HF4676

Purpose

The bill strengthens accountability and public reporting for four Minnesota legacy funds by requiring grant recipients to publicly describe the legacy logo, provide accessibility details, and report how projects reach diverse communities and achieve measurable outcomes. It also tightens oversight and eligibility for future funding by tying compliance to continued access to legacy money and by outlining reporting and transparency requirements.

Main Provisions by Fund

• Parks and Trails Fund (Sec. 1)

  • Require projects to meet constitutional goals for regional/state significance.
  • Mandate measurable outcomes, a plan to measure results, and an assessment of whether funding reaches diverse communities including low- and moderate-income households.
  • Ensure funding uses current science and state-of-the-art technology, except for portrayals/restorations of historical significance.
  • Distribute funding to balance benefits across regions/residents.
  • Direct recipients must compile and submit project information and outcomes to the Legislative Coordinating Commission (LCC) by January 15 or as practicable; LCC must post this information on the required website.
  • Grants must follow established procedures and be accounted for; regranting processes must be specified; priority goes to competitively awarded grants.
  • Funds may only be spent on Minnesota projects.
  • Direct recipients must prominently display the legacy logo on their homepage with alt text and a link labeled “Click here for more information,” which directs users to contact information and the LCC page; alt text must describe the logo when hovered.
  • Future eligibility for Parks and Trails Fund money requires ongoing compliance; noncompliance reported by the Legislative Auditor can lead to public listing, removal only after compliance, and temporary ineligibility for future funding until compliance is demonstrated.
  • Recipients requesting funding must disclose whether the request supplants or substitutes for prior funding not from a legacy fund.

• Outdoor Heritage Fund (Sec. 2)

  • Mirror the recipient reporting, logo-display, alt-text, and accessibility requirements found for the Parks and Trails Fund.
  • Require an assessment of whether funding reaches diverse communities, including low- and moderate-income households.
  • Future funding eligibility and auditor oversight apply as described above.
  • Include similar reporting and transparency requirements to the LCC.

• Clean Water Fund (Sec. 3)

  • Expenditures must meet constitutional aims to protect, enhance, restore water quality, and protect groundwater and drinking water; priority to multi-issue projects is allowed.
  • Require measurable outcomes, a measurement plan, and an assessment of diversity reach (including low/moderate-income households).
  • Use current science and state-of-the-art technology; ensure geographic balance across regions.
  • Direct recipients must submit project information to the LCC; the LCC must post this information; some information may be not public if protected by law.
  • Grants must follow the 16B.98 process and be accounted for; competition is encouraged.
  • Funds must be spent on projects that benefit Minnesota waters; may leverage federal funds via project partnership agreements.
  • Direct recipients must prominently display the legacy logo with alt text and “Click here for more information”; the click-through must provide contact information and a link to the LCC page.
  • Future eligibility depends on compliance; noncompliance can lead to public listing and ineligibility until compliance is demonstrated.
  • Recipients must inform whether funding requests supersede or substitute for previous funding not from a legacy fund.

• Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund (Sec. 4)

  • Fund spending limited to arts, arts education, arts access, and preserving Minnesota’s history and cultural heritage.
  • Require measurable outcomes and a plan for measuring results; use current scholarship or best practices and state-of-the-art technology when appropriate.
  • Grants may cover whole projects or parts of projects if the applicant shows a complete project description and sufficient resources to finish the project.
  • Funds must benefit all regions and residents of Minnesota.
  • Direct recipients must report project information to the LCC; the LCC must post this information.
  • Grants must follow the 16B.98 process; competitive awarding is preferred.
  • All funds must be used for Minnesota-based projects.
  • When feasible, recipients must display the legacy logo with alt text and provide a Click here for more information link to the LCC page.
  • Future funding eligibility hinges on compliance; noncompliance can lead to listing and ineligibility until compliance is demonstrated.
  • Requesting organizations must inform committees about whether funding replaces prior funding and provide the most recent IRS Form 990.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• The bill amends four Minnesota Statutes (2024-2025 supplements) to add:
  • Expanded accountability and reporting requirements for recipients of legacy funds.
  • A standardized requirement to display a legacy logo with accessible alt text and a specific informational link.
  • Requirements to post recipient information and outcomes on the Legislative Coordinating Commission website.
  • Provisions linking future eligibility to compliance findings by the Legislative Auditor.
  • Provisions to ensure funds benefit Minnesota and reach diverse populations, including low- and moderate-income households.
  • Provisions to allow competitive grant processes and, where applicable, lever with federal funds.

Oversight, Accessibility, and Public Transparency

• The Legislative Coordinating Commission must post recipient information and outcomes; some data may be restricted from public release.
• The Legislative Auditor’s findings can trigger publicly available lists of noncompliant recipients, affecting future funding.
• The bill emphasizes accessibility by requiring alt text for the legacy logo and a clearly labeled information link to improve user access.

Notable Compliance and Public Information Features

• Alt text for legacy logos to aid screen readers and hover descriptions.
• A public-facing “Click here for more information” workflow directing users to contact information and the LCC page.
• Annual public reporting of noncompliance by the Legislative Auditor and a public list of affected recipients until compliance is demonstrated.

Relevant Terms - legacy funds - parks and trails fund - outdoor heritage fund - clean water fund - arts and cultural heritage fund - measurable outcomes - Legislative Coordinating Commission (LCC) - 3.303 subdivision 10 - alt text / alternative text - legacy logo - Click here for more information - public reporting - Legislative Auditor - annual report - supplanting / substitution - direct appropriation - grants (competitive) - Minnesota-based projects - diversity outreach (including low- and moderate-income households) - 16B.98 - IRS Form 990 - project partnership agreements with federal agencies - statewide regional equity - accessibility requirements