Advocacy News

May 19, 2015

2015 Legislative session ends, questions remain

As the Legislature adjourned the 2015 session last night, we are still left wondering what the end result of this session will be. While some business is finished, other key items were left pending and Governor Dayton indicated today that he will call a special …

May 8, 2015

Budget bills near final week

We're finally nearing the (hopeful) end of the 2015 legislative session; Legislators have until Monday, May 18 to pass a budget or else they will have to be called back for a special session. As legislators sit down to work towards a budget compromise, now is ...

April 17, 2015

Parks and trails budget taking shape at the capitol

This week, the environmental finance committees in both the House and Senate released budget bills that will fund Minnesota’s state parks and trails for the next two years. We are happy to report both recognize the importance of our state parks and trails and have …

March 23, 2015

Eminent Domain Prohibition

Two separate efforts were made to introduce bills that would have prohibited the Parks and Trails Legacy Fund to be spent to acquire property by eminent domain or to acquire property that has previously been acquired by eminent domain.

March 9, 2015

Trail Fee Requirement

Would have required all adults to purchase a pass to bike or roller blade on a state trail in Minnesota. The bill proposed the rates of the pass at $4 per day or $20 per year.

March 4, 2015

Require Approval to Add Parkland

This bill would have required that the DNR, prior to acquiring lands for a park or trail outside the seven-county metropolitan area, receive written approval of every city and organized township where the park or trail is located or through which it passes.

February 26, 2015

Funding for Casey Jones State Trail

This bill would have appropriated $846,000 in bond proceeds for the continued development of the Casey Jones State Trail in southwestern Minnesota. Bill title: Casey Jones Trail funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated Bill Number: HF 641 & SF 581 House Authors: Schomacker; Hamilton; Swedzinski Senate …

May 30, 2014

2014 Bonding Recap

As soon the 2014 legislative session closed at the end of May, parks and trails supporters began celebrating. On May 20, Gov. Mark Dayton signed into law the largest capital investment package for parks and trails since 2008, plus a bill that increased several agency …