HF 679

as introduced - 90th Legislature (2017 - 2018) Posted on 02/01/2017 11:07am

A bill for an act
relating to natural resources; prohibiting use of money from parks and trails fund
to acquire property by eminent domain; amending Minnesota Statutes 2016, section
85.53, subdivision 2.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 85.53, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

Expenditures; accountability.

(a) A project or program receiving funding
from the parks and trails fund must meet or exceed the constitutional requirement to support
parks and trails of regional or statewide significance. A project or program receiving funding
from the parks and trails fund must include measurable outcomes, as defined in section
3.303, subdivision 10, and a plan for measuring and evaluating the results. A project or
program must be consistent with current science and incorporate state-of-the-art technology,
except when the project or program is a portrayal or restoration of historical significance.

(b) Money from the parks and trails fund shall be expended to balance the benefits across
all regions and residents of the state.

(c) A state agency or other recipient of a direct appropriation from the parks and trails
fund must compile and submit all information for funded projects or programs, including
the proposed measurable outcomes and all other items required under section 3.303,
subdivision 10, to the Legislative Coordinating Commission as soon as practicable or by
January 15 of the applicable fiscal year, whichever comes first. The Legislative Coordinating
Commission must post submitted information on the Web site required under section 3.303,
subdivision 10, as soon as it becomes available.

(d) Grants funded by the parks and trails fund must be implemented according to section
16B.98 and must account for all expenditures. Proposals must specify a process for any
regranting envisioned. Priority for grant proposals must be given to proposals involving
grants that will be competitively awarded.

(e) Money from the parks and trails fund may only be spent on projects located in
Minnesota.

(f) When practicable, a direct recipient of an appropriation from the parks and trails fund
shall prominently display on the recipient's Web site home page the legacy logo required
under Laws 2009, chapter 172, article 5, section 10, as amended by Laws 2010, chapter
361, article 3, section 5, accompanied by the phrase "Click here for more information."
When a person clicks on the legacy logo image, the Web site must direct the person to a
Web page that includes both the contact information that a person may use to obtain
additional information, as well as a link to the Legislative Coordinating Commission Web
site required under section 3.303, subdivision 10.

(g) Future eligibility for money from the parks and trails fund is contingent upon a state
agency or other recipient satisfying all applicable requirements in this section, as well as
any additional requirements contained in applicable session law. If the Office of the
Legislative Auditor, in the course of an audit or investigation, publicly reports that a recipient
of money from the parks and trails fund has not complied with the laws, rules, or regulations
in this section or other laws applicable to the recipient, the recipient must be listed in an
annual report to the legislative committees with jurisdiction over the legacy funds. The list
must be publicly available. The legislative auditor shall remove a recipient from the list
upon determination that the recipient is in compliance. A recipient on the list is not eligible
for future funding from the parks and trails fund until the recipient demonstrates compliance
to the legislative auditor.

(h) Any state agency or organization requesting a direct appropriation from the parks
and trails fund must inform the house of representatives and senate committees having
jurisdiction over the parks and trails fund, at the time the request for funding is made,
whether the request is supplanting or is a substitution for any previous funding that was not
from a legacy fund and was used for the same purpose.

new text begin (i) Money appropriated from the parks and trails fund must not be spent to acquire
property by eminent domain or to acquire property that has previously been acquired by
eminent domain.
new text end