

(1) "business license" or "license" has the meaning given it in section 116J.70, subdivision 2;

(2) "customer" means an individual; a small business as defined in section 645.445, but also including a nonprofit corporation that otherwise meets the criteria in that section; a family farm, family farm corporation, or family farm partnership as defined in section 500.24, subdivision 2; or a political subdivision as defined in section 103G.005, subdivision 14b;

(3) "initial agency" means the state agency to which a customer submits an application for a license or inquires about submitting an application; and

(4) "responsible agency" means the initial agency or another state agency that agrees to be designated the responsible agency.

Subd. 2. Responsibility for customer needs. (a) When a customer applies to a state agency for a license to engage in activity, the agency is responsible for providing the customer with information the customer needs from the state to complete the application, including information on any other agency or agencies that must take action before the license may be granted or that must issue a separate license before the customer may proceed with the activity. The employee of the initial agency or responsible agency who accepts the customer's application or inquiry regarding an application shall provide the customer with the employee's name, title, and work telephone number and shall inform the customer that the employee will be available to provide assistance and information as the customer proceeds with the application and awaits the agency's action on it.

(b) If the responsible agency determines that another state agency or agencies must act on an application, the responsible agency shall forward all necessary application forms and other required information to the other agency or agencies and shall coordinate with the other agency or agencies in an effort to assure that all action on the application is completed within the time specified in section 15.992.

(c) At the request of a customer, the responsible agency shall prepare a written work plan, which is not a binding contract, setting out the steps necessary for the customer to complete the application, the time when the responsible agency may be expected to take action on the application, the steps the responsible agency will take to forward an application or required information to any other state agency or agencies that must take action, and the process by which the other agency or agencies may be expected to act. The work plan must include information on the deadline for agency action under section 15.992 and on the result of agency failure to meet the deadline. The work plan must be provided to a customer no later than 20 working days after the customer requested the plan.

History: 1995 c 248 art 19 s 1; 1996 c 305 art 1 s 8; 2014 c 271 art 2 s 1; 1Sp2015 c 4 art 4 s 148