MN HF4457

State agencies, local governments, entities, and persons receiving direct state appropriations or grants for aquatic invasive species prevention or removal must use the Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center's surveillance and early detection system to decide how to use the money.

Recipients are prohibited from spending money inconsistently with the system's analysis results, limiting analysis to only certain bodies of water, or spending money before conducting the required analysis.

Exemptions apply to direct appropriations for specific named bodies of water and direct appropriations or grants for aquatic invasive species research.

$200,000 in fiscal year 2021 is appropriated from the general fund to the University of Minnesota's Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center to develop and implement the statewide surveillance and early detection system.

The commissioner of natural resources must submit a report by March 1, 2021, describing how the system is being used, how it deploys resources, recommended funding levels, and regulatory or statutory changes needed for full implementation.