HF3829 Summary

• Appropriates $107.8 million from the outdoor heritage fund for fiscal year 2017 to acquire land, restore habitats, and enhance natural resources across five categories: prairies ($31 million), forests ($16.3 million), wetlands ($31 million), and habitats ($29.1 million), plus $275,000 for administration.

• Modifies the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council by removing language requiring initial meeting convocation by the Legislative Coordinating Commission, allowing the council to manage its own operations.

• Requires recipients acquiring land in fee with outdoor heritage funds to obtain county approval prior to acquisition and establishes that technical evaluation panels must convene to evaluate restoration and enhancement projects.

• Modifies prior appropriations from Laws 2015 First Special Session by moving $40.9 million from prairies and $12.6 million from forests to the second year, and extends the availability period for Conservation Partners Legacy Grant Program from June 30, 2018 to June 30, 2019.

• Updates parks and trails fund and arts and cultural heritage fund provisions to clarify accountability requirements, grant implementation procedures, and reporting obligations for recipient organizations.