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House approves $191 million outdoor heritage (legacy) bill; aquifer amendment fails in 67‑67 tie
Summary
The House passed Senate File 1943, the annual outdoor heritage/legacy funding bill totaling $191,000,000. An A3 amendment to allow targeted Mount Simon‑Hinckley Aquifer irrigation access was debated and failed in a 67‑67 tie; a technical A4 amendment to extend DNR licensing deadlines was adopted. Final passage was 107‑27.
Representative Vang introduced the year’s legacy bill (Senate File 1943), describing it as the Outdoor Heritage Council’s funding recommendations and saying the bill includes $191,000,000 for projects to restore and protect habitat statewide. He said the agreement includes bipartisan changes such as term limits for citizen members, additional reporting provisions for the Roseau River project, and adjustments to the conservation partners grant program.
Representative Schultz offered Amendment A3 to address a localized water‑access problem at the border of Kanabec and Isanti counties tied to the Mount Simon‑Hinckley Aquifer, framing it as a narrowly tailored solution developed with environmental groups to permit irrigation where no other water source exists. Schultz pressed that the amendment would provide information about aquifer health, asking rhetorically, "Does it have PFAS in it?" and noting the amendment would require assessment of aquifer conditions as part of permitting.
Representative Fisher requested a roll call on A3 and urged a no vote so sponsors could do additional work; Representative Gordon and others said the measure would solve a real problem for Christmas tree farmers and urged a green vote. The roll call closed at 67 ayes and 67 nays; the amendment did not pass.
Representative Fisher later offered Amendment A4, a technical correction to provide the Department of Natural Resources more time to implement an electronic licensing system; the amendment was adopted on a voice vote. The bill, as amended, received third reading and passed on the recorded vote with 107 ayes and 27 nays. The House agreed to the title and recessed to the call of the speaker.
