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| Date: | April 14, 2011 | | Contact Name: | Chris Van Guilder | | Contact Phone: | 651-296-1388 | | Contact Email: | christopher.vanguilder@senate.mn | | For Immediate Release | |
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| GREEN ACRES REFORM PASSES SENATE, HEADS TO GOVERNOR DAYTON |
St. Paul – Legislation intended to reform Minnesota’s Green Acres program made its final stop in the legislature today, and will be sent to the Governor for final consideration. House File 12 (SF222), authored by Senator Jeremy Miller (R-Winona), passed the Senate Thursday with a bi-partisan vote of 45-15.
The bill represents the final outcome of a process that started in both chambers earlier this session. After the House and Senate reconciled their differences in conference committee last week, the bill has cleared the necessary hurdles en route to becoming law.
Senator Miller commented after the vote, “We started this conversation in January with constituents, legislators, farmers, land owners, officials and agriculture groups. Their concerns made it clear that the current program was problematic, and we wanted to seek meaningful reform. We firmly believe that this is the appropriate adjustment and I thank my colleagues and those who helped in this effort. I encourage Governor Dayton to recognize the bi-partisan support of this bill by signing it into law.”
The legislation is intended to protect farmers from rising property taxes due to nearby commercial and residential development.
Adopted changes to the original Senate and House files include:
· Extension of the 2011 enrollment deadline from May 1 to August 1, allowing individuals more time to take advantage of the revised program.
· Provision to allow land removed from Green Acres after the 2008 changes to be reinstated to the Green Acres Program or the Rural Preserve Program at the owner's request.
· Requirement that the Commissioner of Revenue consider alternative methodologies for valuing property in the Green Acres and Rural Preserve programs.
The elimination of both the eight-year irrevocable covenant and the conservation assessment plan remained part of the final legislation.
After passing in the Senate on Thursday, the legislation will be sent to Governor Dayton for final consideration.
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