School trust fund land management

Sponsored by Rep. Denise Dittrich (DFL-Champlin), HF3292 would give the Department of Natural Resources commissioner authority to administer permanent school land funds.

Approved Feb. 21 by the House E-12 Education Committee, the bill awaits action by the House Finance Committee.

Now managed by the DNR, these lands were granted by the federal government at the time of statehood to be held in trust to benefit public schools.

“You should know that Minnesota is more like western states,” Dittrich said, in that the state has not sold off this land.

A report from the legislative auditor’s office found that the DNR sometimes emphasizes natural resource management over financial responsibility for these areas.

Dittrich said the DNR does a good job of conserving the land, but questioned whether having them fiscally manage these assets was too much of a dual purpose.

Bob Meier, assistant DNR commissioner, said health and safety is the top priority on these lands and the trust funds are a close second.

“We do have some concerns with (the bill), but we do agree with the overall concept,” Meier said.

Membership of the Permanent School Fund Advisory Committee would also be expanded to include four additional legislative chairs, five people with specified areas of expertise and a non-voting permanent professional staff person. The committee advises the DNR on the management of permanent school fund land.

Marty Vadis, DNR director of lands and minerals, said the state has 2.5 million acres of surface and mineral rights and 1 million acres of severed mineral rights.

A companion bill, SF2811, sponsored by Sen. Ann Lynch (DFL-Rochester), awaits action by the Senate State and Local Government Operations and Oversight Committee.