1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to natural resources; providing for enhanced
1.3 	roadside wildlife habitat; establishing a fee for
1.4 	permits to field train dogs; appropriating money;
1.5 	amending Minnesota Statutes 2004, sections 97B.005,
1.6 	subdivisions 1, 3, 4, by adding a subdivision; 160.232.
1.7 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.8 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 97B.005,
1.9 	subdivision 1, is amended to read:
1.10 		Subdivision 1.Field training; permit required for
1.11 	certain period.  A person may not train hunting dogs afield from
1.12 	April 16 to July 14 except by special permit.  The commissioner
1.13 	may issue a special permit, without a fee,to train hunting dogs
1.14 	afield on land owned by the trainer or on land that the owner
1.15 	provides written permission.  The written permission must be
1.16 	carried in personal possession of the trainer while training the
1.17 	dogs.

1.18 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 97B.005,
1.19 	subdivision 3, is amended to read:
1.20 		Subd. 3.Permits for organizations and individuals to use
1.21 	game birds and firearms.  The commissioner may issue special
1.22 	permits, without a fee,to organizations and individuals to use
1.23 	firearms and live ammunition on domesticated birds or banded
1.24 	game birds from game farms for holding field trials and training
1.25 	hunting dogs.

1.26 	Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 97B.005,
2.1 	subdivision 4, is amended to read:
2.2 		Subd. 4.Use of raccoons.  The commissioner may issue
2.3 	special permits, without a fee,to possess one raccoon to train
2.4 	dogs for raccoon hunting.

2.5 	Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 97B.005, is
2.6 	amended by adding a subdivision to read:
2.7 		Subd. 5.Permit fee. The commissioner shall assess a fee
2.8 	of $30 for permits issued under this section.  Permit fees
2.9 	collected under this section shall be deposited in the game and
2.10 	fish fund and are appropriated to the commissioner for the
2.11 	roadsides for wildlife program.

2.12 	Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 160.232, is
2.13 	amended to read:
2.14 	160.232 MOWING DITCHES OUTSIDE CITIES.
2.15 	(a) To provide enhanced roadside habitat for nesting birds
2.16 	and other small wildlife,road authorities may not mow or till
2.17 	the right-of-way of a highway located outside of a home rule
2.18 	charter or statutory city except as allowed in this section and
2.19 	section 160.23.
2.20 	(b) On any highway, the first eight feet away from the road
2.21 	surface, or shoulder if one exists, may be mowed at any time.
2.22 	(c) An entire right-of-way may be mowed after July 31.
2.23 	From August 31 to the following July 31, the entire right-of-way
2.24 	may only be mowed if necessary for safety reasons, and but may
2.25 	not be mowed to a height of less than 12 inches.
2.26 	(d) A right-of-way may be mowed as necessary to maintain
2.27 	sight distance for safety and may be mowed at other times under
2.28 	rules of the commissioner, or by ordinance of a local road
2.29 	authority not conflicting with the rules of the commissioner.
2.30 	(e) A right-of-way may be mowed, burned, or tilled to
2.31 	prepare the right-of-way for the establishment of permanent
2.32 	vegetative cover or for prairie vegetation management.
2.33 	(f) When feasible, road authorities are encouraged to
2.34 	utilize low maintenance, native vegetation that reduces the need
2.35 	to mow, provides wildlife habitat, and maintains public safety.
2.36 	(g) The commissioner of natural resources shall cooperate
3.1 	with the commissioner of transportation to provide enhanced
3.2 	roadside habitat for nesting birds and other small wildlife.

3.3 	Sec. 6. APPROPRIATION.
 3.4 	$....... in fiscal year 2006 and $....... in fiscal year
3.5 	2007 are appropriated to the commissioner of natural resources
3.6 	from the game and fish fund for coordination and implementation
3.7 	of the roadsides for wildlife program, including roadside
3.8 	wildlife management training for road managers and adjacent
3.9 	landowners, development of local partnerships to maximize
3.10 	roadside habitat benefits, identification and cataloguing of
3.11 	existing and needed technical resources, and development of a
3.12 	steering group to monitor the progress of the program and
3.13 	identify and resolve issues of concern for wildlife management
3.14 	in roadsides.  Of these amounts, $....... each year is from the
3.15 	waterfowl habitat improvement account under Minnesota Statutes,
3.16 	section 97A.075, subdivision 2, and $....... each year is from
3.17 	the pheasant habitat improvement account under Minnesota
3.18 	Statutes, section 97A.075, subdivision 4.