1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to natural resources; specifying the 
  1.3             disposition of interest earned on the unexpended 
  1.4             balances of certain state accounts; modifying 
  1.5             provisions for the computation of unrefunded gasoline 
  1.6             tax; amending Minnesota Statutes 1996, sections 
  1.7             84.794, subdivision 1; 84.803, subdivision 1; 84.927, 
  1.8             subdivision 2; 86B.415, subdivision 9; 94.165; and 
  1.9             296.421, subdivision 5. 
  1.10  BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.11     Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 84.794, 
  1.12  subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
  1.13     Subdivision 1.  [REGISTRATION REVENUE.] Fees from the 
  1.14  registration of off-highway motorcycles and the unrefunded 
  1.15  gasoline tax attributable to off-highway motorcycle use under 
  1.16  section 296.16 must be deposited in the state treasury and 
  1.17  credited to the off-highway motorcycle account in the natural 
  1.18  resources fund.  Interest earned on unexpended balances shall be 
  1.19  credited to the account. 
  1.20     Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 84.803, 
  1.21  subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
  1.22     Subdivision 1.  [REGISTRATION REVENUE.] Fees from the 
  1.23  registration of off-road vehicles and unrefunded gasoline tax 
  1.24  attributable to off-road vehicle use under section 296.16 must 
  1.25  be deposited in the state treasury and credited to the off-road 
  1.26  vehicle account in the natural resources fund.  Interest earned 
  1.27  on unexpended balances shall be credited to the account. 
  2.1      Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 84.927, 
  2.2   subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
  2.3      Subd. 2.  [PURPOSES.] Subject to appropriation by the 
  2.4   legislature, money in the all-terrain vehicle account and 
  2.5   interest earned on unexpended balances may only be spent for:  
  2.6      (1) the education and training program under section 
  2.7   84.925; 
  2.8      (2) administration and implementation of sections 84.92 to 
  2.9   84.929 and Laws 1984, chapter 647, sections 9 and 10; 
  2.10     (3) acquisition, maintenance, and development of vehicle 
  2.11  trails and use areas; 
  2.12     (4) grant-in-aid programs to counties and municipalities to 
  2.13  construct and maintain all-terrain vehicle trails and use areas; 
  2.14  and 
  2.15     (5) grants-in-aid to local safety programs. 
  2.16     The distribution of funds made available through 
  2.17  grant-in-aid programs must be guided by the statewide 
  2.18  comprehensive outdoor recreation plan. 
  2.19     Sec. 4.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 86B.415, 
  2.20  subdivision 9, is amended to read: 
  2.21     Subd. 9.  [DISPOSITION OF RECEIPTS.] Money received for 
  2.22  watercraft licenses shall be deposited in the state treasury and 
  2.23  credited to the water recreation account.  Interest earned on 
  2.24  unexpended balances shall be credited to the account. 
  2.25     Sec. 5.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 94.165, is 
  2.26  amended to read: 
  2.27     94.165 [LAND ACQUISITION ACCOUNT.] 
  2.28     There is created in the state treasury a land acquisition 
  2.29  account.  Money in the account and interest earned on unexpended 
  2.30  balances is appropriated to the commissioner of natural 
  2.31  resources for the acquisition of natural resource lands or 
  2.32  interests in lands within the outdoor recreation system 
  2.33  established in chapter 86A.  The commissioner must file a report 
  2.34  to the house ways and means and the senate finance committees 
  2.35  and the environment and natural resources committees of the 
  2.36  senate and house of representatives by October 1 of each year 
  3.1   indicating all purchases and sales from this account.  
  3.2      Sec. 6.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 296.421, 
  3.3   subdivision 5, is amended to read: 
  3.4      Subd. 5.  [COMPUTATION OF UNREFUNDED TAX.] The amount of 
  3.5   unrefunded tax shall be a sum equal to 1-1/2 percent of all 
  3.6   revenues derived from the excise taxes on gasoline, except on 
  3.7   gasoline used for aviation purposes, together with interest 
  3.8   thereon and penalties for delinquency in payment, paid or 
  3.9   collected pursuant to the provisions of sections 296.02 to 
  3.10  296.17.  The amount of such tax shall be computed for each 
  3.11  six-month period commencing January 1, 1961, and shall be paid 
  3.12  into the state treasury on November 1 and June 1 following each 
  3.13  six-month period.