SAINT PAUL, Minn. – In a bipartisan 40-24 vote, the Minnesota Senate passed the Legacy Conference Committee Report authored by Senator Foung Hawj (DFL-St. Paul) Tuesday, which will invest more than $800 million for cultural, outdoor, and clean water projects across the state.
“Minnesotans recognize the importance and value of protecting our outdoors, our clean water, and our cultural heritage, and this bill makes strong investments in each of these areas in communities across our state,” said Senator Hawj. “This is a great bill for our state and will help more Minnesotans, especially those from traditionally underserved communities, take advantage of and experience these opportunities.”
The Legacy Amendment funds are divided into four different funds:
- Outdoor Heritage Funding: 45 projects totaling $171.135 million
- Clean Water Fund: 59 projects totaling $318.4 million
- Parks and Trails Fund: $130.41 million
- Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund: $195.046 million
In 2008, Minnesota’s voters passed the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment (Legacy Amendment) to the Minnesota Constitution to: protect drinking water sources; to protect, enhance, and restore wetlands, prairies, forests, and fish, game, and wildlife habitat; to preserve arts and cultural heritage; to support parks and trails; and to protect, enhance, and restore lakes, rivers, streams, and groundwater.
The Legacy Amendment increases the state sales tax by three-eighths of one percent beginning on July 1, 2009 and continuing until 2034. The additional sales tax revenue is distributed into four funds as follows: 33 percent to the clean water fund; 33 percent to the outdoor heritage fund; 19.75 percent to the arts and cultural heritage fund; and 14.25 percent to the parks and trails fund.
The measure will now go to Governor Walz to be signed into law.
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