HF 1612

as introduced - 86th Legislature (2009 - 2010) Posted on 02/09/2010 01:53am

A bill for an act
relating to natural resources; establishing the Minnesota Naturalist Corps;
appropriating money for Minnesota Naturalist Corps, additional state park
naturalists, and information centers and kiosks in state parks; proposing coding
for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 84.

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

Section 1.

new text begin [84.992] MINNESOTA NATURALIST CORPS.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Establishment. new text end

new text begin The Minnesota Naturalist Corps is established under
the direct control and supervision of the commissioner of natural resources.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Program. new text end

new text begin The commissioner of natural resources shall develop a program
for the Minnesota Naturalist Corps that provides:
new text end

new text begin (1) opportunities for environmental education for members of the Minnesota
Naturalist Corps that also enhance the department's ability to provide naturalist services to
state park visitors, including but not limited to:
new text end

new text begin (i) sharing information one-on-one with park visitors;
new text end

new text begin (ii) enhancing public awareness, understanding, appreciation, and wise and
sustainable use of the environment;
new text end

new text begin (iii) providing interpretation for visitors of the natural and cultural features of state
parks;
new text end

new text begin (iv) conducting educational programs, such as nature hikes and walks; slide shows;
campfire programs; and auto, bike, and canoe caravans;
new text end

new text begin (v) planning and leading educational programs;
new text end

new text begin (vi) developing educational displays and other materials;
new text end

new text begin (vii) participating in the department's resource management activities; and
new text end

new text begin (viii) assisting park naturalists;
new text end

new text begin (2) ways in which exclusive bargaining representatives are to be involved in the
planning and implementation of positions and job duties of persons employed by the corps;
new text end

new text begin (3) methods for coordinating the programs of the Minnesota Naturalist Corps with
other publicly authorized programs;
new text end

new text begin (4) standards of conduct and other operating guidelines for Minnesota Naturalist
Corps members; and
new text end

new text begin (5) preference for projects that provide long-term benefits to the public, productive
work and public service experience to Minnesota Naturalist Corps members, and a
significant return on taxpayer investment.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Training and mentoring. new text end

new text begin The commissioner must develop and implement
a training program that adequately prepares Minnesota Naturalist Corps members for the
tasks assigned. Each corps member shall be assigned a state park naturalist as a mentor.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Uniform patch. new text end

new text begin Uniforms worn by members of the Minnesota Naturalist
Corps must have a patch that includes the name of the Minnesota Naturalist Corps and
information that the program is funded by the clean water, land, and legacy amendment to
the Minnesota Constitution adopted by the voters in November 2008.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Eligibility. new text end

new text begin A person is eligible to enroll in the Minnesota Naturalist
Corps if the person:
new text end

new text begin (1) is a permanent resident of the state;
new text end

new text begin (2) is a participant in an approved college internship program; and
new text end

new text begin (3) has completed at least one year of postsecondary education.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Corps member status. new text end

new text begin Minnesota Naturalist Corps members are not
eligible for unemployment benefits if their services are excluded under section 268.035,
subdivision 20, and are not eligible for other benefits except workers' compensation. The
corps members are not employees of the state within the meaning of section 43A.02,
subdivision 21.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 7. new text end

new text begin Employee displacement. new text end

new text begin The commissioner must certify that the
assignment of Minnesota Naturalist Corps members will not result in the displacement of
currently employed workers or workers on seasonal layoff or layoff from a substantially
equivalent position, including partial displacement such as reduction in hours of
nonovertime work, wages, or other employment benefits. The department may not
terminate, lay off, reduce the seasonal hours, or reduce the working hours of any employee
for the purpose of using a corps member with available funds.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin APPROPRIATION; MINNESOTA NATURALIST CORPS.
new text end

new text begin $270,000 in fiscal year 2010 and $270,000 in fiscal year 2011 are appropriated
from the parks and trails fund to the commissioner of natural resources to place 30 corps
members each year under the Minnesota Naturalist Corps established under Minnesota
Statutes, section 84.992.
new text end

Sec. 3. new text begin APPROPRIATION; STATE PARK NATURALISTS.
new text end

new text begin $640,000 in fiscal year 2010 and $640,000 in fiscal year 2011 are appropriated from
the parks and trails fund to the commissioner of natural resources to hire eight additional
full-time equivalent naturalists for state parks to provide environmental education and
outreach to visitors and schools.
new text end

Sec. 4. new text begin APPROPRIATION; STATE PARK INFORMATION CENTERS AND
KIOSKS.
new text end

new text begin $760,000 in fiscal year 2010 is appropriated from the parks and trails fund to the
commissioner of natural resources to construct information centers and kiosks in state
parks. Of this appropriation, $400,000 is for a pilot project to construct four information
centers, one in each of the four regions of the state, that include self-registration equipment
and touch screen displays; $200,000 is to construct four electronic information kiosks,
one in each of the four regions of the state, that include touch screen displays; and
$160,000 is to construct eight information kiosks near campgrounds and day use areas,
two in each region of the state, used to display maps, policies, and other information.
The commissioner of natural resources shall display a sign that identifies each project
funded under this section as a project funded with money from the clean water, land, and
legacy amendment to the Minnesota Constitution passed by the voters of Minnesota on
November 4, 2008.
new text end