ST. PAUL, MN – On Friday, May 24, Governor Dayton signed HF 1304/SF 1133 into law. The bill was chief authored by Rep. John Ward (DFL – Baxter) in the Minnesota House of Representatives and by Sen. Carrie Ruud (R – Breezy Point) in the Minnesota State Senate. The bill modifies school bus regulation for special events.
The bill was crafted after a bus inspector found that busses being used for the Brainerd Jaycees Ice Fishing Extravaganza were not following state guidelines. HF 1304 would create one and two day bus permits allowing busses to be used for special tax-exempt fundraisers for area non-profits.
“Groups that do great, positive work like the Brainerd Jaycees Ice Fishing Extravaganza shouldn’t be held back by state regulations,” said Rep. Ward. “Without this law, the charitable ice fishing could have been charged an additional $30,000, hurting the very causes it’s trying to help. This is a great law for our area and I’m very pleased we were able to work together and get it done this year.”
“The Brainerd Jaycees Ice Fishing Extravaganza is simply a tax-exempt fundraiser working to raise money for area non-profits and this new law makes it easier for them to continue to do these in the future,” said Sen. Ruud. “I believe we should do what we can to help our great charitable groups and non-profits, and this simple law will do just that.”
The bill passed both the House and Senate with unanimous bipartisan support.