1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to natural resources; clarifying prohibition on changing name of state water 
1.3 	that has existed for 40 years;amending Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 83A.05.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 83A.05, is amended to read:
1.6 	83A.05 CHANGING AND GIVING NAMES TO WATER BODIES.
1.7 		Subdivision 1.Applicability. A name of a lake, river, stream, or other body of water 
1.8 	may be given or changed only under sections 83A.05 to 83A.07 except that a name which 
1.9 	has existed for 40 years may not be changed under the provisions of sections 83A.05 to 
1.10 	83A.07 this chapter.
1.11 		Subd. 2.Petition for name. (a) Fifteen The commissioner of natural resources or 15 or 
1.12 	more legal voters residing in a county where all or a part of a body of water is located may 
1.13 	petition the county board of the county where the petitioners reside or the body of water is 
1.14 	located to change the name of or give a name to a previously unnamed lake, river, stream, 
1.15 	or other body of water located within the state.
1.16 	(b) The petition may include any number of lakes, rivers, streams, or other bodies of 
1.17 	water to have names changed, or if unnamed to be given a name by the county board.
1.18 	(c) The petition must describe:
1.19 	(1) the location of the body of water;
1.20 	(2) the name, if any, that the body of water has been referred to or known by, or if there 
1.21 	is not a name, it must be stated that a known name does not exist;
2.1 	(3) the name that the petitioners desire to be given to the body of water; and
2.2 	(4) the reason for the change of name or for giving the designated name to a previously 
2.3 	unnamed body of water.
2.4 	(d) The petitioners must sign their names and state their place of residence.
2.5 	(e) The petition must be filed with the auditor of the county where the petitioners reside 
2.6 	or the body of water is located.

2.7 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective retroactively from January 1, 2017.