Transcript Highlights:

• , we visited the Spring Lake Park Reserve in Dakota County to see how the Met Council's parks and trails
• grants are invested in improving trails grants are invested in improving walking<00:03:18.080> and
• trails, per se?
• actually going to parks and trails? actually going to parks and trails?
• . trails. trails.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• of the trail that is among the top five worst trails in the state as far as roughness.
• because the trail is so poor.
• The Willard Munger Trail State Trail, a 40-year-old asphalt trail from Duluth to Hinckley, runs through
• State<00:48:21.600> Trail,<00:48:22.440> a The Willard Munger Trail State Trail
• When trails deteriorate, riders move to other trails, other states, or onto asphalt roads.

Transcript Highlights:

• Trail grants are uh part of the statute. We absolutely expect that money will be going to trails.
• <00:52:06.240> projects some projects uh notably trail projects some projects uh notably trail
• It's a matter of um going to trails.
• And I have a ballpark idea Trail.
• <01:08:31.839> or know, the cost of rehabbing a trail or know, the cost of rehabbing a trail

Keywords: 1183, house

Summary: The committee approved the March 3 minutes and then heard a presentation from the Office of the Legislative Auditor on state grant-management requirements. Deputy Legislative Auditor Katherine Tyson outlined the main controls agencies must follow, including pre-award risk assessments for grants of $50,000 or more, reimbursement as the preferred payment method, limits and documentation requirements for advance payments, and monitoring obligations for active grants. She emphasized that these controls are intended to reduce improper payments and fraud, but also require staff time and strong internal systems. In response to questions, she said advance payments are used in some grants but reimbursement is more common, and noted that agencies can add controls such as retaining a portion of funds, surprise visits, or audits. She also said surety bonds are required in some state programs, but not generally for grants, and that this could be a policy discussion for the executive branch. The committee then received a Department of Natural Resources presentation on the new Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund community grant program created in 2023 law. DNR officials said the program is intended to expand access to ENRTF funding, especially for communities affected by pollution and environmental degradation, and to support projects such as environmental education, resource restoration, trail work, and aquatic invasive species management. They said the department will use the same grants team that handles Outdoor Heritage Fund and LCCMR grants, which already manages a large volume of grants, and that the advisory council application is open through April 10. DNR described its implementation plan as similar to the Conservation Partners Legacy program, with both standard and expedited grant rounds, technical assistance, and use of technical experts. Differences include no match requirement, allowance for fiscal agents to help smaller organizations, and more flexibility for administrative expenses to reduce barriers to participation. Officials said the program will follow state grant rules, including pre-award financial reviews and monitoring, and will use the 5 percent administrative allowance to support both oversight and grantee assistance. They also said the report’s suggestion of advance payments for grants under $50,000 was raised for discussion, but they did not dispute the auditor’s emphasis that reimbursement is the preferred approach.

Transcript Highlights:

• Now we're here again because we're going to be a Kentucky bourbon trail state.
• We can boost tourism. a part of a trail. We can boost tourism that way.
• well. the state and grow a trail as well.
• It will generate more people to be able to do the tourism trails.
• involved in the trail.

Bills: SB312, SB316, SB90

Keywords: alcoholic beverages, ABC Board, Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control, special event license, special events retail license, nonprofit special events retail license, special retail license, event storage license, government venue license, alcohol storage, alcohol transfer, beer, wine, liquor, on-premises consumption, public venue, government-owned property, municipal property, county property, state property

Transcript Highlights:

• There's a gap in the trail, and we would love to have a grade-separated trail.
• .housing units to connect to the trail.
• ATV trails, to the peer hiking trail, to now mountain bike trails and new ATV trails. trails and snowmobile
• trails.
• I was the trail administrator for this area, and this bridge connects the trail system from the North

Bills: HF2418, HF1666, HF232, HF344, HF402, HF431, HF468, HF547, HF583, HF1476, HF1711, HF2787, HF2788, HF3207

Keywords: capital investment, political subdivisions, state assistance, funding, project grants, child care, Slayton, state bonds, economic development, extended time revenue, school funding, state aid, career and technical education, CTE, STEM, secondary credit, after-school programs, summer school, learning year program, extended day

Transcript Highlights:

• An additional 40% in the amendment is for trail improvements, with a split of 50% between state trails
• and 50% for grants for local trail improvements, restoration, and enhancement, not new trail building
• 50% for grants for local Trail 50% for grants for local Trail improvements<00:07:38.120> uh
• Trail Trail 1<00:10:00.360> million<00:10:00.720> for<00:10:00.959> improvements
• construction of the massabi trail construction of the massabi trail includes<00:10:12.000> a<

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Some of the key differences from the House bill that we passed a few weeks ago: within the parks and trails
• ,<00:03:14.720> outdoor clean water, parks and trails, outdoor clean water, parks and trails
• The parks and trails fund expands access to parks and trails across the state of Minnesota.
• The park and a trail lakes and rivers.
• We're all about parks and trails. I enjoy the summer times.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The House considered a conference committee report on House File 2563, the legacy bill, and members described it as a bipartisan agreement with the Senate. Representative Vang outlined several major changes from the House version, including restoring funding for Peace in the Valley in parks and trails, moving Wilderness Inquiry funding to the arts and culture fund, increasing the Minnesota Zoo to $3.4 million, raising the Children’s Museum to $1 million, setting aside $1.5 million for a competitive grant pool for children’s museums statewide, and increasing the Science Museum to $700,000. Supporters said the bill invests in clean water, parks and trails, outdoor heritage, arts and cultural heritage, and a new community identity and heritage grant program for underserved communities. Several members spoke in favor of the report, emphasizing the value of legacy funds for conservation, cultural programming, tourism, and community identity. Speakers highlighted specific beneficiaries and projects, including outdoor heritage groups, the Science Museum, Latino arts and mural projects, and competitive funding for creative arts and music. One member noted that some state agencies also received appropriations in the bill and criticized fee increases on Minnesotans, while another said the bill reflected a fair negotiation process and that some programs saw reductions because of a $33.1 million accounting-related shortfall. After debate, the House adopted the conference committee report. The clerk then took the roll, and the bill was repassed as amended by conference on a vote of 113 yeas and 21 nays, with its title agreed to.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I'm here on behalf of the Common Trails Coalition to support including the Mass Trails Grant Program
• Trails, especially rail trails, offer safe alternatives to busy roads and give people of all ages and
• Now, when the trail is complete, the vision is bigger: a continuous trail linking our towns to shopping
• math—150 miles of trails.
• Please let the people who want to use the trails participate in the process of building the trails.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The hearing focused on the Healey-Driscoll administration’s Mass Ready Act, a $3 billion environmental bond bill. Administration officials said the bill would fund climate resilience, clean water, land conservation, parks, PFAS remediation, food security infrastructure, and coastal and inland flood protection, while also streamlining permitting for housing, restoration, and other resilience projects. They emphasized that the bond authorizes spending but does not itself obligate it, and said the proposal includes deauthorizations as housekeeping. Committee members asked about the new Resilience Revolving Fund, flood and drought management, MVP funding, land acquisition, Chapter 61 right-of-first-refusal changes, salt marsh carbon sequestration, and how the bill would help smaller municipalities and offset expected federal funding losses. Officials said the revolving fund would be managed through EEA and the Clean Water Trust, with criteria aimed at directing aid to communities most in need, and noted that drought issues would continue to be handled through existing DEP and drought commission tools. Several committee members and witnesses discussed specific policy provisions, including flood disclosure requirements for homebuyers and renters, expanded authority for regional planning and small-town access to grants, and permitting reforms that would exempt or expedite certain environmental restoration and priority housing projects from more time-consuming review processes. Administration witnesses defended the reforms as a way to achieve the same environmental outcomes faster and with more certainty, while some advocates argued the bill should go further, especially on Chapter 91 and restoration permitting. The administration also described investments in DCR facilities, water and wastewater systems, open space, agricultural easements, and a new focus on blue carbon and salt marsh restoration. Public testimony largely supported the bill. Mass Audubon, the Trustees of Reservations, the Environmental League of Massachusetts, The Nature Conservancy, MAPC, the Massachusetts Municipal Association, municipal officials, and others praised the bill’s resilience, conservation, and water infrastructure investments. Some witnesses urged additional funding for land protection, coastal resilience, buyouts, and restoration, and several called for stronger or simpler permitting reforms. Municipal witnesses from Boston, Beckett, Beverly, Conway, and regional planning organizations stressed the need for flexible financing, especially for small and rural communities facing costly infrastructure and climate adaptation projects. No votes were taken during the portion of the hearing provided; the committee heard testimony and asked questions before moving on to additional panels.

Transcript Highlights:

• The parks and trails division manages parks and trails through various funding sources, including the
• On top of that, the parks and trails legacy funds support parks and trails of statewide and regional
• He said people love trails and that getting outside and seeing new trails is really fun.
• He said people love trails and that getting outside and seeing new trails is really fun.
• repairing trails versus building new? repairing trails versus building new?

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• the entire city alternative use Trail the entire city alternative use Trail Network<02:02:08.520
• so we know the how support of the trail so we know the how the<02:08:42.719> trails<02:08:43.040
• them the bike trails in Keene.
• Consortium. develop and improve the multi-use trails develop and improve the multi-use trails in<02:
• <02:13:28.440> system segment of the of the rail trail system segment of the of the rail trail

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 561, sponsored by Representative Nancy Murphy, which would limit the state’s ability to discontinue, reclassify, or revert state-owned highway property to municipalities without local approval. Murphy and other supporters argued the bill would protect towns from unfunded mandates and prevent property tax increases caused by taking on costly road maintenance. Representative Wendy Thomas, Rosemarie Rung, Merrimack Town Council Chairman Finley Rothhouse, and Town Manager Paul McAuliffe all testified in support, describing the financial burden of the planned transfer of Continental Boulevard in Merrimack and warning it would set a harmful precedent for other communities. The Department of Transportation’s Steve Leon explained the department’s current authority and processes for discontinuance and reclassification, said active highways are not surplus property, and noted that the Supreme Court’s Town of Nelson decision held such reclassifications were not an unfunded mandate. The committee then closed the public hearing on HB 561. The committee next took up House Bill 578, presented by Representative Mooney on behalf of Representative Bill Boyd, to require sound barriers along the F. Everett Turnpike in Merrimack. Supporters said widening the turnpike would increase noise in nearby neighborhoods and that a 2019 NHDOT study identified 17 neighborhoods with noise levels above federal standards, though only four were included for mitigation under the current project. They argued the remaining neighborhoods should also receive relief and cited quality-of-life and property-value concerns. Senator Tim McGuire also testified in support, saying residents were experiencing unexpected and severe noise impacts and urging the committee to act outside the usual criteria to approve the barriers. The transcript provided does not show a final committee vote or action on HB 578.

Transcript Highlights:

• grant program and the local trail grant program and the local trail connection<00:01:18.800>
• Parks and Trails um organization. This Parks and Trails um organization.
• Trails Trails of<00:02:48.800> support<00:02:49.440> of<00:02:50.000> SF<00:02:
• Starting with the local trail Starting with the local trail connections<00:04:25.040> grant.
• construct a trail. construct a trail.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• to go directly to rail trail work on these rail trails.
• It also does still establish the emergency rail trail fund.
• these Direct ly to rail trail work on these Direct ly to rail trail work on these rail<00:23:
• there saying they may request it from the Bureau of Trails.
• there saying they may request it from the Bureau of Trails.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You want to go hiking on the North Shore Trail, you want to go biking on the Gitchi-Gami State Trail,
• It's just something my whole career as a mayor, everything is trails, trails, trails.
• I think I'll pick parks and trails.
• I think I'll pick parks and trails.
• Hinman, the mountain bike trails.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• What I also more connecting trails.
• um we would have the Bureau of Trails um we would have the Bureau of Trails making<00:21:02.480>
• trails that it's connecting. trails that it's connecting. >> Thank<00:21:17.919> you.
• connect something that had no trails. connect something that had no trails.
• The um Department of Trails um has the The um Department of Trails um has the authority<01:23:52.320>

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee began with introductions and a description of the day’s process: a full committee work session on four bills, with no public testimony, followed by caucus and then executive action. The first bill discussed was HB 113, concerning OHRV operation on certain highways in Windsor. Representative Nab presented an amendment that would require a public hearing and Department of Transportation approval, modeled on procedures used in Coös and Grafton counties. Members discussed whether Windsor had already held a local vote or hearing, whether minutes from a town meeting existed, and whether the amendment truly preserved local control. A Windsor resident testified informally that the town had not taken a final vote and that the matter had been left to the state. Committee members also raised concerns about noise, dust, public safety, and the fact that the road in question would connect OHRVs on a state road rather than a trail system. The chair closed the work session on HB 113 and said the committee would return after caucus to vote on the bill and amendment. The committee then took up HB 595FN, relative to coastal resilience zones. Representative Nat said the bill addressed flooding concerns in both coastal and inland New Hampshire, but that the sponsor viewed it as too complex and had recommended breaking the issue into separate parts in future legislation. On that basis, Nat said it was appropriate to ITL the bill, and noted that the sponsor supported that course. No further discussion followed, and the work session was closed. Next was HB 629FN, funding the operation, maintenance, and repair of state dams. Representative Darby explained that the original bill had proposed both a waterfront frontage tax and a $5 charge tied to boat registration, but that the amendment would replace the bill by removing the frontage tax, moving the $5 dam-maintenance fee to the boat decal section of statute, and changing the effective date to January 1, 2027. Darby said the larger fee had raised concerns about impacts on current-use property and enforcement, while the revised $5 fee would raise roughly $500,000 to $600,000 annually. Representative Dunn thanked Darby and said the Marine Trades Association supported the revised approach. A question was raised about whether the original prime sponsors supported the amendment; the chair said they were on board, and Darby added that the proposal reflected recommendations from a prior study committee. The committee then closed HB 629FN and opened SB 27FN, relative to dwellings over water. On SB 27FN, Representative Derby said he opposed the bill because it would take away public access rights and amounted to a one-off legislative solution for a private concern. Representative Donnelly asked how many similar structures might be affected and whether the Department of Environmental Services knew of other cases; DES responded that there was one other related case under settlement compliance and no other active cases with the same issue. In follow-up discussion, DES clarified that the proposal was not a shoreland 50-foot setback issue, but rather involved structures extending over public water. The discussion remained focused on the scope of the bill and its potential precedent-setting effect, with no vote taken in the portion of the transcript provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• To that end, I know that you received an award for your work on parks and trails, and it was reported
• general fund appropriation and trails general fund appropriation has<00:20:00.160> increased<
• And that's needed, in addition to updating our state park trails and amenities that has not been done
• <00:20:40.559> but one article about park and trail but one article about park and trail but
• <00:20:49.360> and trail and trail and and<00:20:51.440> one<00:20:52.000> one<00

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• something that really shouldn't be ignored in Minnesota, and that's aging infrastructure, specifically trails
• I've used examples all over the state during committee talking about trails that are falling into disrepair
• infrastructure, specifically trails. infrastructure, specifically trails.
• 05:12.600> about state during committee talking about state during committee talking about trails
• trails that are falling into disrepair. trails that are falling into disrepair.

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The House took up House File 3426, the annual LCCMR bill appropriating money from the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund, which is funded by lottery proceeds and does not use general fund money. Representative Jordan said the bill funds 108 projects totaling $102.036 million, including projects in resiliency, water, outdoor recreation, fish and wildlife, energy, and a newly created community grants program. He thanked LCCMR members and staff and noted strong voter support for these programs. Representative Fischer supported the bill but raised concern about a prior decision to cut funding from a group that had misused the LCCMR logo, saying the penalty may have been too severe given the project’s purpose of helping expose 12,000 children to the outdoors. Representative Heintzeman also supported the bill and emphasized the committee’s work on integrity measures for the new community grants program, including consulting the Office of the Legislative Auditor and building safeguards against fraud. He highlighted the program’s focus on aging trail infrastructure and said grants of up to $2 million could help restore trails and improve safety. After discussion, the House proceeded to a roll call vote. The bill passed with 117 yeas and 15 nays, and its title was agreed to.

Transcript Highlights:

• The omission of these funds jeopardizes essential trail development and critical maintenance efforts.
• These trails aren't proposed without extensive planning, including thorough environmental reviews in
• Our commitment to sustainability is serious, and our trails reflect that.
• ATV trails are not only a recreational asset; they are an economic engine.
• In rural Minnesota, particularly northeastern Minnesota, local businesses depend on trail tourism.

Bills: HF2439

Keywords: environmental protection, pollution reduction, waste management, climate change, funding allocations

Transcript Highlights:

• , whether people go on or off the trail, whether people go on or off the trail, but<00:53:53.599>
• This is just the non-resident trail pass.
• <01:07:54.720> are Yeah, we know that the trails are Yeah, we know that the trails are capable
• So, know that the trails can handle it.
• North can ride on marked posted trails.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In communities like my own, ATVs serve as an essential link between homes, businesses, trail systems,
• <00:01:48.560> systems<00:01:49.320> Outdoor homes businesses Trail systems Outdoor
• homes businesses Trail systems Outdoor Recreation<00:01:50.320> Area<00:01:50.719> this
• I'm also—I used to be on the Mesabi Trail working group.
• working group I built the massabi trail working group I built the massabi<00:38:15.920> trail

Bills: HF2066, HF340, HF341, HF566, HF2107, HF2130

Keywords: electric bicycles, tax rebate, transportation, environment, local economy, fleeing peace officer, culpable negligence, traffic laws, public safety, motor vehicle offenses, driving violations, penalties, license suspension, traffic enforcement, all-terrain vehicle, ATV, class 1 ATV, class 2 ATV, road rights-of-way, public roads

Transcript Highlights:

• Any questions about the Metropolitan Parks regional parks and trails?
• Any questions about the Metropolitan Parks regional parks and trails?
• Any questions about the Metropolitan Parks regional parks and trails?
• Wastewater system systems roads trails Wastewater system systems roads trails and<00:37:29.359><
• interpretive Trail Trails dayuse areas interpretive Trail Trails dayuse areas interpretive facilities

Keywords: 1187, senate, all