HF 2285

4th Engrossment - 85th Legislature (2007 - 2008) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to constitutional amendments; proposing an amendment to the Minnesota
Constitution, article XI; increasing the sales tax rate by three-eighths of one
percent and dedicating the receipts for natural resource and cultural heritage
purposes; creating an outdoor heritage fund; creating a parks and trails fund;
creating a clean water fund; creating an arts and cultural heritage fund.

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

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

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

new text begin Sec. 15. new text end

new text begin Beginning July 1, 2009, until June 30, 2034, the sales and use tax rate shall be
increased by three-eighths of one percent on sales and uses taxable under the general state
sales and use tax law. Receipts from the increase, plus penalties and interest and reduced
by any refunds, are dedicated, for the benefit of Minnesotans, to the following funds: 33
percent of the receipts shall be deposited in the outdoor heritage fund and may be spent
only to restore, protect, and enhance wetlands, prairies, forests, and habitat for fish, game,
and wildlife; 33 percent of the receipts shall be deposited in the clean water fund and may
be spent only to protect, enhance, and restore water quality in lakes, rivers, and streams
and to protect groundwater from degradation, and at least five percent of the clean water
fund must be spent only to protect drinking water sources; 14.25 percent of the receipts
shall be deposited in the parks and trails fund and may be spent only to support parks and
trails of regional or statewide significance; and 19.75 percent shall be deposited in the arts
and cultural heritage fund and may be spent only for arts, arts education, and arts access
and to preserve Minnesota's history and cultural heritage. An outdoor heritage fund; a
parks and trails fund; a clean water fund and a sustainable drinking water account; and
an arts and cultural heritage fund are created in the state treasury. The money dedicated
under this section shall be appropriated by law. The dedicated money under this section
must supplement traditional sources of funding for these purposes and may not be used
as a substitute. Land acquired by fee with money deposited in the outdoor heritage fund
under this section must be open to the public taking of fish and game during the open
season unless otherwise provided by law. If the base of the sales and use tax is changed,
the sales and use tax rate in this section may be proportionally adjusted by law to within
one-thousandth of one percent in order to provide as close to the same amount of revenue
as practicable for each fund as existed before the change to the sales and use tax.
new text end

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

new text begin (a) The proposed amendment shall be submitted to the people at the 2008 general
election. The question submitted shall be:
new text end

new text begin "Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to dedicate funding to protect our
drinking water sources; to protect, enhance, and restore our wetlands, prairies, forests,
and fish, game, and wildlife habitat; to preserve our arts and cultural heritage; to support
our parks and trails; and to protect, enhance, and restore our lakes, rivers, streams,
and groundwater by increasing the sales and use tax rate beginning July 1, 2009, by
three-eighths of one percent on taxable sales until the year 2034?
new text end

new text begin Yes ....... new text end

new text begin No ......." 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 "Clean Water, Wildlife,
Cultural Heritage, and Natural Areas."
new text end