Senate Passes Legacy Bill Funding Enviornment, Water, Arts

In 2008, Minnesota voters approved an increase in the sales tax to fund projects promoting the arts; protecting drinking water sources; enhancing, and restoring wetlands, prairies, forests, and fish, game, and wildlife habitat; preserving arts and cultural heritage; supporting parks and trails; protecting, enhancing and restoring lakes, rivers, streams and groundwater. Funding for projects supporting these efforts comes before the legislature each biennium, and the Senate passed its plan Wednesday, May 8.

According to chief author Senator Carrie Ruud, R-Breezy Point, the bill totals $629 million dollars and appropriates $127 million dollars for the outdoor heritage fund, $261 million dollars for the clean water fund, $139 million dollars for the arts and heritage fund, and $101 million dollars for parks and trails. The bill further requires each of the funds to maintain a five percent reserve in order to keep the accounts fiscally sound, Ruud said.

In addition to approving the Legacy Bill, the Senate advanced a measure establishing a Rare Disease Advisory Council at the University of Minnesota which is intended to help families find faster diagnoses and foster more research into life-altering diseases.