H.F. 1707 would use dedicated Legacy Amendment and Lottery funds to pay certain local government aid that has traditionally been paid for out of state general funds. Minnesota has two constitutionally dedicated funds for conservation and the environment: a portion of lottery funds and funds from the Outdoor Heritage Fund created by the Clean Water, Land & Legacy Amendment. These funds are constitutionally required to be used to protect, enhance, or restore Minnesota’s habitat and natural resources.
This bill would require that these dedicated funds be used to pay certain local government aid. Counties receive “payments in lieu of property taxes” (PILT) for land acquired for natural resource purposes. These PILT payments are unrestricted general operating funds for roads, administration, and libraries. The Minnesota Attorney General’s office has questioned the constitutionality of attempts to use dedicated funds to pay this kind of general government aid.
What Would Happen?
The bill advances to the House Tax committee.
The bill does not advance and dedicated funds are not used for local government aid.
How The Committee Voted
The bill advances to the House Tax committee.
Share: 
Members At The Time Of The Vote
-
Karen Clark
District 62A
Vote: No -
Tony Cornish
District 23B
Vote: Yes -
Dan Fabian
District 01A
Vote: Yes -
Kelly Fenton
District 53B
Vote: Yes -
Peter Fischer
District 43A
Vote: No -
Steve Green
District 02B
Vote: Yes -
Tom Hackbarth
District 31B
Vote: Yes -
David Hancock
District 02A
Vote: Yes -
Rick Hansen
District 52A
Vote: No -
Alice Hausman
District 66A
Vote: No -
Josh Heintzeman
District 10A
Vote: Yes -
Frank Hornstein
District 61A
Vote: No -
Clark Johnson
District 19A
Vote: Yes -
Jim Knoblach
District 14B
Vote: TBD -
Denny McNamara
District 54B
Vote: Yes -
Jim Newberger
District 15B
Vote: Yes -
John Persell
District 05A
Vote: Absent -
Jeanne Poppe
District 27B
Vote: No -
Jason Rarick
District 11B
Vote: Yes -
Paul Torkelson
District 16B
Vote: Yes -
Mark Uglem
District 36A
Vote: Yes
