1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to natural resources; designating the Core Moose Range; establishing a 
1.3 	Moose Co-Stewardship Committee and moose restoration and research account; 
1.4 	requiring a report; providing rulemaking authority; transferring and appropriating 
1.5 	money;amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 97B.505; proposing coding 
1.6 	for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 97B.
1.7 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.8 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 97B.505, is amended to read:
1.9 	97B.505 MOOSE SEASON AND RESTRICTIONS.
1.10 	(a) The commissioner may, by rule, prescribe the open a bull-only moose season and 
1.11 	the areas and conditions for the taking of moose. when:
1.12 	(1) population size, survival, and recruitment thresholds are met;
1.13 	(2) habitat indices indicate sustained capacity; and
1.14 	(3) the Moose Co-Stewardship Committee approves the harvest quota.
1.15 	(b) A harvest quota must be jointly reviewed annually by Tribal biologists and Department 
1.16 	of Natural Resources biologists.
1.17 	(c) The commissioner may, by rule, prescribe processes for awarding moose licenses, 
1.18 	including lotteries and auctions.

2.1 	Sec. 2. [97B.512] MOOSE CO-STEWARDSHIP.
2.2 		Subdivision 1.Core Moose Range; designation. (a) The 1854 Ceded Territory is 
2.3 	designated as Minnesota's Core Moose Range. The commissioner must manage moose as 
2.4 	a priority species within the Core Moose Range.
2.5 	(b) The commissioner, commissioner of the Pollution Control Agency, Board of Water 
2.6 	and Soil Resources, and Environmental Quality Board must align land, forest, wildlife, and 
2.7 	climate policies within the Core Moose Range to support moose restoration and ecosystem 
2.8 	health.
2.9 		Subd. 2.Moose Co-Stewardship Committee. The commissioner must establish a Moose 
2.10 	Co-Stewardship Committee. The committee must include members representing:
2.11 	(1) the Department of Natural Resources;
2.12 	(2) the 1854 Treaty Authority;
2.13 	(3) the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa;
2.14 	(4) the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa;
2.15 	(5) the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa;
2.16 	(6) federal land management agencies;
2.17 	(7) conservation organizations; and
2.18 	(8) the timber and forest products industry.
2.19 		Subd. 3.Duties. The Moose Co-Stewardship Committee must:
2.20 	(1) develop and maintain a management plan for the Core Moose Range;
2.21 	(2) coordinate moose habitat restoration and monitoring;
2.22 	(3) review moose population data and harvest recommendations annually; and
2.23 	(4) ensure decisions reflect best available science and Indigenous knowledge.
2.24 		Subd. 4.Moose restoration and research account. The moose restoration and research 
2.25 	account is created in the game and fish fund. Revenue from moose licenses, moose license 
2.26 	auctions, and moose license lotteries must be credited to the moose restoration and research 
2.27 	account and is appropriated to the commissioner for:
2.28 	(1) moose research;
2.29 	(2) moose habitat restoration and enhancement;
3.1 	(3) moose monitoring; and
3.2 	(4) expenses of the Moose Co-Stewardship Committee and other moose co-stewardship 
3.3 	activities.
3.4 		Subd. 5.Report. By January 15 each year, the commissioner must submit a report to 
3.5 	the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction 
3.6 	over environment and natural resources detailing moose:
3.7 	(1) population trends;
3.8 	(2) habitat restoration outcomes:
3.9 	(3) economic impacts; and
3.10 	(4) co-stewardship activities.

3.11 	Sec. 3. TRANSFER.
 3.12 	$....... in fiscal year 2027 is transferred from the general fund to the commissioner of 
3.13 	natural resources to the moose habitat restoration and research account. This is a onetime 
3.14 	transfer.