1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to appropriations; appropriating money for shade tree grant purposes.
1.3 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.4 	Section 1. APPROPRIATION.
 1.5 	$5,000,000 in fiscal year 2016 and $5,000,000 in fiscal year 2017 are appropriated 
1.6 	from the general fund to the commissioner of agriculture for grants of up to $1,000,000 
1.7 	to cities, counties, towns, and park and recreation boards in cities of the first class for 
1.8 	the development of response plans, for the removal and replacement of publicly owned 
1.9 	shade trees damaged by or lost to forest pests or disease, or to establish a more diverse 
1.10 	community forest better able to withstand disease and forest pests. The commissioner 
1.11 	must give priority to grant requests to plan, remove, and replace trees within emerald ash 
1.12 	borer quarantined counties. For the purposes of this appropriation, "shade tree" means a 
1.13 	woody perennial grown primarily for aesthetic or environmental services with minimal to 
1.14 	residual timber value and no intent to harvest it for wood.