Subd. 1. Creation.

The Minnesota network for telecommunications, known as "MNet," provides voice, data, video, and other telecommunications transmission services to state agencies; educational institutions, including public schools as defined in section 120.05, nonpublic, church or religious organization schools that provide instruction in compliance with sections 120.101 to 120.102, and private colleges; public corporations; and state political subdivisions. It is not a telephone company for purposes of chapter 237. It shall not resell or sublease any services or facilities to nonpublic entities except it may serve private schools and colleges. The commissioner has the responsibility for planning, development, and operations of MNet in order to provide cost-effective telecommunications transmission services to MNet users.

Subd. 2. Advisory council.

MNet is managed by the commissioner. Subject to section 15.059, subdivisions 1 to 4, the commissioner shall appoint an advisory council to provide advice in implementing and operating MNet. The council shall represent the users of MNet services and shall include representatives of higher education, public and private schools, state agencies, and political subdivisions.

Subd. 3. Duties.

The commissioner, after consultation with the office of technology, shall:

1. (1) provide voice, data, video, and other telecommunications transmission services to the state and to political subdivisions through an account in the intertechnologies revolving fund;
2. (2) manage vendor relationships, network function, and capacity planning in order to be responsive to the needs of the system users;
3. (3) set rates and fees for services;
4. (4) approve contracts relating to the system;
5. (5) in consultation with the office of technology, develop the system plan, including plans for the phasing of its implementation and maintenance of the initial system, and the annual program and fiscal plans for the system; and
6. (6) in consultation with the office of technology, develop a plan for interconnection of the network with private colleges and public and private schools in the state.

Subd. 4. Program participation.

1. (a) The commissioner may require the participation of state agencies, the state board of education, and the board of trustees of the Minnesota state colleges and universities and may request the participation of the board of regents of the University of Minnesota, in the planning and implementation of the network to provide interconnective technologies. The commissioner shall establish reimbursement rates in cooperation with the commissioner of finance to be billed to participating agencies and educational institutions sufficient to cover the operating, maintenance, and administrative costs of the system.
2. (b) A direct appropriation made to an educational institution for usage costs associated with MNet must only be used by the educational institution for payment of usage costs of the network as billed by the commissioner of administration.

Subd. 5.

Repealed, 1990 c 506 art 2 s 24

Subd. 6. Appropriation.

Money appropriated for MNet and fees for telecommunications services must be deposited in an account in the intertechnologies fund. Money in the account is appropriated annually to the commissioner to operate telecommunications services.

Subd. 7. Exemption.

The system is exempt from the five-year limitation on contracts set by section 16B.07, subdivision 2.