Legislative Agenda

The Parks & Trails Council of Minnesota has become the state's most powerful voice for parks and trails at the state Capitol thanks to its working relationships with grassroots community groups, legislators and local governments from throughout the state. Always determined and forward thinking, the Parks & Trails Council heads into each legislative session armed with a comprehensive agenda that seeks necessary and smart investments in park and trail systems throughout the state.

The 2008 legislative session began on Feb.12 and concludes on May 19, 2008. Traditionally, the second year of the biennium is commonly known as the “bonding year,” and is reserved for consideration of investment in capital projects. In  order to stay within debt service guidelines, the general obligation bonding cap is likely to be around $965 million, an amount the governor has proposed. Once the February Economic Forecast is released, the bonding number could be adjusted.

Below you will find links to the Parks & Trails Council's 2008 legislative agenda and related fact sheets.

Legislative fact sheets and information

• 2008 Legislative Agenda
• 2008 Parks and Trails for Healthy Citizens Bonding Fact Sheet (High Resolution 4 MB)
• 2008 Parks and Trails for Healthy Citizens Bonding Fact Sheet (Low Resolution 640 KB)

• 2007 State Parks and Trails Biennial Budget (Low Resolution 250 KB)
• 2007 State Parks and Trails Biennial Budget (High Resolution 2 MB)

• Top 11 Reasons State Parks Are Important
• The Economic & Social Benefit of Trails
• State Parks & Trail Facts
• State Parks, Trails & Healthy Citizens 2005
• State Parks, Trails & Tourism 2005
• Environmental Trust Fund Fact Sheet 2005

• Map of Minnesota State Parks with Senate Districts (jpg)
• Map of Minnesota State Parks with House Districts (jpg)

Past legislative sessions

2006 Legislature appropriates nearly $25 million over the next two years for state park and trail acquisition, development and rehabilitation. [Link to 2006 post session news release]