Minnesota Session Laws - 2008, Regular Session

CHAPTER 151--H.F.No. 2285

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

Presented to the governor February 15, 2008

Filed with the Secretary of State February 19, 2008