Minnesota Session Laws - 2000, Regular Session

                            CHAPTER 321-S.F.No. 3369 
                  An act relating to the environment; providing for 
                  grants for special purpose districts with 
                  environmental responsibilities; authorizing pilot 
                  projects for the restructuring of the organization and 
                  operation of special purpose districts; authorizing 
                  grants from the board of government innovation and 
                  cooperation for the development and implementation of 
                  pilot projects. 
        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
           Section 1.  [SPECIAL PURPOSE DISTRICT PILOT PROJECTS.] 
           Subdivision 1.  [DEFINITIONS.] The definitions in this 
        subdivision apply in this section. 
           (a) "Board" means the board of government innovation and 
        cooperation established in Minnesota Statutes, section 465.796. 
           (b) "Special purpose district" means a watershed district 
        established under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 103D, soil and 
        water conservation districts established under Minnesota 
        Statutes, chapter 103C, lake improvement districts established 
        under Minnesota Statutes, sections 103B.501 to 103B.581, 
        watershed management organizations established under Minnesota 
        Statutes, section 103B.205, and other joint powers boards which 
        include these special purpose districts as members. 
           (c) "Governing body" means, in the case of a county, the 
        county board, and in the case of a special purpose district, the 
        board established by statute or joint powers agreement to adopt 
        policies and procedures on behalf of the special purpose 
        district. 
           Subd. 2.  [ALTERNATIVE NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT MODELS.] 
        The board, in cooperation with the board of water and soil 
        resources established under Minnesota Statutes, section 
        103B.101, must solicit proposals from two or more special 
        purpose districts, or one or more special purpose districts 
        working with one or more counties, for the development and 
        implementation of pilot projects that demonstrate alternative 
        models for managing natural resources at the local level.  The 
        proposals must be for consolidating natural resource management 
        responsibilities and authority of the participating special 
        purpose districts and participating counties into a more 
        efficient and effective structure.  The board, in consultation 
        with the board of water and soil resources, must award a grant 
        to one or more proposals.  The grant must be paid from the 
        existing general fund appropriation to the board for promoting 
        cooperation and combination agreements between general purpose 
        units of government.  To be eligible for receipt of aid under 
        this subdivision, the governing bodies of the participating 
        special purpose districts and counties must have approved a 
        resolution expressing their intent to develop and implement a 
        proposal for an alternative model for managing natural resources 
        at the local level.  The proposal must be on a form prescribed 
        by the board and must provide a proposed budget detailing how 
        the requested aid is to be used.  The grant may be up to 
        $100,000 for each proposal approved.  The board must consider 
        the number of participating organizations, the geographic area 
        involved, and the complexity of the proposed model in 
        determining the amount of the grant. 
           Subd. 3.  [IMPLEMENTATION.] Notwithstanding any other law 
        to the contrary, the board, in consultation with the board of 
        water and soil resources, may approve the implementation of a 
        model developed under subdivision 2, if the model has been 
        approved by a majority vote of each of the governing bodies of 
        participating special purpose districts and counties.  If the 
        pilot project requires law or rule changes for permanent 
        implementation, implementation under this subdivision must not 
        continue beyond a four-year period from the date the model is 
        first approved by the board without further authorization in law.
           Subd. 4.  [REPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE.] The board and the 
        board of water and soil resources must cooperate to implement 
        this section.  The board must report to the legislature annually 
        on the development and implementation of alternative models 
        resulting from this section.  Based on the results of pilot 
        projects implemented under this section, the board must submit a 
        recommendation to the legislature as to the viability of 
        implementing alternative models that demonstrate efficient and 
        effective government structures at the local level.  This 
        recommendation must be made no later than November 15, 2003. 
           Sec. 2.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
           Section 1 is effective the day after its final enactment. 
           Presented to the governor March 31, 2000 
           Signed by the governor April 4, 2000, 3:17 p.m.