HF 712

as introduced - 88th Legislature (2013 - 2014) Posted on 02/28/2013 12:51pm

A bill for an act
relating to tourism; motor vehicles; modifying the deposit of revenues from the
rental motor vehicles tax; amending Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 297A.94.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 297A.94, is amended to read:

297A.94 DEPOSIT OF REVENUES.

(a) Except as provided in this section, the commissioner shall deposit the revenues,
including interest and penalties, derived from the taxes imposed by this chapter in the state
treasury and credit them to the general fund.

(b) The commissioner shall deposit taxes in the Minnesota agricultural and economic
account in the special revenue fund if:

(1) the taxes are derived from sales and use of property and services purchased for
the construction and operation of an agricultural resource project; and

(2) the purchase was made on or after the date on which a conditional commitment
was made for a loan guaranty for the project under section 41A.04, subdivision 3.

The commissioner of management and budget shall certify to the commissioner the date
on which the project received the conditional commitment. The amount deposited in
the loan guaranty account must be reduced by any refunds and by the costs incurred by
the Department of Revenue to administer and enforce the assessment and collection of
the taxes.

(c) The commissioner shall deposit the revenues, including interest and penalties,
derived from the taxes imposed on sales and purchases included in section 297A.61,
subdivision 3, paragraph (g), clauses (1) and (4), in the state treasury, and credit them
as follows:

(1) first to the general obligation special tax bond debt service account in each fiscal
year the amount required by section 16A.661, subdivision 3, paragraph (b); and

(2) after the requirements of clause (1) have been met, the balance to the general fund.

(d) The commissioner shall deposit the revenues, including interest and penalties,
collected under section 297A.64, deleted text begin subdivision 5, deleted text end new text begin in the following manner:
new text end

new text begin (1) revenues derived from the taxes imposed on the lease or rental of a motor vehicle
under section 297A.64, subdivision 1, shall be deposited in the state treasury and credited
to Explore Minnesota Tourism for the purposes described in chapter 116U; and
new text end

new text begin (2) revenues derived from the payment of excess fees under section 297A.64,
subdivision 5, shall be deposited new text end in the state treasury and deleted text begin credit them deleted text end new text begin credited new text end to the
general fund. By July 15 of each year the commissioner shall transfer to the highway user
tax distribution fund an amount equal to the excess fees collected under section 297A.64,
subdivision 5, for the previous calendar year.

(e) For fiscal year 2001, 97 percent; for fiscal years 2002 and 2003, 87 percent; and
for fiscal year 2004 and thereafter, 72.43 percent of the revenues, including interest and
penalties, transmitted to the commissioner under section 297A.65, must be deposited by
the commissioner in the state treasury as follows:

(1) 50 percent of the receipts must be deposited in the heritage enhancement account
in the game and fish fund, and may be spent only on activities that improve, enhance, or
protect fish and wildlife resources, including conservation, restoration, and enhancement
of land, water, and other natural resources of the state;

(2) 22.5 percent of the receipts must be deposited in the natural resources fund, and
may be spent only for state parks and trails;

(3) 22.5 percent of the receipts must be deposited in the natural resources fund, and
may be spent only on metropolitan park and trail grants;

(4) three percent of the receipts must be deposited in the natural resources fund, and
may be spent only on local trail grants; and

(5) two percent of the receipts must be deposited in the natural resources fund,
and may be spent only for the Minnesota Zoological Garden, the Como Park Zoo and
Conservatory, and the Duluth Zoo.

(f) The revenue dedicated under paragraph (e) may not be used as a substitute
for traditional sources of funding for the purposes specified, but the dedicated revenue
shall supplement traditional sources of funding for those purposes. Land acquired with
money deposited in the game and fish fund under paragraph (e) must be open to public
hunting and fishing during the open season, except that in aquatic management areas or
on lands where angling easements have been acquired, fishing may be prohibited during
certain times of the year and hunting may be prohibited. At least 87 percent of the money
deposited in the game and fish fund for improvement, enhancement, or protection of fish
and wildlife resources under paragraph (e) must be allocated for field operations.

(g) The revenues deposited under paragraphs (a) to (f) do not include the revenues,
including interest and penalties, generated by the sales tax imposed under section
297A.62, subdivision 1a, which must be deposited as provided under the Minnesota
Constitution, article XI, section 15.

Sec. 2. new text begin EXPLORE MINNESOTA TOURISM; APPROPRIATIONS FOR
2014-2015 AND FUTURE BIENNIUMS.
new text end

new text begin For fiscal years 2014 and 2015 and future bienniums, the general fund appropriation
to Explore Minnesota Tourism shall be taken from the proceeds of the motor vehicle
rental tax in Minnesota Statutes, section 297A.94, paragraph (d), clause (1), and not from
any other general fund revenue.
new text end