HF 1900

as introduced - 93rd Legislature (2023 - 2024) Posted on 03/09/2023 08:27pm

A bill for an act
relating to natural resources; proposing an amendment to the Minnesota
Constitution, article XI, section 14; providing for the renewal of the environment
and natural resources trust fund; amending Minnesota Statutes 2022, section
349A.08, subdivision 5.

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

ARTICLE 1

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT

Section 1. new text begin CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT PROPOSED.
new text end

new text begin An amendment to the Minnesota Constitution is proposed to the people. If the amendment
is adopted, article XI, section 14, will read:
new text end

Sec. 14.

A permanent environment and natural resources trust fund is established in the
state treasury. deleted text begin Loans may be made of up to five percent of the principal of the fund for water
system improvements as provided by law. deleted text end The assets of the fund shall be appropriated by
law for the public purpose of protection, conservation, preservation, and enhancement of
the state's air, water, land, fish, wildlife, and other natural resources. new text begin The assets of the fund
shall not be used to pay the principal or interest of any bonds. The assets of the fund shall
not be used to pay for any costs related to the construction, repair, improvement, or operation
of any facility or system that processes wastewater, but may be used to pay for research
related to wastewater. new text end The amount appropriated each year of a biennium, commencing on
July 1 in each odd-numbered year and ending on and including June 30 in the next
odd-numbered year, may be up to deleted text begin 5-1/2 deleted text end new text begin seven new text end percent of the market value of the fund on
June 30 one year before the start of the biennium. Not less than deleted text begin 40 deleted text end new text begin 50 new text end percent of the net
proceeds from any state-operated lottery must be credited to the fund deleted text begin until the year 2025 deleted text end .

Sec. 2. new text begin SUBMISSION TO VOTERS.
new text end

new text begin (a) The proposed amendment must be submitted to the people at the 2024 general election.
The question submitted must be:
new text end

new text begin "Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to protect drinking water sources; protect
the water quality of lakes, rivers, and streams; and protect forests to improve air quality,
wildlife habitat, natural areas, parks, and trails by extending the transfer of proceeds from
the state-operated lottery to the environment and natural resources trust fund, to increase
the portion of lottery proceeds transferred to the fund from the lottery from 40 to 50 percent,
and to limit the uses of trust fund money?
new text end

	new text begin Yes . new text end
	new text begin No . new text end	new text begin " new text end

new text begin (b) The title required under Minnesota Statutes, section 204D.15, subdivision 1, for the
question submitted to the people under paragraph (a) shall be: "Environment and Natural
Resources Trust Fund Renewal."
new text end

ARTICLE 2

STATUTORY CHANGE

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 349A.08, subdivision 5, is amended to read:

Subd. 5.

Payment; unclaimed prizes.

A prize in the state lottery must be claimed by
the winner within one year of the date of the drawing at which the prize was awarded or
the last day sales were authorized for a game where a prize was determined in a manner
other than by means of a drawing. If a valid claim is not made for a prize payable directly
by the lottery by the end of this period, the prize money is considered unclaimed and the
winner of the prize shall have no further claim to the prize. A prize won by a person who
purchased the winning ticket in violation of section 349A.12, subdivision 1, or won by a
person ineligible to be awarded a prize under subdivision 7 must be treated as an unclaimed
prize under this section. The director must transfer all unclaimed prize money at the end of
each fiscal year from the lottery cash flow account to the deleted text begin general deleted text end new text begin environment and natural
resources trust new text end fund.