1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to state lands; requiring no net loss of state hunting lands;proposing 
1.3 	coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 97A.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. [97A.132] NO NET LOSS OF HUNTING LANDS.
1.6 		Subdivision 1.Lands open for hunting. Lands administered by the commissioner 
1.7 	are open to access and use for hunting except as limited by the commissioner for 
1.8 	demonstrable reasons of public safety or fish or wildlife management or as otherwise 
1.9 	limited by law.
1.10 		Subd. 2.Hunting land inventory. By October 1, 2014, the commissioner shall 
1.11 	inventory all lands administered by the commissioner and determine the number of acres 
1.12 	available for hunting opportunities as of July 1, 2014. Lands designated as units within a 
1.13 	state park are not considered hunting lands under this section.
1.14 		Subd. 3.No net loss of hunting lands. (a) Beginning October 1, 2014, the 
1.15 	land management decisions and actions of the commissioner shall not result in a net 
1.16 	loss of state land acreage that is available for hunting opportunities as determined in 
1.17 	subdivision 2. The commissioner shall expeditiously find replacement acreage for hunting 
1.18 	to compensate for sales or closures of any existing hunting land. Replacement lands 
1.19 	shall, to the greatest extent possible, be located within the same Department of Natural 
1.20 	Resources administrative region and shall be consistent with the hunting opportunities 
1.21 	allowed on the sold or closed land.
1.22 	(b) A state agency that owns or manages lands shall assist, coordinate, and cooperate 
1.23 	with the commissioner to allow hunting on such lands if the lands are determined by the 
1.24 	commissioner to be suitable for hunting. To ensure no net loss of land acreage available 
2.1 	for hunting, state agencies shall cooperate with the commissioner to open new, additional 
2.2 	hunting lands to replace lost hunting acreage.
2.3 		Subd. 4.Reports. (a) Beginning October 1, 2015, the commissioner shall submit a 
2.4 	report, by October 1 each year, to the chairs and ranking minority members of the house of 
2.5 	representatives and senate committees and divisions having jurisdiction over environment 
2.6 	and natural resources policy and finance describing:
2.7 	(1) the acreage managed by the commissioner that was sold or closed to hunting 
2.8 	during the previous fiscal year and the reasons for the sales or closures; and
2.9 	(2) the acreage managed by the commissioner that was opened to hunting to 
2.10 	compensate for sales and closures of existing land pursuant to subdivision 3.
2.11 	(b) Beginning October 1, 2015, any state agency that owns or manages lands that 
2.12 	are available for hunting opportunities shall submit a written report, by October 1 each 
2.13 	year, to the commissioner and to the chairs and ranking minority members of the house of 
2.14 	representatives and senate committees and divisions having jurisdiction over environment 
2.15 	and natural resources policy and finance that includes:
2.16 	(1) a list of properties that were open for hunting during the previous fiscal year;
2.17 	(2) a list of properties that were sold or closed to hunting during the previous fiscal 
2.18 	year and the reasons for the sales or closures; and
2.19 	(3) the acreage for each property and the county where each property is located, 
2.20 	except for a right-of-way or a parcel under 50 acres.