Purpose

Clarifies and tightens how public members of the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council are chosen and how long they may serve. The bill adds term limits for public members and adjusts the council’s governance and funding provisions, all within Minnesota’s natural resources framework.

What the bill does (Main provisions)

• Establishes a 12-member Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council in the legislative branch with a specified mix of public and legislative members and a detailed appointment process.
• Sets limits on who can be appointed (no registered lobbyists for public members) and requires consideration of geographic balance, gender, age, ethnicity, and hunting/fishing interests.
• Requires governor appointments to be subject to the advice and consent of the Senate.
• Requires public members to have practical experience or expertise in restoring, protecting, and enhancing wetlands, prairies, forests, and habitat for fish, game, and wildlife.
• Requires legislative members to include the chairs (or designees) of the relevant environment and natural resources finance committees, plus representation from both Senate and House minority parties.
• Establishes four-year terms for public members and terms “at the pleasure” of the appointing authorities for legislative members; members continue serving until successors are appointed.
• Introduces term limits for public members: no more than eight years of service, with a possible six-month extension to fill a vacancy.
• Provides for vacancy procedures and the ability for the appointing authority to fill vacancies for the remainder of the term.
• Enables the council to elect officers (chair, vice chair, secretary, etc.) and allows the chair to convene meetings as needed.
• Allows the Legislative Coordinating Commission to appoint nonpartisan staff and contract with consultants to support the council’s functions.
• Grants the council final authority to hire an executive director.
• Permits up to 1% of the fund’s money to be used for the council’s administrative expenses and for compensation and expense reimbursement of council members.

Significant changes to existing law

• Introduces explicit term limits for public members of the council (max eight years, with a potential six-month extension to complete a term vacancy).
• Reconfigures and clarifies the appointment process and balance of public and legislative members, including minority party representation for legislative members.
• Formalizes governance, staffing, and budgeting provisions (nonpartisan staff, consultant support, executive director hiring authority, and a capped funding portion for admin costs and member compensation).

Additional details to note

• The governor’s appointments are subject to Senate confirmation.
• Public members must bring practical expertise related to wetlands, prairies, forests, and habitat for fish, game, and wildlife.
• The bill references a schedule for initial terms, ensuring a phased rollout of terms for new members.

Relationship to Minnesota law

• Amends Minnesota Statutes 2024 section 97A.056 subdivision 2 to implement term limits and related governance changes for the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council.

Relevant Terms - Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council - term limits - public members - four-year terms - eight-year maximum - vacancy extension (six months) - governor appointments - Senate advice and consent - geographic balance - gender - age - ethnicity - hunting and fishing - wetlands - prairies - forests - habitat for fish, game, wildlife - nonpartisan staff - Legislative Coordinating Commission - executive director - funding cap (1% for admin and member expenses) - compensation (up to $125 per day)