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Legislators Need to Pass the 2021 Legacy Bill Now

mntuweb2021-05-13T22:27:36+00:00


While differences between the House, Senate, and Governor over the state budget have increased the
likelihood of a special session, the Legacy bill relies on dedicated revenues and can still be passed by the
end of the regular session on May 17—with or without a budget agreement. Dedicated funding to
protect and restore natural resources is not controversial and should not be held hostage. Legislators
need to be reminded to get this part of their job done on time during the regular session.

The Legacy Amendment to the state constitution created a statewide sales tax with a portion of revenue
dedicated to protecting, restoring, and enhancing habitat for fish and wildlife. This portion, called the
Outdoor Heritage Fund, is appropriated annually by the Legislature to enable the Minnesota DNR and
conservation nonprofits to protect, restore and enhance wetlands, prairies, forests and habitat for fish
and wildlife. Minnesota Trout Unlimited has used OHF grants to restore habitat in and along more than
90 miles of trout and steelhead streams.

The funding recommendations of the citizen-legislative committee known as the Lessard-Sams Outdoor
Heritage Council were separately adopted by the House and Senate. However, because the Legacy
Omnibus Bill that each body passed has minor differences, a “conference committee” was appointed to
resolve the differences. But the Legacy Conference Committee has only met once and has not had any
public conversation about reconciling their bill. Conversations about tax increases, the size of the state
budget, and the partisan differences over Clean Cars rulemaking have overshadowed other work. The
Legislature is not expected to finish this work on time, but instead return in June special session.
Conservationists and others who care about the health of Minnesota’s environment need to contact
legislators now and demand they pass the Legacy bill by May 17.

Consider making these points in your telephone call or email:
• Find a compromise and pass the Legacy Omnibus Bill before the end of the regular session.
• The Legacy bill is something Minnesotans are counting on for access to land, parks, arts, and
clean water.  
• While differences over the state budget have increased the likelihood of a special session, the
Legacy bill relies on dedicated revenues and can still be passed by May 17—with or without a
budget agreement.

Find both your Representative’s and Senator’s phone numbers using this link: LCC-GIS (leg.mn)
And be sure to also contact these leaders to urge passage of the Legacy bill:
House Speaker Melissa Hortman: 651-296-4280
Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka: 651-296-4875

Additional background:

More Information on Legacy Funding

Support Letter from Partners


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Good news from John Lenczewski, MNTU Executive Director:“Yesterday was a good day for MNTU and coldwater conservation. Both the House and Senate repassed the Environment, Natural Resources, Climate, and Energy Finance and Policy omnibus bill – HF2310. This bill contains a host of good environment and climate policy provisions and funding for natural resources work. The bill is the culmination of several years of work by MNTU, its many environmental partners, and environmental leaders in the House and Senate. The final bill is at this link: wdoc.house.leg.state.mn.us/leg/LS93/HF2310.4.pdf Because there is so much in this bill a full summary will take some time to prepare. Some items of particular interest to MNTU members are:* appropriation from the Environment & Natural Resources Trust Fund for MNTU’s environmental education program for next 2 school years [Art 2, Sec 2, Subd. 5 (g)]* requirement that state agencies recommend changes to statutes and rules (especially regarding manure spreading and pesticide application practices) to prevent fish kills in Southeast MN [Art 4, Sec 101]* requirement to report fish kills [Art 4, Sec 82]* requirement that state agencies develop better protocols for responding to fish kills [Art 4, Sec 83]* requiring DNR to work with MNTU to develop policy recommendations to reduce the risk of aquatic invasive species in trout streams [Art 4, Sec 110]The bill will soon be sent to Governor Walz for his signature and become law once signed. Also yesterday, the Legacy Bill containing appropriations from the Outdoor Heritage Fund (HF1999) was formally presented to Governor Walz for his signature. The bill includes an appropriation of $1,690,000 for Minnesota TU to undertake additional habitat work on Eagle Creek, the Little Cannon River, So. Branch Root River in Lanesboro, and other trout streams. Habitat work on the ground will occur in primarily 2024 and 2025. The final bill is at this link: www.revisor.mn.gov/laws/2023/0/Session+Law/Chapter/40/2023-05-18%2015:19:01+00:00/pdf I anticipate that the Governor will sign both bills before the end of the month. Thanks to everyone who made a call or sent an email to ensure our work made it over the finish line.” ... See MoreSee Less

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