Good afternoon,
Governor Tim Walz, Senate Majority Leader Kari Dziedzic, and House Speaker Melissa Hortman recently announced an agreement on key budget decisions, taking a major step toward finalizing the two-year state budget. An announcement on the agreement and the budget targets can be found here.
Today also marks the second committee deadline for the 2023 legislative session. The second deadline is for committees to act favorably on bills, or companions of bills, that met the first deadline in the other house. As outlined below, this led to many committee hearings and actions this week.
This Week:
Tuesday, March 21st - House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee
The committee heard HF1873 (Kozlowski) - Enforcement authority modified for appropriating water. DNR Ecological and Water Resources Division Director, Katie Smith, testified and explained how the bill will enhance the DNR’s ability to deter water law violations and give the DNR more tools to manage serious violations. Director Smith was also available to answer committee questions. The bill passed and was re-referred to the House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy Committee.
Tuesday, March 21st - House Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee
The committee did a walk-through of HF1587 (Vang) - Restricted species provisions modified (the Ag Policy Omnibus bill). The bill will be brought back to the comment for markups at a later date. The committee heard HF2387 (Hansen) - Fur farmer registration requirements modified, commercial permits for restricted species eliminated, and feral pigs and mink report required. DNR Fish and Wildlife Deputy Director, Pat Rivers, testified and answered committee questions related to feral pigs in Minnesota. The bill, as amended, was laid over for possible inclusion into an omnibus bill. The committee heard HF2142 (Tabke) - Grant program established to prevent wolf-livestock conflict, and money appropriated. The bill was laid over for possible inclusion into an omnibus bill. The committee heard HF127 (Burkel) - Wolf and elk depredation payment funding provided, and money appropriated. DNR Fish and Wildlife Deputy Director, Pat Rivers, testified and answered committee questions related to wolf populations in MN. The bill, as amended, was laid over for possible inclusion into an omnibus bill. The committee also heard HF2299 (Anderson) - Deer abatement and crop damage report funding provided, report required, and money appropriated. DNR Fish and Wildlife Deputy Director, Pat Rivers, testified and answered committee questions related to deer populations and hunting seasons. The bill was laid over for possible inclusion into an omnibus bill.
Tuesday, March 21st - Senate Environment, Climate, and Legacy Committee
The committee heard SF2458 (Kunesh) - Enforcement authority modification for appropriating water. DNR Ecological and Water Resources Division Director, Katie Smith, testified and explained how the bill will enhance the DNR’s ability to deter water law violations and give the DNR more tools to manage serious violations. Director Smith was also available to answer committee questions. The bill was passed and was sent to the Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee. The committee heard SF2703 (McEwen) - Sustainable diversion limits provision on groundwater appropriation. DNR Ecological and Water Resources Division Director, Katie Smith, testified and explained how the bill will help the DNR better establish thresholds for groundwater use that will minimize impacts to surface waters. DNR Ecological and Water Resources Section Manager, Jason Moeckel, testified and explained how groundwater use thresholds and definitions in the Definitions and Thresholds for Negative Impacts to Surface Waters report were developed, and how clarifications included in the bill would make the decision process for water appropriations more transparent. The bill was laid over for possible inclusion in an omnibus bill. The committee heard SF694 (Hauschild) - Muzzleloader provisions modification. Col. Rodman Smith, DNR Enforcement Division Director, testified to provide clarification on muzzleloader definitions. The bill, as amended, was laid over for possible inclusion into an omnibus bill. The committee heard SF2116 (Hawj) - Issuance of big-game license modification after conviction. Col. Rodman Smith, DNR Enforcement Division Director, testified and explained the inadvertent loophole in current statute, and how the bill helps resolve the issue. The bill was laid over for possible inclusion into an omnibus bill. The committee also heard SF2250 (Kunesh) - Transfer requirement of Upper Sioux Agency State Park. DNR Assistant Commissioner, Bob Meier, testified in support of the bill and outlined the steps and processes that will be required to complete the transfer and find replacement lands. Assistant Commissioner Meier was also available to answer committee questions. The billed passed and was sent to the Senate Transportation Committee.
Tuesday, March 21st - House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy Committee
The committee heard HF2324 (Hansen) - Drill core library funding provided, and money appropriated. The bill passed and was sent to the House Ways and Means Committee. The committee heard HF2304 - (Curran) - Issuance authorized and modification of water use permits prohibited, White Bear Lake Area Water Use Work Group established, comprehensive plan required, and money appropriated. The bill, as amended, was passed and was sent to the House Ways and Means Committee. The committee heard HF2105 (Hansen) - Requirements modified for conveying easements and leasing state lands; state parks, forests, and waysides added to and deleted from; and state land sale and exchange authorized (also known as the 2023 DNR Lands Bill). DNR Lands and Minerals Division Attorney, Lorie Klein, testified and explained the bill is needed for DNR land transactions, changes to statutory boundaries of state parks, state recreation areas or state forests, and for authorization of certain land sales. Lorie Klein also explained the bill is needed for certain county land transactions, such as tax-forfeited land sales. The bill, as amended, passed and was sent to the House Ways and Means Committee. The committee heard HF2833 (Hansen) - Department of Natural Resources law enforcement supervisor transition provisions modified. DNR Government Relations Unit Supervisor, Annalee Garletz, testified and explained the DNR would like to continue to work on the bill with author. The bill was laid over for possible inclusion into an omnibus bill. The committee also heard HF2387 (Hansen) - Fur farmer registration requirements modified, commercial permits for restricted species eliminated, and feral pigs and mink report required. DNR Fish and Wildlife Deputy Division Director, Pat Rivers, testified in support of the bill, explained the DNR currently does not have a feral hog season, and that the DNR currently utilizes the wildlife depredation program to manage feral hogs. No action was taken on the bill, committee discussion was informational only.
Wednesday, March 22nd - House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy Committee
The committee heard HF2831 (Finke) - Emerald ash borer response grant program established, and money appropriated. Amy Kay Kerber, DNR Forestry Outreach Supervisor, testified on the status of Emerald Ash Borer in Minnesota and steps required for Minnesota to manage ash trees and tree replacement into the future. The bill, as amended, was laid over for possible inclusion into an omnibus bill. The committee heard HF2348 (Tabke) - Shooting sports facility grants funding provided, and money appropriated. The bill was laid over for possible inclusion into an omnibus bill. The committee heard HF2564 (Hansen) - Snowmobile registration provisions modified, accounts established, state parks and trails provisions modified, Minnesota Naturalist Corps eligibility modified, timber provisions modified, water permit application requirements modified, resident license requirements modified, walk-in access program modified, use of motorized vehicles in wildlife management areas modified, permits to take wild animals under federal incidental take permit authorized, hunting and fishing and elk management provisions modified, nonlethal control of deer and elk causing damage provided, wanton waste provisions modified, open season dates clarified, and money appropriated (also known as the DNR Policy and Technical Bill). Bob Meier, DNR Assistant Commissioner, testified and provided an overview of the bill, including policy changes to DNR business practices, elk and deer management, equitable access to the outdoors, and sustainable fisheries management. The bill was laid over for possible inclusion into an omnibus bill. The committee heard HF1680 (Hansen) - Sustainable diversion limits on groundwater appropriations provided. DNR Ecological and Water Resources (EWR) Division Director, Katie Smith, testified and explained how the bill will help the DNR better establish thresholds for groundwater use that will minimize impacts to surface waters. Director Smith also explained how groundwater use thresholds and definitions in the bill are drawn from the Definitions and Thresholds for Negative Impacts to Surface Waters report. The bill, as amended, was laid over for possible inclusion into an omnibus bill. The committee heard HF1862 (Hansen) - County approval requirements removed for land acquisitions. Bob Meier, DNR Assistant Commissioner, testified that the DNR values the input and collaboration with counties and does not support the bill in its current form. The bill, as amended, was laid over for possible inclusion into an omnibus bill. The committee also heard HF2745 (Myers) - Deposit of waste prohibited outside a shelter, motor vehicle, or any other conveyance on ice of state waters; and report on options for funding additional enforcement of laws on ice of state waters required. Col. Rodman Smith, DNR Enforcement Division Director, testified in support of the bill and answered committee questions related to how the bill would be implemented. The bill was laid over for possible inclusion into an omnibus bill.
Thursday, March 23rd - House Judiciary Committee
The committee heard HF1202 (Becker-Finn) - Animal health; data declassified, owners of farmed Cervidae requirements modified, registrations prohibited, civil liability established, federal fund disposition modified, live-animal testing for chronic wasting disease required, Board of Animal Health duties transferred to commissioner of natural resources, and money appropriated. The bill, as amended, was re-referred to the House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy Committee.
Thursday, March 23rd - Senate Environment, Climate, and Legacy Committee
The committee heard SF2797 (Hawj) - Department of Natural Resources appropriation to recruit and hire enforcement liaison community officer program positions authorization. Rodman Smith, DNR Enforcement Division Director, testified in support of the bill. As amended, the bill was laid over for possible inclusion into an omnibus bill. The committee heard SF2904 (Hawj) - Sustainable Forest Resources Act extension (vehicle for DNR Policy bill). DNR Assistant Commissioner, Bob Meier, testified and answered committee questions related to repealing obsolete laws. As amended, the bill passed and was sent to the Senate floor. The committee heard SF2438 (Hawj) - Environment and natural resources appropriation (Governor’s omnibus budget bill). DNR Commissioner Strommen testified and highlighted how the bill helps the agency connect people to the outdoors, mitigate and adapt to climate change, manage natural resources proactively, and address the agency's operational needs. The bill was laid over and will be picked back up again on Tuesday, March 28th. The committee also heard SF2037 (Hoffman) - Appropriation to address invasive carp. Heidi Wolf, DNR Invasive Species Program Supervisor, testified and explained the DNR’s current efforts to address invasive carp on the upper Mississippi River. The bill was laid over for possible inclusion into an omnibus bill.
Friday, March 24th - Senate Transportation Committee
The committee heard SF2250 (Kunesh) - Transfer requirement of Upper Sioux Agency State Park. As amended, the bill passed and was re-referred to Senate Environment, Climate, and Legacy Committee.
Friday, March 24th - Senate Environment, Climate, and Legacy Committee
The committee heard SF2769 (Hauschild) - Drill core library appropriation. DNR Lands and Minerals Division Director, Joe Henderson, testified and explained the value of having a publicly available drill core library, the current condition of the library, and the repair needs of the facility. The bill passed and was sent to the Senate Finance Committee.
Next Week:
See Senate webcast schedule here: Home page | Minnesota State Senate
See House webcast schedule here: House Television Web Schedule - Minnesota House of Representatives
Tuesday, March 28th - House Environment and Natural Resources Policy and Finance Committee
The committee will hear HF2310 (Hansen, R.) - Environment and Natural Resources Omnibus Bill.
Tuesday, March 28th - Senate Environment, Climate, and Legacy Committee
The Committee will hear SF2438 (Hawj) - Environment and natural resources appropriation (Governor’s omnibus budget bill).
2023 Free Park Days announced for Minnesota state park, recreation areas
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is waiving vehicle permit fees at all 75 state parks and recreation areas on four dates in 2023. The Free Park Days will be Saturday, April 22; Saturday, June 10; Saturday, Sept. 9 and Friday, Nov. 24.
With the support of the state legislature, the DNR offers Free Park Days to encourage Minnesotans to get outdoors and enjoy the health and wellness benefits of spending time in nature.
There is a state park or recreation area within 30 miles of most Minnesotans. In addition to offering popular activities such as hiking, biking, camping, swimming, skiing and birding, a variety of state park programs are open to all visitors. Programs are free, but some require pre-registration. Find state park programs online at the state parks and trails events calendar.
For more information, visit the DNR’s Free Park Days page or contact the DNR Information Center by emailing info.dnr@state.mn.us or by calling 888-646-6367.
Thank you for subscribing to the DNR Legislative Update Email List. We look forward to sharing more updates with you during this year's legislative session. Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Jason Garms
Government Relations Unit
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
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