Subdivision 1. Applicability. The definitions in this section apply to this chapter.

Subd. 2. Agency. Except when otherwise modified, "agency" includes an office, department, board, council, committee, authority, or commission of state government.

Subd. 3. Allotment. "Allotment" means a limit placed by the commissioner on the amount to be spent or encumbered during a period of time pursuant to an appropriation.

Subd. 4. Appropriation. "Appropriation" means an authorization by law to expend or encumber an amount in the treasury.

Subd. 5. [Renumbered subd 17]

Subd. 6. Biennium. "Biennium" means a period of two consecutive fiscal years beginning in an odd-numbered calendar year and ending in the next odd-numbered calendar year.

Subd. 7. Commissioner. "Commissioner" means the commissioner of management and budget unless a different commissioner is specified.

Subd. 8. Constitution. "Constitution" means the state constitution.

Subd. 9. Department. Except in subdivision 2, "department" means the Department of Management and Budget unless a different department is specified.

Subd. 10. Employee. "Employee" includes elected officials, officers, and employees of the state, or agency, as the context requires.

Subd. 11. Encumbrance. "Encumbrance" means the commitment of a portion or all of an allotment in order to meet an obligation that is expected to be incurred to pay for goods or services received by the state or to pay a grant.

Subd. 12. Executive agency. "Executive agency" means an agency in the executive branch of state government.

Subd. 12a. Executive branch state agency. "Executive branch state agency" means an agency in the executive branch of state government, but does not include constitutional officers.

Subd. 13. Finance Committee. "Finance Committee" means the Finance Committee of the senate.

Subd. 14. Fiscal year. "Fiscal year" means the period beginning at midnight between June 30 and July 1 and ending 12 months later.

Subd. 14a. Statutory appropriation. A statutory appropriation is one which sets apart a specified or unspecified and open amount of public money or funds of the state general fund for expenditure for a purpose and makes the amount, or a part of it, available for use continuously for a period of time beyond the end of the second fiscal year after the session of the legislature at which the appropriation is made.

Every appropriation stated to be an "annual appropriation," "payable annually," "appropriated annually," or "annually appropriated," and every appropriation described by equivalent terms or language is a statutory appropriation as defined in this subdivision.

Subd. 15. [Obsolete, 2003 c 112 art 2 s 50]

Subd. 16. Treasury. Unless otherwise modified, "treasury" means the state treasury.

Subd. 17. Ways and Means Committee. "Ways and Means Committee" means the chief fiscal committee of the house of representatives.

History: (48) 1913 c 140 s 1; 1969 c 399 s 1; 1984 c 597 s 31; 1984 c 628 art 2 s 1; art 6 s 1; 1988 c 469 art 1 s 1; 1993 c 192 s 43-45; 2000 c 395 s 4; 2004 c 284 art 2 s 1,19; 2009 c 101 art 2 s 109