1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to natural resources; appropriating money to manage off-road vehicle 
1.3 	trails.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. APPROPRIATION; OFF-ROAD VEHICLE TRAILS.
 1.6 	(a) $200,000 in fiscal year 2020 is appropriated from the off-road vehicle account in the 
1.7 	natural resources fund to the commissioner of natural resources for a contract with a project 
1.8 	administrator to assist the commissioner in planning, designing, and providing a system of 
1.9 	state touring routes for off-road vehicles by identifying sustainable, legal routes suitable 
1.10 	for licensed four-wheel drive vehicles and a system of recreational trails for registered 
1.11 	off-road vehicles. Any portion of this appropriation not used for the project administrator 
1.12 	is available for signage or promotion of the system. This is a onetime appropriation.
1.13 	(b) $200,000 in fiscal year 2020 is appropriated from the off-road vehicle account in the 
1.14 	natural resources fund to the commissioner of natural resources for a contract to prepare a 
1.15 	comprehensive, statewide, strategic master plan for trails for off-road vehicles. This is a 
1.16 	onetime appropriation. At a minimum, the plan must:
1.17 	(1) identify opportunities to develop new, high-quality, comprehensive trails for off-road 
1.18 	vehicles in a system that serves regional and tourist destinations;
1.19 	(2) enhance connectivity with trails for off-road vehicles, trails and parks for other 
1.20 	off-highway vehicles, and trails and parks for other types of vehicles;
1.21 	(3) provide opportunities for new exposure and economic development in greater 
1.22 	Minnesota;
2.1 	(4) help people connect with the outdoors in a safe and environmentally sustainable 
2.2 	manner;
2.3 	(5) create new and support existing opportunities for social, economic, and cultural 
2.4 	benefits and meaningful and mutually beneficial relationships for users of off-road vehicles 
2.5 	and the communities that host trails for off-road vehicles; and
2.6 	(6) require the commissioner to cooperate with local governments, organizations, and 
2.7 	other interested partners.
2.8 	(c) $200,000 in fiscal year 2020 is appropriated from the off-road vehicle account in the 
2.9 	natural resources fund to the commissioner of natural resources to share the cost by 
2.10 	reimbursing federal, tribal, state, county, and township entities for additional needs on  roads 
2.11 	under their jurisdiction when the needs are a result of increased use by off-road vehicles 
2.12 	and are attributable to a border-to-border touring route established by the commissioner. 
2.13 	This paragraph applies to roads that are operated by a public road authority as defined in 
2.14 	Minnesota Statutes, section 160.02, subdivision 25. This is a onetime appropriation and is 
2.15 	available until June 30, 2023. To be eligible for reimbursement under this paragraph, the 
2.16 	claimant must demonstrate that:
2.17 	(1) the needs result from additional traffic generated by the border-to-border touring 
2.18 	route; and
2.19 	(2) increased use attributable to a border-to-border touring route has caused at least a 
2.20 	50 percent increase in maintenance costs for roads under the claimant's jurisdiction, based 
2.21 	on a ten-year maintenance average. The commissioner may accept an alternative to the 
2.22 	ten-year maintenance average if a jurisdiction does not have sufficient maintenance records. 
2.23 	The commissioner has discretion to accept an alternative based on a good-faith effort by 
2.24 	the jurisdiction. Any alternative should include baseline maintenance costs for at least two 
2.25 	years before the year the route begins operating. The ten-year maintenance average or any 
2.26 	alternative must be calculated from the years immediately preceding the year the route 
2.27 	begins operating.
2.28 	(d) Before reimbursing a claim under paragraph (c), the commissioner must consider 
2.29 	whether the claim is consistent with claims made by other entities that administer roads on 
2.30 	the touring route, in terms of the amount requested for reimbursement and the frequency 
2.31 	of claims made.