SF 1589

1st Engrossment - 82nd Legislature (2001 - 2002) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

  1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to natural resources; proposing an amendment 
  1.3             to the Minnesota Constitution, article XI; dedicating 
  1.4             the sales tax receipts equal to a sales tax of 3/16 of 
  1.5             one percent on taxable sales for natural resource 
  1.6             purposes; creating a heritage enhancement fund and a 
  1.7             heritage enhancement council; proposing coding for new 
  1.8             law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 97A. 
  1.9   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.10                             ARTICLE 1
  1.11                      CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
  1.12     Section 1.  [CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.] 
  1.13     An amendment to the Minnesota Constitution is proposed to 
  1.14  the people.  If the amendment is adopted, a section will be 
  1.15  added to article XI, to read: 
  1.16     Sec. 15.  Beginning July 1, 2005, until June 30, 2026, the 
  1.17  sales and use tax receipts equal to the state sales and use tax 
  1.18  of 3/16 of one percent on sales and uses taxable under the 
  1.19  general state sales and use tax law, plus penalties and interest 
  1.20  and reduced by any refunds, are dedicated as follows:  50 
  1.21  percent of the receipts shall be deposited in the heritage 
  1.22  enhancement fund and may be spent only to improve, enhance, and 
  1.23  protect the state's natural resources, fish and wildlife and 
  1.24  habitats for fishing, hunting, and other uses, forests, 
  1.25  wetlands, prairies, lakes, rivers, and watersheds; 22.5 percent 
  1.26  of the receipts may be spent only for state parks and trails; 
  1.27  22.5 percent of the receipts may be spent only on metropolitan 
  2.1   park and trail grants; three percent of the receipts may be 
  2.2   spent only on local trail grants; and two percent of the 
  2.3   receipts may be spent only for the Minnesota zoological garden, 
  2.4   the Como park zoo, and the Duluth zoo.  A heritage enhancement 
  2.5   fund is created in the state treasury.  The money dedicated 
  2.6   under this section shall be appropriated by law and shall not be 
  2.7   used as a substitute for traditional funding sources for the 
  2.8   purposes specified, but the dedicated money shall supplement 
  2.9   traditional sources of funding for those purposes.  Land 
  2.10  acquired by fee or easement with money deposited in the heritage 
  2.11  enhancement fund under this section must be open to public 
  2.12  taking of fish and game during the open season unless otherwise 
  2.13  provided by law. 
  2.14     Sec. 2.  [SUBMISSION TO VOTERS.] 
  2.15     The proposed amendment shall be submitted to the people at 
  2.16  the 2002 general election.  The question submitted shall be: 
  2.17     "Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to provide 
  2.18  funding beginning July 1, 2005, to improve, enhance, and protect 
  2.19  the state's natural resources; its fish and wildlife and 
  2.20  habitats for fishing, hunting, and other uses; its forests, 
  2.21  wetlands, and prairies; its lakes, rivers, and watersheds; its 
  2.22  state parks and trails, metropolitan parks and trails, local 
  2.23  trails, and state and local zoos by dedicating the sales and use 
  2.24  tax receipts equal to the state sales and use tax of 3/16 of one 
  2.25  percent on taxable sales until the year 2026? 
  2.26                                     Yes .......
  2.27                                     No ........"
  2.28     Sec. 3.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  2.29     Sections 1 and 2 apply to sales and uses occurring after 
  2.30  June 30, 2005. 
  2.31                             ARTICLE 2
  2.32                         CONFORMING CHANGES
  2.33     Section 1.  [97A.056] [HERITAGE ENHANCEMENT FUND; HERITAGE 
  2.34  ENHANCEMENT COUNCIL.] 
  2.35     Subdivision 1.  [HERITAGE ENHANCEMENT FUND.] The heritage 
  2.36  enhancement fund is established in the Minnesota Constitution, 
  3.1   article XI, section 15.  All money earned by the heritage 
  3.2   enhancement fund must be credited to the fund.  At least 97 
  3.3   percent of the money appropriated from the fund must be spent on 
  3.4   natural resource, fish and wildlife and habitat for fishing, 
  3.5   hunting, and other uses, forest, wetland, prairie, lake, river, 
  3.6   and watershed projects on public and private lands.  
  3.7      Subd. 2.  [HERITAGE ENHANCEMENT COUNCIL.] (a) A heritage 
  3.8   enhancement council of 15 members is created, on July 1, 2003, 
  3.9   consisting of: 
  3.10     (1) two members of the senate appointed by the senate 
  3.11  subcommittee on committees of the committee on rules and 
  3.12  administration; 
  3.13     (2) two members of the house appointed by the speaker of 
  3.14  the house; 
  3.15     (3) four public members representing hunting, fishing, and 
  3.16  wildlife interests appointed by the senate subcommittee on 
  3.17  committees of the committee on rules and administration; 
  3.18     (4) four public members representing hunting, fishing, and 
  3.19  wildlife interests appointed by the speaker of the house; and 
  3.20     (5) three public members appointed by the governor 
  3.21  representing hunting, fishing, and wildlife interests. 
  3.22     (b) Legislative members appointed under paragraph (a), 
  3.23  clauses (1) and (2), serve as nonvoting members.  One member 
  3.24  from the senate and one member from the house must be from the 
  3.25  minority caucus.  Legislative members are entitled to 
  3.26  reimbursement for per diem expenses plus travel expenses 
  3.27  incurred in the services of the council.  The compensation and 
  3.28  removal of public members are as provided in section 15.0575. 
  3.29     (c) Members shall elect a chair, vice chair, secretary, and 
  3.30  other officers as determined by the council.  The chair may 
  3.31  convene meetings as necessary to conduct the duties prescribed 
  3.32  by this section. 
  3.33     (d) Membership terms are two years, except that members 
  3.34  shall serve on the council until their successors are appointed. 
  3.35     (e) Vacancies occurring on the council do not affect the 
  3.36  authority of the remaining members of the council to carry out 
  4.1   their duties.  Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as 
  4.2   under paragraph (a). 
  4.3      Subd. 3.  [DUTIES OF THE COUNCIL AND COMMISSIONER.] (a) The 
  4.4   council, in consultation with local fishing, hunting, and 
  4.5   wildlife groups, and with appropriate public meetings statewide, 
  4.6   must produce a master plan, by July 1, 2005, with goals and 
  4.7   guidelines to sustain natural resources for outdoor recreation 
  4.8   purposes for current and future generations of Minnesotans.  
  4.9      (b) The council must update the master plan every five 
  4.10  years.  The council, in consultation with local fishing, 
  4.11  hunting, and wildlife groups, shall develop a biennial budget 
  4.12  plan for expenditures from the heritage enhancement fund based 
  4.13  on the master plan in paragraph (a).  Until 2010 the council 
  4.14  must recommend at least five percent each year for fish 
  4.15  stocking.  The biennial budget plan may include grants to local 
  4.16  fishing, hunting, and wildlife groups to improve, enhance, or 
  4.17  protect fish and wildlife resources. 
  4.18     (c) In the biennial budget submitted to the legislature, 
  4.19  the governor shall submit separate budget detail for planned 
  4.20  expenditures from the heritage enhancement fund as recommended 
  4.21  by the council. 
  4.22     (d) The commissioner shall submit a work program and 
  4.23  quarterly progress reports for appropriations from the heritage 
  4.24  enhancement fund to the members of the heritage enhancement 
  4.25  council in the form determined by the council.  
  4.26     Subd. 4.  [COUNCIL ADMINISTRATION.] (a) The council may 
  4.27  employ personnel and contract with consultants as necessary to 
  4.28  carry out functions and duties of the council.  Permanent 
  4.29  employees shall be in the unclassified service.  The council may 
  4.30  request staff assistance, legal opinion, and data from agencies 
  4.31  of state government as needed for the execution of the 
  4.32  responsibilities of the council and an agency must promptly 
  4.33  furnish the requested assistance or data. 
  4.34     (b) The administrative expenses of the council shall be 
  4.35  paid from the heritage enhancement fund. 
  4.36     (c) A council member or an employee of the council may not 
  5.1   participate in or vote on a decision of the council relating to 
  5.2   an organization in which the member or employee has either a 
  5.3   direct or indirect personal financial interest.  While serving 
  5.4   on or employed by the council, a person shall avoid any 
  5.5   potential conflict of interest. 
  5.6      Sec. 2.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  5.7      Section 1, except subdivision 2, which is effective July 1, 
  5.8   2003, is effective July 1, 2005, if the constitutional amendment 
  5.9   proposed in article 1 is adopted by the voters.