new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Public forums. new text end

The deleted text begin commission deleted text end new text begin council new text end may
convene public forums new text begin or employ other methods new text end to gather
information for establishing priorities for funding.

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Technical advisory committee. new text end

new text begin The council shall
make use of available expertise from educational, research, and
technical organizations, and state and federal environmental
agencies, including the University of Minnesota and other higher
education institutions, to provide appropriate independent
expert advice on identifying natural resource priorities during
development of the strategic plan provided for in section
116P.08. The technical advisory committee shall also review
funding proposals and advise the council on funding
recommendations. The council shall appoint the technical
advisory committee and designate a chair. Compensation of
advisory committee members is governed by section 15.059,
subdivision 3.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin State agency long-term priorities. new text end

new text begin State
agencies with environmental programs and responsibilities shall
submit long-term priorities based on agency plans to the
council. The council may integrate agency long-term priorities
into the development of its strategic plan as provided for in
section 116P.08.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Public priorities. new text end

new text begin The council shall ask
conservation and environmental organizations to submit their
long-term priorities and plans to the council, which may be
integrated into the council's strategic plan as provided for in
section 116P.08.
new text end

Subdivision 1.

Administrative authority.

The
deleted text begin commission deleted text end new text begin council new text end may appoint legal and other personnel and
consultants necessary to carry out functions and duties of
the deleted text begin commission deleted text end new text begin councilnew text end . Permanent employees shall be in the
unclassified service. In addition, the deleted text begin commission deleted text end new text begin council new text end may
request staff assistance and data from any other agency of state
government as needed for the execution of the responsibilities
of the deleted text begin commission and advisory committee deleted text end new text begin council new text end and an agency
must promptly furnish it.

Subd. 2.

Liaison officers.

The deleted text begin commission deleted text end new text begin council new text end shall
request each department or agency head of all state agencies
with a direct interest and responsibility in any phase of
environment and natural resources to appoint, and the latter
shall appoint for the agency, a liaison officer who shall work
closely with the deleted text begin commission deleted text end new text begin council new text end and its staff.

Subd. 3.

Appraisal and evaluation.

The deleted text begin commission
deleted text end new text begin council new text end shall obtain and appraise information available through
private organizations and groups, utilizing to the fullest
extent possible studies, data, and reports previously prepared
or currently in progress by public agencies, private
organizations, groups, and others, concerning future trends in
the protection, conservation, preservation, and enhancement of
the state's air, water, land, forests, fish, wildlife, native
vegetation, and other natural resources. Any data compiled by
the deleted text begin commission deleted text end new text begin council new text end shall be made available to any standing
or interim committee of the legislature upon the request of the
chair of the respective committee.

Subd. 4.

Personnel.

Persons who are employed by a state
agency to work on a project and are paid by an appropriation
from the trust fund are in the unclassified civil service, and
their continued employment is contingent upon the availability
of money from the appropriation. When the appropriation has
been spent, their positions must be canceled and the approved
complement of the agency reduced accordingly. Part-time
employment of persons for a project is authorized. The use of
classified employees is authorized when approved as part of the
work program required by section deleted text begin 116P.05 deleted text end new text begin 116P.08new text end , subdivision deleted text begin 2,
paragraph (c) deleted text end new text begin 1anew text end .

Subd. 5.

Administrative expense.

The prorated expenses
related to deleted text begin commission deleted text end new text begin council new text end administration of the trust fund
may not exceed an amount equal to four percent of the amount
available for appropriation of the trust fund for the biennium.

Subd. 6.

Conflict of interest.

new text begin (a) new text end A deleted text begin commission deleted text end new text begin council
new text end member, deleted text begin advisory committee member,deleted text end new text begin a new text end peer review panelist, or an
employee of the deleted text begin commission deleted text end new text begin council new text end may not participate in or
vote on a decision of the deleted text begin commission, advisory
committee,deleted text end new text begin council new text end or new text begin a new text end peer review panel relating to an
organization in which the member, panelist, or employee has
either a direct or indirect personal financial interest. While
serving on the deleted text begin legislative commission, advisory committee,
deleted text end new text begin council new text end or peer review paneldeleted text begin ,deleted text end or deleted text begin being deleted text end new text begin while new text end an employee of
the deleted text begin commission deleted text end new text begin councilnew text end , a person shall avoid any potential
conflict of interest. new text begin A conflict of interest exists if the
person:
new text end

new text begin (1) would receive a direct or indirect personal financial
benefit from an entity proposing a project for funding by the
council or from a proposal under review for funding by the
council;
new text end

new text begin (2) serves as an employee, consultant, or governing board
member of an entity proposing a project for funding by the
council; or
new text end

new text begin (3) has a family relationship with a project proposer or a
staff or board member of an entity proposing a project for
funding by the council.
new text end

new text begin (b) The council must develop procedures to identify a
conflict of interest during the initial proposal review
process. If a conflict is found to exist, the person must
notify the council in writing and may not advocate for or
against the proposal or vote on the proposal.
new text end

Subd. 7.

Report required.

The deleted text begin commission deleted text end new text begin council new text end shall,
by January 15 of each odd-numbered year, submit a report to the
governor, the chairs of the house new text begin of representatives
new text end appropriations and senate finance committees, and the chairs of
the house new text begin of representatives new text end and senate committees deleted text begin on deleted text end new text begin with
jurisdiction over new text end environment and natural resources new text begin policy and
financenew text end . Copies of the report must be available to the public.
The report must include new text begin a summary of the council's conservation
achievements during the reporting period andnew text end :

(1) a copy of the current strategic plan;

(2) a description of each project receiving money from the
trust fund during the preceding biennium new text begin and how the project
relates to the constitutional dedication of the trust fund and
to the council's current strategic plannew text end ;

(3) a summary of any research project completed in the
preceding biennium;

(4) recommendations to implement successful projects and
programs into a state agency's standard operations;

(5) to the extent known by the deleted text begin commission deleted text end new text begin councilnew text end ,
descriptions of the projects anticipated to be supported by the
trust fund during the next biennium;

(6) the source and amount of all revenues collected and
distributed by the deleted text begin commission deleted text end new text begin councilnew text end , including all
administrative and other expenses;

(7) a description of the assets and liabilities of the
trust fund;

(8) any findings or recommendations that are deemed proper
to assist the legislature in formulating legislation;

(9) a list of all gifts and donations with a value over
$1,000;

(10) a comparison of the amounts spent by the state for
environment and natural resources activities through the most
recent fiscal year; and

(11) a copy of the most recent compliance audit.