1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to natural resources; modifying provisions of 
  1.3             the youth corps program; modifying provisions for 
  1.4             decorative forest products; delaying repeal of 
  1.5             sustainable forest resources provisions; requiring a 
  1.6             study; providing civil penalties; appropriating money; 
  1.7             amending Minnesota Statutes 2000, sections 84.0887, 
  1.8             subdivisions 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, and 9; 88.641, subdivision 
  1.9             2, and by adding subdivisions; 88.642; 88.645; 88.647; 
  1.10            88.648; and 256J.20, subdivision 3; Laws 1995, chapter 
  1.11            220, section 142, as amended; proposing coding for new 
  1.12            law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 88; repealing 
  1.13            Minnesota Statutes 2000, sections 88.641, subdivisions 
  1.14            4 and 5; and 88.644. 
  1.15  BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.16     Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 84.0887, 
  1.17  subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
  1.18     Subdivision 1.  [PROGRAM CONTENT.] The commissioner shall 
  1.19  operate ~~youth~~ Minnesota Conservation Corps programs which may 
  1.20  include summer youth programs and year-round young adult 
  1.21  programs.  The commissioner shall insure that youths in all 
  1.22  parts of the state have an equal opportunity for employment and 
  1.23  that equal numbers of male and female youth are selected for the 
  1.24  summer programs.  Youth corps members must be 15 to 18 years old 
  1.25  and young adult corps members must be 18 to 26 years 
  1.26  old.  Minnesota Conservation Corps members are not public 
  1.27  employees under chapter 43A or 179A.  ~~Youth~~ Minnesota 
  1.28  Conservation Corps programs may provide services that include 
  1.29  but are not limited to the following: 
  1.30     (1) conservation, rehabilitation, and the improvement of 
  2.1   wildlife habitat, prairie, parks, and recreational areas; 
  2.2      (2) urban and rural revitalization, historical and cultural 
  2.3   site preservation, and reforestation of both urban and rural 
  2.4   areas; 
  2.5      (3) fish culture, wildlife habitat maintenance and 
  2.6   improvement, and other fishery assistance; 
  2.7      (4) road and trail development, maintenance, and 
  2.8   improvement; 
  2.9      (5) erosion, flood, drought, and storm damage assistance 
  2.10  and controls; 
  2.11     (6) stream, lake, waterfront harbor, and port improvement; 
  2.12     (7) wetlands protection and pollution control; 
  2.13     (8) insect, disease, rodent, and fire prevention and 
  2.14  control; 
  2.15     (9) the improvement of abandoned railroad beds and 
  2.16  rights-of-way; 
  2.17     (10) energy conservation projects, renewable resource 
  2.18  enhancement, and recovery of biomass; 
  2.19     (11) reclamation and improvement of strip-mined land; and 
  2.20     (12) forestry, nursery, and cultural operations. 
  2.21     Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 84.0887, 
  2.22  subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
  2.23     Subd. 2.  [ADDITIONAL SERVICES~~; CORPS TO CAREER COMMUNITY~~ 
  2.24  ~~SERVICE~~.] ~~(a)~~ In addition to services under subdivision 1, ~~youth~~ 
  2.25  Minnesota Conservation Corps programs may coordinate with or 
  2.26  provide services to: 
  2.27     (1) making public facilities accessible to individuals with 
  2.28  disabilities; 
  2.29     (2) federal, state, local, and regional governmental 
  2.30  agencies; 
  2.31     (3) nursing homes, hospices, senior centers, hospitals, 
  2.32  local libraries, parks, recreational facilities, child and adult 
  2.33  day care centers, programs servicing individuals with 
  2.34  disabilities, and schools; 
  2.35     (4) law enforcement agencies, and penal and probation 
  2.36  systems; 
  3.1      (5) private nonprofit organizations that primarily focus on 
  3.2   social service such as community action agencies; 
  3.3      (6) activities that focus on the rehabilitation or 
  3.4   improvement of public facilities, neighborhood improvements, 
  3.5   literacy training that benefits educationally disadvantaged 
  3.6   individuals, weatherization of and basic repairs to low-income 
  3.7   housing including housing occupied by older adults, activities 
  3.8   that focus on drug and alcohol abuse education, prevention, and 
  3.9   treatment; and 
  3.10     (7) any other nonpartisan civic activities and services 
  3.11  that the commissioner determines to be of a substantial social 
  3.12  benefit in meeting unmet human, educational, or environmental 
  3.13  needs, particularly needs related to poverty, or in the 
  3.14  community where volunteer service is to be performed. 
  3.15     ~~(b) Youth and young adults may provide full-time or~~ 
  3.16  ~~part-time youth community service in a program known as "corps~~ 
  3.17  ~~to career" if the individual:~~ 
  3.18     ~~(1) is an unemployed high school dropout and is a parent of~~ 
  3.19  ~~a minor member of an assistance unit under the AFDC, MFIP, or~~ 
  3.20  ~~MFIP-R programs under chapter 256 or under the MFIP-S program~~ 
  3.21  ~~under chapter 256J, or is a person who is a member of an~~ 
  3.22  ~~assistance unit under the AFDC, MFIP, or MFIP-R programs under~~ 
  3.23  ~~chapter 256 or under the MFIP-S program under chapter 256J;~~ 
  3.24     ~~(2) agrees to only use the individual's postservice benefit~~ 
  3.25  ~~under the federal Americorps Act to complete a customized job~~ 
  3.26  ~~training program that requires 20 percent of the individual's~~ 
  3.27  ~~time to be spent in the corps to career program and that is~~ 
  3.28  ~~consistent with the work requirements of the employment and~~ 
  3.29  ~~training services component of the MFIP-S program under chapter~~ 
  3.30  ~~256J or, if a customized job training program is unavailable,~~ 
  3.31  ~~agrees to use the postservice benefit consistent with the~~ 
  3.32  ~~federal education award; and~~ 
  3.33     ~~(3) during the entire time the individual completes the~~ 
  3.34  ~~individual's job training program, resides within an enterprise~~ 
  3.35  ~~zone as defined in section 469.303.~~ 
  3.36     ~~To be eligible under this paragraph, any individual who~~ 
  4.1   ~~receives assistance under clause (1) after MFIP-S has been~~ 
  4.2   ~~implemented in the individual's county of financial~~ 
  4.3   ~~responsibility, and who meets the requirements in clauses (2)~~ 
  4.4   ~~and (3), also must meet the requirements of the employment and~~ 
  4.5   ~~training services component of the MFIP-S program under chapter~~ 
  4.6   ~~256J.~~  
  4.7      ~~(c) The commissioner of natural resources shall ensure that~~ 
  4.8   ~~the corps to career program will not decrease employment~~ 
  4.9   ~~opportunities that would be available without the program; will~~ 
  4.10  ~~not displace current employees including any partial~~ 
  4.11  ~~displacement in the form of reduced hours of work other than~~ 
  4.12  ~~overtime, wages, employment benefits, or regular seasonal work;~~ 
  4.13  ~~will not impair existing labor agreements; and will not result~~ 
  4.14  ~~in the substitution of project funding for preexisting funds or~~ 
  4.15  ~~sources of funds for ongoing work.~~ 
  4.16     Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 84.0887, 
  4.17  subdivision 4, is amended to read: 
  4.18     Subd. 4.  [ADVISORY COMMITTEE.] The commissioner shall 
  4.19  establish a ~~youth~~ Minnesota Conservation Corps advisory 
  4.20  committee with broad state representation including youth.  The 
  4.21  committee expires June 30, 2001. 
  4.22     Sec. 4.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 84.0887, 
  4.23  subdivision 5, is amended to read: 
  4.24     Subd. 5.  [OLDER MEMBERS.] ~~Youth~~ Minnesota Conservation 
  4.25  Corps programs may enroll a limited number of special corps 
  4.26  members over age 26 so that the corps may draw on their unique 
  4.27  knowledge, skills, or abilities to fulfill the purposes of the 
  4.28  programs. 
  4.29     Sec. 5.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 84.0887, 
  4.30  subdivision 6, is amended to read: 
  4.31     Subd. 6.  [EXPENDITURES FROM SPECIAL FUNDS.] An 
  4.32  appropriation from a special revenue fund or account to the 
  4.33  commissioner for ~~youth~~ Minnesota Conservation Corps programs 
  4.34  must be spent for projects that are consistent with the purposes 
  4.35  of the fund or account from which the appropriation was made. 
  4.36     Sec. 6.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 84.0887, 
  5.1   subdivision 9, is amended to read: 
  5.2      Subd. 9.  [CONTRACTS; GRANTS.] The commissioner of natural 
  5.3   resources may contract with and make grants to nonprofit 
  5.4   agencies to assist in carrying out the purposes, plans, and 
  5.5   programs of the ~~office of youth programs,~~ Minnesota Conservation 
  5.6   Corps. 
  5.7      Sec. 7.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 88.641, is 
  5.8   amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
  5.9      Subd. 1a.  [DECORATIVE BOUGHS.] "Decorative boughs" mean 
  5.10  decorative materials that are side branches or slashings that 
  5.11  have been cut from any growing coniferous or deciduous trees, 
  5.12  bushes, saplings, seedlings, or shrubs and that are intended to 
  5.13  be sold or used for decorative purposes. 
  5.14     Sec. 8.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 88.641, is 
  5.15  amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
  5.16     Subd. 1b.  [DECORATIVE MATERIALS.] "Decorative materials" 
  5.17  mean forest products that are collected or harvested from 
  5.18  growing coniferous or deciduous trees, bushes, saplings, 
  5.19  seedlings, shrubs, or herbaceous plants, including the tops, 
  5.20  branches, or other parts cut from any of the foregoing, 
  5.21  untrimmed or in their natural condition, intended to be sold or 
  5.22  used for decorative purposes.  Nursery stock is not included in 
  5.23  this definition. 
  5.24     Sec. 9.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 88.641, 
  5.25  subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
  5.26     Subd. 2.  [DECORATIVE TREES.] "Decorative trees" ~~means~~ mean 
  5.27  decorative materials that are growing ~~pines, spruce, balsam,~~ 
  5.28  ~~cedar, evergreen or~~ coniferous or deciduous trees, bushes, 
  5.29  saplings, seedlings, or shrubs, ~~boughs or branches,~~ including 
  5.30  the tops cut from any of the foregoing, untrimmed or in their 
  5.31  natural condition, intended to be sold or used for decorative 
  5.32  purposes.  Nursery stock shall not be included in this 
  5.33  definition.  
  5.34     Sec. 10.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 88.641, is 
  5.35  amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
  5.36     Subd. 4a.  [OFFICER.] "Officer" means a forest officer, 
  6.1   conservation officer, or other peace officer. 
  6.2      Sec. 11.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 88.641, is 
  6.3   amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
  6.4      Subd. 6.  [WRITTEN CONSENT.] "Written consent" means 
  6.5   written permission, a bill of sale, or a governmental or 
  6.6   reservation permit. 
  6.7      Sec. 12.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 88.642, is 
  6.8   amended to read: 
  6.9      88.642 [DECORATIVE ~~TREES; CUTTING, REMOVAL OF;~~ 
  6.10  ~~TRANSPORTATION; PROHIBITIONS; EXCEPTIONS~~ MATERIALS.] 
  6.11     Subdivision 1.  [WRITTEN CONSENT.] No person shall 
  6.12  cut, harvest, remove, ~~or~~ transport, or possess for decorative 
  6.13  purposes or for sale ~~in natural condition and untrimmed,~~ more 
  6.14  than three decorative trees ~~as defined herein~~, more than 100 
  6.15  pounds of decorative boughs, or any other decorative materials 
  6.16  without the written consent of ~~or a bill of sale provided by~~ the 
  6.17  owner or authorized agent of the private or public land on which 
  6.18  the ~~same are grown and whether such land be publicly or~~ 
  6.19  ~~privately owned~~ decorative materials were cut or harvested.  The 
  6.20  written consent shall be on a form furnished ~~and~~ or otherwise 
  6.21  approved by the ~~department~~ commissioner of natural resources~~,~~ 
  6.22  and shall contain the legal description of the land where the 
  6.23  decorative ~~trees~~ materials were cut or harvested, as well as the 
  6.24  name of the legal owner~~,~~ of the land or ~~a duly~~ the owner's 
  6.25  authorized agent ~~or agents, thereof~~.  The written consent ~~or~~ 
  6.26  ~~bill of sale, or a copy thereof certified as a true copy by the~~ 
  6.27  ~~person to whom the consent was given or sale made, or by the~~ 
  6.28  ~~county recorder of the county in which the land is situated, if~~ 
  6.29  ~~recorded, shall~~ must be carried by every person 
  6.30  cutting, harvesting, removing, possessing, or transporting any 
  6.31  decorative ~~trees, untrimmed or in their natural~~ 
  6.32  ~~condition~~ materials, or in any way aiding therein, and shall be 
  6.33  exhibited to any officer ~~of the law, forest ranger, forest~~ 
  6.34  ~~patrol officer, conservation officer, or other officer of the~~ 
  6.35  ~~department of natural resources,~~ at the officer's request at any 
  6.36  time.  
  7.1      Subd. 2.  [INSPECTION AND INVESTIGATION.] ~~Any~~ When an 
  7.2   officer ~~shall have power to~~ has probable cause to believe that 
  7.3   decorative materials have been cut, harvested, removed, 
  7.4   possessed, or transported in violation of sections 88.641 to 
  7.5   88.648, the officer may enter and inspect ~~any decorative trees~~ 
  7.6   ~~when being transported in any~~ a place, building, vehicle, or 
  7.7   other means of conveyance ~~or by common carrier,~~ to make an 
  7.8   investigation ~~with reference thereto as may be necessary~~ to 
  7.9   determine whether ~~or not the provisions of~~ sections 88.641 to 
  7.10  88.648 have been complied with~~, to stop any vehicle or other~~ 
  7.11  ~~means of conveyance found carrying decorative trees upon any~~ 
  7.12  ~~public highways of this state, for the purpose of making an~~ 
  7.13  ~~inspection and investigation,~~ and ~~to~~ may seize and hold ~~subject~~ 
  7.14  ~~to the order of the court any~~ decorative ~~trees~~ materials found 
  7.15  being cut, harvested, removed, possessed, or transported in 
  7.16  violation of ~~any provision of~~ sections 88.641 to 
  7.17  88.648.  Failure to comply with the requirements of sections 
  7.18  88.641 to 88.648 subjects the decorative materials to seizure 
  7.19  and confiscation as contraband in addition to other penalties 
  7.20  provided by law. 
  7.21     Subd. 3.  [TRANSPORTATION ~~BY COMMON CARRIER OR~~ 
  7.22  ~~AGENTS~~ REQUIREMENTS.] No person, common carrier, bough buyer, or 
  7.23  authorized agent ~~thereof~~ shall purchase or otherwise receive for 
  7.24  shipment or transportation any decorative ~~trees unless~~ materials 
  7.25  without recording the ~~consignor, whose~~ seller's or consignor's 
  7.26  name and address ~~shall be recorded, exhibits at the time of~~ 
  7.27  ~~consignment~~ and the written consent~~, bill of sale, or certified~~ 
  7.28  ~~copy thereof herein provided for~~ on a form furnished or 
  7.29  otherwise approved by the commissioner of natural resources.  
  7.30     Subd. 4.  [NO WRITTEN CONSENT.] Failure to ~~so~~ possess or 
  7.31  exhibit a written consent ~~or bill of sale~~ shall be prima facie 
  7.32  evidence that no consent was given or exists.  
  7.33     Subd. 5.  [EXCEPTIONS.] (a) This section does not apply to 
  7.34  decorative materials in the possession of or being transported 
  7.35  by a federal, state, or local government official for a 
  7.36  legitimate public purpose. 
  8.1      (b) This section does not apply to a person cutting, 
  8.2   harvesting, possessing, or transporting decorative materials cut 
  8.3   from the person's own property if the person produces 
  8.4   documentation that the person owns the property where the 
  8.5   decorative materials were cut. 
  8.6      Sec. 13.  [88.6435] [BOUGH BUYERS.] 
  8.7      Subdivision 1.  [PERMITS.] A person may not buy more than 
  8.8   100 pounds of decorative boughs in any calendar year without a 
  8.9   bough buyer's permit issued by the commissioner of natural 
  8.10  resources.  The annual fee for a permit for a resident or 
  8.11  nonresident to buy decorative boughs is $25.  The annual fee may 
  8.12  be reduced if the buyer attends an approved annual workshop or 
  8.13  other orientation session for balsam bough harvesters and buyers.
  8.14     Subd. 2.  [BUYING AND RECORD REQUIREMENTS.] (a) When buying 
  8.15  or otherwise receiving decorative boughs, a person permitted 
  8.16  under this section must record: 
  8.17     (1) the seller's name and address; 
  8.18     (2) the form of written consent; and 
  8.19     (3) the government permit number or legal description or 
  8.20  property tax identification number of the land from which the 
  8.21  boughs were obtained. 
  8.22     The information must be provided on a form furnished or 
  8.23  otherwise approved by the commissioner of natural resources in 
  8.24  consultation with the balsam bough industry groups.  
  8.25     (b) Boughs may not be purchased if the seller fails to 
  8.26  exhibit the written consent required under section 88.642, 
  8.27  subdivision 1, or if the boughs do not conform to the standards 
  8.28  specified on the consent.  Decorative boughs cut from public 
  8.29  lands must conform to standards specified in the written consent.
  8.30     (c) Records shall be maintained from July 1 until June 30 
  8.31  of the following calendar year and shall be open to inspection 
  8.32  to an officer during reasonable hours. 
  8.33     (d) Customer name and address records created and 
  8.34  maintained by permittees under this section are classified as 
  8.35  private or nonpublic government data. 
  8.36     Subd. 3.  [REVOCATION OF PERMITS.] (a) The commissioner may 
  9.1   deny, modify, suspend, or revoke a permit issued under this 
  9.2   section for cause, including falsification of records required 
  9.3   under this section or violation of any other provision of 
  9.4   sections 88.641 to 88.648. 
  9.5      (b) A person convicted of two or more violations of 
  9.6   sections 88.641 to 88.648 within three years may not obtain a 
  9.7   bough buyer's permit for three years from the date of the last 
  9.8   conviction. 
  9.9      Subd. 4.  [DISPOSITION OF PERMIT FEES AND PENALTIES.] Fees 
  9.10  for permits issued under this section and penalties resulting 
  9.11  from citations issued by the commissioner of natural resources 
  9.12  under section 88.6457 shall be deposited in the state treasury 
  9.13  and credited to the special revenue fund and are annually 
  9.14  appropriated to the commissioner of natural resources for costs 
  9.15  associated with balsam bough educational programs for harvesters 
  9.16  and buyers. 
  9.17     Sec. 14.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 88.645, is 
  9.18  amended to read: 
  9.19     88.645 [ENFORCEMENT.] 
  9.20     Subdivision 1.  [SEARCH WARRANTS.] ~~Any~~ A court having 
  9.21  authority to issue warrants in criminal cases may issue a search 
  9.22  warrant, in the manner provided by law for issuing search 
  9.23  warrants for stolen property, to search for and seize ~~any trees~~ 
  9.24  ~~alleged upon sufficient grounds to have been~~ decorative 
  9.25  materials affected by or involved in ~~any~~ an offense under 
  9.26  sections 88.641 to ~~88.647~~ 88.648.  The warrant may be directed 
  9.27  to and executed by any officer authorized to make arrests and 
  9.28  seizures by sections 88.641 to ~~88.647~~ 88.648.  
  9.29     Subd. 2.  [COMPLAINT.] ~~Any~~ An officer having knowledge of 
  9.30  ~~any~~ an offense under sections 88.641 to ~~88.647 shall forthwith~~ 
  9.31  88.648 may issue a field citation under section 88.6457, issue a 
  9.32  summons to appear in court, or make a complaint against the 
  9.33  offender before a court having jurisdiction of the offense and 
  9.34  request the court to issue a warrant of arrest in the case.  
  9.35     Sec. 15.  [88.6457] [FIELD CITATIONS.] 
  9.36     Subdivision 1.  [AUTHORITY TO ISSUE.] In addition to other 
 10.1   remedies available under statutory or common law, an officer may 
 10.2   issue a field citation to a person who cuts, harvests, removes, 
 10.3   transports, buys, sells, or possesses decorative materials in 
 10.4   violation of sections 88.641 to 88.648. 
 10.5      Subd. 2.  [PENALTY AMOUNT.] The citation must impose the 
 10.6   following penalty amounts: 
 10.7      (1) $100 for the first violation; 
 10.8      (2) $200 for the second violation in a two-year period; and 
 10.9      (3) $500 for the third violation in a five-year period. 
 10.10     Subd. 3.  [APPEALS.] Citations may be appealed under the 
 10.11  procedures in section 116.072, subdivision 6, if the person 
 10.12  requests a hearing by notifying the commissioner in writing 
 10.13  within 15 days after receipt of the citation.  For purposes of 
 10.14  this section, "commissioner" and "agency" as used in section 
 10.15  116.072 mean the commissioner of natural resources.  If a 
 10.16  hearing is not requested within the 15-day period, the citation 
 10.17  becomes a final order not subject to further review. 
 10.18     Subd. 4.  [ENFORCEMENT OF FIELD CITATIONS.] Field citations 
 10.19  may be enforced under section 116.072, subdivisions 9 and 10. 
 10.20     Subd. 5.  [PAYMENT OF PENALTY.] Penalty amounts shall be 
 10.21  paid within 30 days of issuance of the field citation to the 
 10.22  issuer. 
 10.23     Subd. 6.  [ALLOCATION OF PENALTY AMOUNTS.] Penalty amounts 
 10.24  must be forwarded to the treasury of the political subdivision 
 10.25  that employs the officer who issued the citation or, if the 
 10.26  officer who issued the citation is a forest officer or 
 10.27  conservation officer, forwarded to the state treasury and 
 10.28  credited to the special revenue fund according to section 
 10.29  88.6435, subdivision 4. 
 10.30     Sec. 16.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 88.647, is 
 10.31  amended to read: 
 10.32     88.647 [RELATION TO EXISTING LAWS.] 
 10.33     Sections 88.641 to ~~88.647 shall~~ 88.648 do not ~~be deemed to~~ 
 10.34  supersede any existing provision of law relating to any matter 
 10.35  within the scope thereof but shall be construed as supplementary 
 10.36  thereto.  
 11.1      Sec. 17.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 88.648, is 
 11.2   amended to read: 
 11.3      88.648 [~~FALSE STATEMENT;~~ CRIMINAL PENALTIES; MISDEMEANOR.] 
 11.4      ~~Any~~ (a) A person who makes ~~any~~ a false statement in any 
 11.5   application, form, or other statement ~~for the purpose of~~ 
 11.6   ~~obtaining any written consent or bill of sale~~ as described in 
 11.7   sections 88.641 to ~~88.644~~ 88.6457 is guilty of a misdemeanor.  
 11.8      (b) Except as otherwise provided in this ~~subdivision~~ 
 11.9   section, ~~any~~ a person who violates ~~any~~ a provision of sections 
 11.10  88.641 to ~~88.647,~~ 88.648 is guilty of a misdemeanor.  
 11.11     Sec. 18.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 256J.20, 
 11.12  subdivision 3, is amended to read: 
 11.13     Subd. 3.  [OTHER PROPERTY LIMITATIONS.] To be eligible for 
 11.14  MFIP, the equity value of all nonexcluded real and personal 
 11.15  property of the assistance unit must not exceed $2,000 for 
 11.16  applicants and $5,000 for ongoing participants.  The value of 
 11.17  assets in clauses (1) to (20) must be excluded when determining 
 11.18  the equity value of real and personal property: 
 11.19     (1) a licensed vehicle up to a loan value of less than or 
 11.20  equal to $7,500.  The county agency shall apply any excess loan 
 11.21  value as if it were equity value to the asset limit described in 
 11.22  this section.  If the assistance unit owns more than one 
 11.23  licensed vehicle, the county agency shall determine the vehicle 
 11.24  with the highest loan value and count only the loan value over 
 11.25  $7,500, excluding:  (i) the value of one vehicle per physically 
 11.26  disabled person when the vehicle is needed to transport the 
 11.27  disabled unit member; this exclusion does not apply to mentally 
 11.28  disabled people; (ii) the value of special equipment for a 
 11.29  handicapped member of the assistance unit; and (iii) any vehicle 
 11.30  used for long-distance travel, other than daily commuting, for 
 11.31  the employment of a unit member. 
 11.32     The county agency shall count the loan value of all other 
 11.33  vehicles and apply this amount as if it were equity value to the 
 11.34  asset limit described in this section.  To establish the loan 
 11.35  value of vehicles, a county agency must use the N.A.D.A. 
 11.36  Official Used Car Guide, Midwest Edition, for newer model cars.  
 12.1   When a vehicle is not listed in the guidebook, or when the 
 12.2   applicant or participant disputes the loan value listed in the 
 12.3   guidebook as unreasonable given the condition of the particular 
 12.4   vehicle, the county agency may require the applicant or 
 12.5   participant document the loan value by securing a written 
 12.6   statement from a motor vehicle dealer licensed under section 
 12.7   168.27, stating the amount that the dealer would pay to purchase 
 12.8   the vehicle.  The county agency shall reimburse the applicant or 
 12.9   participant for the cost of a written statement that documents a 
 12.10  lower loan value; 
 12.11     (2) the value of life insurance policies for members of the 
 12.12  assistance unit; 
 12.13     (3) one burial plot per member of an assistance unit; 
 12.14     (4) the value of personal property needed to produce earned 
 12.15  income, including tools, implements, farm animals, inventory, 
 12.16  business loans, business checking and savings accounts used at 
 12.17  least annually and used exclusively for the operation of a 
 12.18  self-employment business, and any motor vehicles if at least 50 
 12.19  percent of the vehicle's use is to produce income and if the 
 12.20  vehicles are essential for the self-employment business; 
 12.21     (5) the value of personal property not otherwise specified 
 12.22  which is commonly used by household members in day-to-day living 
 12.23  such as clothing, necessary household furniture, equipment, and 
 12.24  other basic maintenance items essential for daily living; 
 12.25     (6) the value of real and personal property owned by a 
 12.26  recipient of Supplemental Security Income or Minnesota 
 12.27  supplemental aid; 
 12.28     (7) the value of corrective payments, but only for the 
 12.29  month in which the payment is received and for the following 
 12.30  month; 
 12.31     (8) a mobile home or other vehicle used by an applicant or 
 12.32  participant as the applicant's or participant's home; 
 12.33     (9) money in a separate escrow account that is needed to 
 12.34  pay real estate taxes or insurance and that is used for this 
 12.35  purpose; 
 12.36     (10) money held in escrow to cover employee FICA, employee 
 13.1   tax withholding, sales tax withholding, employee worker 
 13.2   compensation, business insurance, property rental, property 
 13.3   taxes, and other costs that are paid at least annually, but less 
 13.4   often than monthly; 
 13.5      (11) monthly assistance, emergency assistance, and 
 13.6   diversionary payments for the current month's needs; 
 13.7      (12) the value of school loans, grants, or scholarships for 
 13.8   the period they are intended to cover; 
 13.9      (13) payments listed in section 256J.21, subdivision 2, 
 13.10  clause (9), which are held in escrow for a period not to exceed 
 13.11  three months to replace or repair personal or real property; 
 13.12     (14) income received in a budget month through the end of 
 13.13  the payment month; 
 13.14     (15) savings from earned income of a minor child or a minor 
 13.15  parent that are set aside in a separate account designated 
 13.16  specifically for future education or employment costs; 
 13.17     (16) the federal earned income credit, Minnesota working 
 13.18  family credit, state and federal income tax refunds, state 
 13.19  homeowners and renters credits under chapter 290A, property tax 
 13.20  rebates and other federal or state tax rebates in the month 
 13.21  received and the following month; 
 13.22     (17) payments excluded under federal law as long as those 
 13.23  payments are held in a separate account from any nonexcluded 
 13.24  funds; 
 13.25     (18) ~~money received by a participant of the corps to career~~ 
 13.26  ~~program under section 84.0887, subdivision 2, paragraph (b), as~~ 
 13.27  ~~a postservice benefit under the federal Americorps Act;~~ 
 13.28     ~~(19)~~ the assets of children ineligible to receive MFIP 
 13.29  benefits because foster care or adoption assistance payments are 
 13.30  made on their behalf; and 
 13.31     ~~(20)~~ (19) the assets of persons whose income is excluded 
 13.32  under section 256J.21, subdivision 2, clause (43). 
 13.33     Sec. 19.  Laws 1995, chapter 220, section 142, as amended 
 13.34  by Laws 1995, chapter 263, section 12, Laws 1996, chapter 351, 
 13.35  section 1, and Laws 1999, chapter 231, section 191, is amended 
 13.36  to read:  
 14.1      Sec. 142.  [EFFECTIVE DATES.] 
 14.2      Sections 2, 5, 7, 20, 42, 44 to 49, 56, 57, 101, 102, 117, 
 14.3   and 141, paragraph (d), are effective the day following final 
 14.4   enactment. 
 14.5      Sections 114, 115, 118, and 121 are effective January 1, 
 14.6   1996. 
 14.7      Sections 120, subdivisions 2, 3, 4, and 5, and 141, 
 14.8   paragraph (c), are effective July 1, 1996. 
 14.9      Section 141, paragraph (b), is effective June 30, ~~2001~~ 2007.
 14.10     Sections 58 and 66 are effective retroactively to August 1, 
 14.11  1991.  
 14.12     Section 119 is effective September 1, 1996. 
 14.13     Section 120, subdivision 1, is effective July 1, 1999. 
 14.14     Sec. 20.  [STUDY; MOTOR VEHICLE USE OF STATE AND COUNTY 
 14.15  FOREST ROADS.] 
 14.16     The commissioners of administration, transportation, 
 14.17  natural resources, and revenue shall work with the affected 
 14.18  counties to study and determine the percentage of revenue 
 14.19  received from the unrefunded gasoline and special fuel tax that 
 14.20  is derived from gasoline and special fuel for the operation of 
 14.21  motor vehicles on state forest roads and county forest access 
 14.22  roads.  The commissioners shall report the results of this study 
 14.23  by December 1, 2002. 
 14.24     Sec. 21.  [REPEALER.] 
 14.25     Minnesota Statutes 2000, sections 88.641, subdivisions 4 
 14.26  and 5; and 88.644, are repealed. 
 14.27     Sec. 22.  [EFFECTIVE DATES.] 
 14.28     Section 13 is effective July 1, 2002.  Section 19 is 
 14.29  effective the day following final enactment.