1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to natural resources; modifying use of critical habitat private sector 
1.3 	matching account; requiring reports; appropriating money;amending Minnesota 
1.4 	Statutes 2022, section 84.943, subdivision 5, by adding subdivisions.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 84.943, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
1.7 		Subd. 5.Pledges and contributions. (a) The commissioner of natural resources may 
1.8 	accept contributions and pledges to the critical habitat private sector matching account. A 
1.9 	pledge that is made contingent on an appropriation is acceptable and shall must be reported 
1.10 	with other pledges as required in this section. The commissioner may agree to match a 
1.11 	contribution contingent on a future appropriation. In the budget request for each biennium, 
1.12 	the commissioner shall must report the balance of contributions in the account and the 
1.13 	amount that has been pledged for payment in the succeeding two calendar years.
1.14 	(b) Money in the account is appropriated to the commissioner of natural resources only 
1.15 	for the direct acquisition, restoration, or enhancement of land or interests in land as provided 
1.16 	in section 84.944. Acquisition includes:
1.17 	(1) purchase of land or an interest in land by the commissioner; or
1.18 	(2) acceptance by the commissioner of gifts of land or interests in land as program 
1.19 	projects.
1.20 	(c) (b) To the extent of available appropriations other than bond proceeds, the money 
1.21 	matched to the nongame wildlife management account may be used for:
1.22 	(1) the management of nongame wildlife projects as specified in section 290.431;
2.1 	(2) restoration and enhancement activities for critical natural habitat; or
2.2 	(3) monitoring and evaluation activities for rare resources and native plant communities 
2.3 	that inform the management of critical natural habitat.
2.4 	No more than 30 percent of the nongame wildlife management account appropriations each 
2.5 	fiscal year may be used to match money from the critical habitat private sector matching 
2.6 	account for monitoring and evaluation activities.

2.7 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 84.943, is amended by adding a subdivision to 
2.8 	read:
2.9 		Subd. 6.Expenditures. Money in the account is appropriated to the commissioner and 
2.10 	may be expended only as follows:
2.11 	(1) revenue from license plates depicting big game, turkey, or pheasant or license plates 
2.12 	not otherwise specified under this subdivision must be used:
2.13 	(i) to acquire, restore, or enhance land or interests in land as provided in section 84.944;
2.14 	(ii) for acceptance by the commissioner of gifts of land or interests in land as program 
2.15 	projects; or
2.16 	(iii) to inventory and monitor lands acquired under this section;
2.17 	(2) revenue from license plates depicting a loon, chickadee, or lady slipper must be used 
2.18 	in addition to appropriations from the nongame wildlife management account for the purposes 
2.19 	specified in section 290.431;
2.20 	(3) revenue from license plates depicting anglers or fish must be used for aquatic 
2.21 	management area purposes under section 86A.05, subdivision 14, including acquisition, 
2.22 	development, and restoration;
2.23 	(4) revenue from license plates depicting bees or other pollinators must be transferred 
2.24 	to the Board of Water and Soil Resources for grants or payments under section 103B.104; 
2.25 	and
2.26 	(5) private contributions and other revenue must be used for the purposes under clause 
2.27 	(1), unless the donor specifies another purpose under this subdivision.

3.1 	Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 84.943, is amended by adding a subdivision to 
3.2 	read:
3.3 		Subd. 7.Report. By January 15, 2026, and every two years thereafter, the commissioner 
3.4 	must report on the expenditure of money during the previous biennium from the critical 
3.5 	habitat private sector matching account and the nongame wildlife management account. 
3.6 	The commissioner must submit the report to the chairs and ranking minority members of 
3.7 	the legislative committees and divisions with jurisdiction over environment and natural 
3.8 	resources.