Senate committee advances $103.3 million LCCMR package, sends bill to finance panel

Senate members on Thursday recommended passage of Senate File 506, the Legislative‑Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR) package that would authorize $103,326,000 in spending from the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund and re‑refer the bill to the Senate Finance Committee.

The bill contains 124 appropriations that LCCMR staff and commissioners packaged after a multistage competitive process; the commission received 214 proposals requesting roughly $183 million and limited awards to fit the available $103,326,000. The committee approved the recommendation by voice vote after a presentation from the LCCMR director and brief questions from senators.

"Senate File 5 0 6 is a bipartisan bill," said the bill’s sponsor, Chair Senator Her, who presented the LCCMR package to the committee. "This bill has been vetted by the LCCMR."

Becca Nash, director of the Legislative‑Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources, told the committee that LCCMR is a 17‑member joint commission that vets proposals and recommends appropriations from the constitutionally dedicated Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund. "The trust fund is a permanent fund in the state treasury that was created by voters through a constitutional amendment to…