1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to the taxation of forest land; requiring the 
  1.3             commissioner of revenue to study the taxation of 
  1.4             forest land and report to the legislature; 
  1.5             appropriating money.  
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  [STUDY OF TAXATION OF FOREST LAND.] 
  1.8      The commissioner of revenue, in cooperation with the 
  1.9   Minnesota forest resources council, shall study the taxation of 
  1.10  forest land in this state.  The study shall include a review of 
  1.11  the current application of property taxes to these lands and a 
  1.12  review and comparison with other forest land tax policies.  It 
  1.13  shall also include recommendations for changes in tax policy: 
  1.14     (1) to encourage forest productivity; 
  1.15     (2) to maintain land in forest cover; 
  1.16     (3) to encourage the application of sustainable site level 
  1.17  forest management guidelines; 
  1.18     (4) to address impacts on local government revenues; and 
  1.19     (5) for changes in tax rates. 
  1.20  The study shall be completed and transmitted to the chairs of 
  1.21  the house and senate tax committees by December 1, 2000. 
  1.22     Sec. 2.  [APPROPRIATION.] 
  1.23     $....... is appropriated from the general fund in fiscal 
  1.24  year 2000 to the commissioner of revenue for completion of the 
  1.25  study required in section 1.  This appropriation is available 
  2.1   until December 31, 2000.