1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to natural resources; increasing in lieu of 
  1.3             tax payments to local governments; appropriating 
  1.4             money; amending Minnesota Statutes 1998, sections 
  1.5             477A.12; and 477A.14. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 477A.12, is 
  1.8   amended to read: 
  1.9      477A.12 [ANNUAL APPROPRIATIONS; LANDS ELIGIBLE; 
  1.10  CERTIFICATION OF ACREAGE.] 
  1.11     (a) There is annually appropriated to the commissioner of 
  1.12  natural resources from the general fund for payment to counties 
  1.13  within the state an amount equal to: 
  1.14     (1) for acquired natural resources land, $3 multiplied by 
  1.15  the total number of acres of acquired natural resources land or, 
  1.16  beginning July 1, 1996, at the county's option, three-fourths of 
  1.17  one percent of the appraised value of all acquired natural 
  1.18  resources land in the county, whichever is greater; 
  1.19     (2) 75 cents multiplied by the number of acres of 
  1.20  county-administered other natural resources land; and 
  1.21     (3) 37.5 75 cents multiplied by the number of acres of 
  1.22  commissioner-administered other natural resources land located 
  1.23  in each county as of July 1 of each year. 
  1.24     (b) Lands for which payments in lieu are made pursuant to 
  1.25  section 97A.061, subdivision 3, and Laws 1973, chapter 567, 
  2.1   shall not be eligible for payments under this section.  Each 
  2.2   county auditor shall certify to the department of natural 
  2.3   resources during July of each year the number of acres of 
  2.4   county-administered other natural resources land within the 
  2.5   county.  The department of natural resources may, in addition to 
  2.6   the certification of acreage, require descriptive lists of land 
  2.7   so certified.  The commissioner of natural resources shall 
  2.8   determine and certify the number of acres of acquired natural 
  2.9   resources land and commissioner-administered natural resources 
  2.10  land within each county. 
  2.11     (c) For the purposes of this section, the appraised value 
  2.12  of acquired natural resources land is the purchase price for the 
  2.13  first five years after acquisition.  The appraised value of 
  2.14  acquired natural resources land received as a donation is the 
  2.15  value determined for the commissioner of natural resources by a 
  2.16  licensed appraiser, or the county assessor's estimated market 
  2.17  value if no appraisal is done.  The appraised value must be 
  2.18  determined by the county assessor every five years after the 
  2.19  land is acquired. 
  2.20     Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 477A.14, is 
  2.21  amended to read: 
  2.22     477A.14 [USE OF FUNDS.] 
  2.23     Forty percent of the total payment to the county shall be 
  2.24  deposited in the county general revenue fund to be used to 
  2.25  provide property tax levy reduction.  The remainder shall be 
  2.26  distributed by the county in the following priority:  
  2.27     (a) 37.5 cents for each acre of county-administered other 
  2.28  natural resources land shall be deposited in a resource 
  2.29  development fund to be created within the county treasury for 
  2.30  use in resource development, forest management, game and fish 
  2.31  habitat improvement, and recreational development and 
  2.32  maintenance of county-administered other natural resources 
  2.33  land.  Any county receiving less than $5,000 annually for the 
  2.34  resource development fund may elect to deposit that amount in 
  2.35  the county general revenue fund; 
  2.36     (b) From the funds remaining, within 30 days of receipt of 
  3.1   the payment to the county, the county treasurer shall pay each 
  3.2   organized township 30 cents per acre of acquired natural 
  3.3   resources land and 7.5 ten cents per acre of other natural 
  3.4   resources located within its boundaries.  Payments for natural 
  3.5   resources lands not located in an organized township shall be 
  3.6   deposited in the county general revenue fund.  Payments to 
  3.7   counties and townships pursuant to this paragraph shall be used 
  3.8   to provide property tax levy reduction, except that of the 
  3.9   payments for natural resources lands not located in an organized 
  3.10  township, the county may allocate the amount determined to be 
  3.11  necessary for maintenance of roads in unorganized townships.  
  3.12  Provided that, if the total payment to the county pursuant to 
  3.13  section 477A.12 is not sufficient to fully fund the distribution 
  3.14  provided for in this clause, the amount available shall be 
  3.15  distributed to each township and the county general revenue fund 
  3.16  on a pro rata basis; and 
  3.17     (c) Any remaining funds shall be deposited in the county 
  3.18  general revenue fund.  Provided that, if the distribution to the 
  3.19  county general revenue fund exceeds $35,000, the excess shall be 
  3.20  used to provide property tax levy reduction. 
  3.21     Sec. 3.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  3.22     Sections 1 and 2 are effective July 1, 2001.