Nornes:Changes to Green Acres needed

By Lauren Radomski | The Daily Journal

Published 12:00 p.m., March 26, 2009

The House is scheduled to consider a bill that would repeal some of the changes in last year’s Green Acres legislation, though it’s not enough for one local lawmaker.

Rep. Bud Nornes (R-Dist.10A) says he would like a full repeal of the Green Acres changes, passed at the end of the 2008 session. The new legislation disqualifies sloughs, wetlands and other non-productive acres from Green Acres tax deferments. It also requires people who sell non-productive Green Acres land to pay seven years worth of back taxes on it, up from three years-worth.

This week a conference committee is discussing a Senate bill that would put the pay-back period back at three years. It would also eliminate a tax penalty when property is transferred to a son or daughter, though other relatives, including spouses, would not be excluded from the penalty.

The bill is not a great fix, but it’s a start, Nornes said. Other Green Acres changes would need to be addressed separately.

“I continue to get calls daily from farmers that are very interested in this,” Nornes said, describing the public as “up in arms” over the 2008 legislation.

So are many lawmakers. Eighteen bills, authored by legislators from both parties, have been proposed to change Green Acres, Nornes said. He says he’s not seen anything like it in his 13 years in the House.

Nornes said Tuesday the committee could bring the bill to the House by the end of the week.

In other legislative news:

- Legislation that would allow mini-trucks on county and township roads has gone to a handful of House committees, with another in the near future. The bill is authored by Rep. Brita Sailer (DFL-Dist.2B) of Park Rapids; Nornes is a supporter. The legislation would allow counties to permit the use of mini-trucks, though the vehicles would not be allowed on interstate and state highways, Nornes said. Sen. Dan Skogen (DFL-Hewitt) is working on a Senate version, which has cleared committees and is awaiting discussion on the floor.

- Legislation that would require seatbelts on motorcoaches carrying students is set to be included in the omnibus transportation bill. Nornes is the chief author of the bill, which was drafted following the bus accident that killed 16-year-old Jessica Weishair of Pelican Rapids last April. The legislation would require seatbelts to be included in new motorcoaches, Nornes said, as retrofitting is nearly impossible without disassembling current busses.

- On Monday the Senate gave preliminary approval to a bill that would require a booster seat or other form of child restraint for children between ages 4 and 8 who are under 4 feet 9 inches tall. Moorhead resident Dixie Duncan, whose daughter was paralyzed in a car accident in Fergus Falls last summer, has testified in favor of the legislation.

“The opposition continues to say it’s just another intrusion” by law enforcement, said Skogen, who supports the bill.

Some senators have argued most parents are responsible enough to keep children safe without the law.

The bill passed in the Senate 41-22. The House version is still moving through the committee process.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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