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HF 2778

1st Engrossment - 93rd Legislature (2023 - 2024) Posted on 02/13/2024 04:12pm

KEY: stricken = removed, old language.
underscored = added, new language.
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A bill for an act
relating to natural resources; modifying the Legislative-Citizen Commission on
Minnesota Resources membership and terms; modifying availability of fund
disbursements; providing appointments; amending Minnesota Statutes 2022,
sections 116P.05, subdivisions 1, 1a, 2; 116P.09, subdivision 6; 116P.11.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 116P.05, subdivision 1, is amended to read:


Subdivision 1.

Membership.

(a) A Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota
Resources of deleted text begin 17deleted text end new text begin 19new text end members is created in the legislative branch, consisting of deleted text begin the chairs of
the house of representatives and senate committees on environment and natural resources
finance or designees appointed for the terms of the chairs, four members of the senate
appointed by the Subcommittee on Committees of the Committee on Rules and
Administration, and four members of the house of representatives appointed by the speaker
deleted text end new text begin
ten legislative members and nine citizen members
new text end .

deleted text begin (b) At least two members from the senate and two members from the house of
representatives must be from the minority caucus. Members are entitled to reimbursement
for per diem expenses plus travel expenses incurred in the services of the commission.
deleted text end

new text begin (b) The legislative members of the commission consist of:
new text end

new text begin (1) three members of the house of representatives appointed by the speaker of the house,
including the chair of the environment and natural resources finance committee or the chair's
designee;
new text end

new text begin (2) three members of the senate appointed by the senate majority leader, including the
chair of the environment and natural resources finance committee or the chair's designee;
new text end

new text begin (3) two members of the house of representatives appointed by the house minority leader;
and
new text end

new text begin (4) two members of the senate appointed by the senate minority leader.
new text end

(c) deleted text begin Seven citizens aredeleted text end new text begin The citizennew text end members of the commissiondeleted text begin , fivedeleted text end new text begin consist of:
new text end

new text begin (1) four membersnew text end appointed by the governordeleted text begin , onedeleted text end new text begin ;
new text end

new text begin (2) two membersnew text end appointed by the Senate Subcommittee on Committees of the Committee
on Rules and Administrationdeleted text begin , anddeleted text end new text begin ;
new text end

new text begin (3) two membersnew text end appointed by the speaker of the housedeleted text begin . Thedeleted text end new text begin ; and
new text end

new text begin (4) one member appointed by the governor as recommended by the Tribal government
representatives of the Indian Affairs Council.
new text end

new text begin (d) Anew text end citizen deleted text begin members are selected and recommended to the appointing authorities
according to subdivision 1a and
deleted text end new text begin membernew text end must:

(1) have experience or expertise in the science, policy, or practice of the protection,
conservation, preservation, and enhancement of the state's air, water, land, fish, wildlife,
and other natural resources;

(2) have strong knowledge in the state's environment and natural resource issues around
the state; deleted text begin and
deleted text end

(3) have demonstrated ability to work in a collaborative environmentnew text begin ; and
new text end

new text begin (4) not be a registered lobbyistnew text end .

deleted text begin (d)deleted text end new text begin (e)new text end Members deleted text begin shalldeleted text end new text begin mustnew text end develop procedures to elect a chair that rotates between
legislative and citizen members each meeting. A citizen member, a senate member, and a
house of representatives member shall serve as chairs. The citizen members, senate members,
and house of representatives members must select their respective chairs. The chair deleted text begin shalldeleted text end new text begin
must
new text end preside and convene meetings as often as necessary to conduct duties prescribed by
this chapter.

deleted text begin (e)deleted text end new text begin (f)new text end Appointed legislative members deleted text begin shalldeleted text end serve on the commission for two-year terms,
beginning in January of each odd-numbered year and continuing through the end of December
of the next even-numbered year. Appointed citizen members deleted text begin shalldeleted text end serve four-year terms,
beginning in January of the first year and continuing through the end of December of the
final year. Citizen and legislative members continue to serve until their successors are
appointed.

deleted text begin (f)deleted text end new text begin (g)new text end A citizen member may be removed by an appointing authority for cause. Vacancies
occurring on the commission deleted text begin shalldeleted text end new text begin donew text end not affect the authority of the remaining members of
the commission to carry out their duties, and vacancies deleted text begin shalldeleted text end new text begin mustnew text end be filled for the remainder
of the term in the same manner under paragraphs (a) to (c).

deleted text begin (g)deleted text end new text begin (h) Legislative members are entitled to reimbursement for per diem expenses plus
travel expenses incurred in the services of the commission.
new text end Citizen members are entitled to
per diem and reimbursement for expenses incurred in the services of the commission, as
provided in section 15.059, subdivision 3new text begin , except that a citizen member may be compensated
at the rate of up to $125 a day
new text end .

deleted text begin (h) The governor's appointments are subject to the advice and consent of the senate.
deleted text end

new text begin (i) A citizen member may serve no more than eight years, except as necessary to fill a
vacancy. A citizen member may not serve more than ten years if serving additional time to
fill a vacancy.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 116P.05, subdivision 1a, is amended to read:


Subd. 1a.

Citizen selection committee.

(a) The governor deleted text begin shalldeleted text end new text begin mustnew text end appoint a Trust
Fund Citizen Selection Committee of five members who come from different regions of
the state and who have knowledge and experience of state environment and natural resource
issuesnew text begin to provide recommendations for appointments under subdivision 1, paragraph (c),
clause (1)
new text end .

(b) The duties of the Trust Fund Citizen Selection Committee deleted text begin shall bedeleted text end new text begin arenew text end to:

(1) identify citizen candidates to be members of the commission as part of the open
appointments process under section 15.0597;

(2) request and review citizen candidate applications to be members of the commission;
and

(3) interview the citizen candidates and recommend an adequate pool of candidates to
be selected for commission membership by the governordeleted text begin , the senate, and the house of
representatives
deleted text end .

(c) Membersnew text begin serve three-year terms andnew text end are entitled to deleted text begin travel expenses incurred to fulfill
their duties under this subdivision as provided in section 15.059, subdivision 6
deleted text end new text begin the per diem
and reimbursement for expenses incurred in the services of the committee, as provided in
section 15.059, subdivision 3, except that a citizen selection committee member may be
compensated at the rate of up to $125 a day
new text end .

new text begin (d) A member appointed under this subdivision may not be a registered lobbyist.
new text end

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 116P.05, subdivision 2, is amended to read:


Subd. 2.

Duties.

(a) The commission deleted text begin shalldeleted text end new text begin mustnew text end recommend an annual or biennial
legislative bill for appropriations from the environment and natural resources trust fund and
deleted text begin shalldeleted text end new text begin mustnew text end adopt a strategic plan as provided in section 116P.08. new text begin Except as provided under
section 116P.09, subdivision 6, paragraph (b),
new text end approval of the recommended legislative bill
requires an affirmative vote of at least 12 members of the commission.

(b) It is a condition of acceptance of the appropriations made from the Minnesota
environment and natural resources trust fund, and oil overcharge money under section 4.071,
subdivision 2, that the agency or entity receiving the appropriation must submit a work plan
and annual or semiannual progress reports in the form determined by the Legislative-Citizen
Commission on Minnesota Resources, and comply with applicable reporting requirements
under section 116P.16. None of the money provided may be spent unless the commission
has approved the pertinent work plan. Modifications to the approved work plan and budget
expenditures deleted text begin shalldeleted text end new text begin mustnew text end be made through the amendment process established by the
commission. The commission deleted text begin shalldeleted text end new text begin mustnew text end ensure that the expenditures and outcomes described
in the work plan for appropriations funded by the environment and natural resources trust
fund are met.

(c) The peer review procedures created under section 116P.08 must also be used to
review, comment, and report to the commission on research proposals applying for an
appropriation from the oil overcharge money under section 4.071, subdivision 2.

(d) The commission may adopt operating procedures to fulfill its duties under this chapter.

(e) As part of the operating procedures, the commission deleted text begin shalldeleted text end new text begin mustnew text end :

(1) ensure that members' expectations are to participate in all meetings related to funding
decision recommendations;

(2) recommend adequate funding for increased citizen outreach and communications
for trust fund expenditure planning;

(3) allow administrative expenses as part of individual project expenditures based on
need;

(4) provide for project outcome evaluation;

(5) keep the grant application, administration, and review process as simple as possible;
and

(6) define and emphasize the leveraging of additional sources of money that project
proposers should consider when making trust fund proposals.

Sec. 4.

Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 116P.09, subdivision 6, is amended to read:


Subd. 6.

Conflict of interest.

new text begin (a) new text end A commission member, a technical advisory committee
member, a peer reviewer, or an employee of the commission may not participate in or vote
on a decision of the commission, advisory committee, or peer review relating to an
organization in which the member, peer reviewer, or employee has either a direct or indirect
personal financial interest. While serving on the commission or technical advisory committee
or as a peer reviewer or while an employee of the commission, a person deleted text begin shalldeleted text end new text begin mustnew text end avoid
any potential conflict of interest.

new text begin (b) A commission member may not vote on a motion regarding the final recommendations
of the commission required under section 116P.05, subdivision 2, paragraph (a), if the
motion relates to an organization in which the member has a direct personal financial interest.
If a commission member is prohibited from voting under this paragraph, the number of
affirmative votes required under section 116P.05, subdivision 2, paragraph (a), is reduced
by the number of members ineligible to vote under this paragraph.
new text end

Sec. 5.

Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 116P.11, is amended to read:


116P.11 AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS FOR DISBURSEMENT.

deleted text begin (a)deleted text end The amount annually available from the trust fund for the legislative bill developed
by the commission is as defined in the Minnesota Constitution, article XI, section 14.

deleted text begin (b) Any appropriated funds not encumbered in the biennium in which they are
appropriated cancel and must be credited to the principal of the trust fund.
deleted text end

Sec. 6. new text begin INITIAL CITIZEN APPOINTMENTS AND FIRST MEETING.
new text end

new text begin (a) Initial citizen appointments to the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota
Resources as amended in this act must be made by February 1, 2026. The first meeting of
the revised Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources must be convened by
the chair or a designee of the Legislative Coordinating Commission by June 15, 2026. The
Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources must select cochairs from its
membership at its first meeting.
new text end

new text begin (b) Citizen members of the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources
must initially be appointed according to the following schedule of terms:
new text end

new text begin (1) four citizen members appointed by the governor for a term ending the first Monday
in January 2028; and
new text end

new text begin (2) five citizen members appointed by the governor, including the member from a
federally recognized Tribe, for a term ending the first Monday in January 2030.
new text end

new text begin (c) Notwithstanding the law in effect at the time of their appointment, the terms of all
incumbent citizen members appointed before the effective date of this act are terminated
effective January 1, 2025. An incumbent citizen member whose appointment is terminated
by this paragraph may apply for reappointment as provided in this act.
new text end

Sec. 7. new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE.
new text end

new text begin Sections 1 to 6 are effective January 1, 2026.
new text end