Purpose

This bill aims to expand and formalize the duties of Minnesota’s school trust lands director to better manage the state’s school trust lands and the Permanent School Fund. It emphasizes fiduciary responsibility, strategic planning, annual budgeting, increased transparency, and stronger collaboration with key state bodies to maximize long-term value and returns.

Main provisions

• Fiduciary duty
  • The school trust lands director must act in a fiduciary capacity for trust beneficiaries, in line with principles in section 127A.351.
• Asset evaluation and valuation
  • The director must evaluate the asset position and determine the estimated current and potential market value of school trust lands.
• Advisory roles
  • Advise and provide recommendations to the governor on policies affecting the Permanent School Fund.
  • Advise and provide recommendations to the Executive Council and the Land Exchange Board on all matters regarding school trust lands brought to either body.
• Management guidance to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR)
  • Advise the commissioner of natural resources on managing school trust lands, including:
  • DNR school trust land management plans
  • Leases of school trust lands
  • Royalty agreements on school trust lands
  • Land sales and exchanges
  • Cost certification
  • Revenue-generating options
• Temporary trusteeship
  • Serve as temporary trustee of school trust lands for proposed or active eminent domain proceedings, and pursuant to related statutes.
• Budget and management planning
  • Submit an annual budget and management plan to the Legislative Permanent School Fund Commission for review, including proposed legislative changes to improve asset allocation.
• Long-range strategic planning
  • Develop and implement a ten-year strategic plan and a 25-year framework for managing school trust lands, updated every five years, with goals to:
  • Retain core real estate assets
  • Increase asset value and cash flow
  • Rebalance the portfolio and strategically dispose of assets
  • Establish management priorities
  • Balance revenue generation with resource stewardship
  • Explore ecosystem services markets
• Public reporting and transparency
  • Regularly inform beneficiaries, the governor, the legislature, and the public by reporting at a public Legislative Permanent School Fund Commission meeting at least once per calendar quarter (as required).
• Staffing, budgeting, and interagency cooperation
  • The director may direct and control money appropriated to the office, establish job descriptions, and hire staff within appropriations.
  • The director may enter into interdepartmental agreements with other state agencies and joint powers agreements under chapter 471.
• Real estate development and recommendations
  • Evaluate and pursue real estate development projects on school trust lands in partnership with the DNR and with advice from the Legislative Permanent School Fund Commission to generate long-term economic returns for the Permanent School Fund.
  • Submit recommendations on strategies for leases, sales, or exchanges to the commissioner of natural resources and the Legislative Permanent School Fund Commission.

Significant changes to existing law

• Broad expansion of the school trust lands director’s duties, emphasis on fiduciary management, and proactive asset optimization.
• Mandatory, regular reporting to the Legislative Permanent School Fund Commission (at least quarterly) to boost transparency.
• Formal requirement for a long-range ten-year plan and a 25-year framework, updated every five years, focused on asset retention, value growth, portfolio rebalance, and ecosystem services.
• Increased collaboration and advisory roles with the governor, Executive Council, Land Exchange Board, and the DNR.
• Authorization of development projects and ecosystem services strategies to enhance long-term returns.
• Expanded fiscal and staffing authorities for the director, including interagency and joint powers agreements.

Potential impacts (high-level)

• Greater accountability and transparency in managing school trust lands and the Permanent School Fund.
• A more strategic, long-term approach to asset management and revenue generation.
• Possible expansion of development activities and market-based approaches (e.g., ecosystem services) to boost returns.
• Enhanced coordination among state agencies and oversight bodies in land management decisions.

Relevant Terms - school trust lands director - fiduciary capacity - trust beneficiaries - Permanent School Fund - governor - Executive Council - Land Exchange Board - Legislative Permanent School Fund Commission - Minnesota Statutes 2024 section 127A.353 subdivision 4 - DNR (Department of Natural Resources) - school trust land management plans - leases - royalty agreements - land sales and exchanges - eminent domain - section 94.342 subdivision 2.7 - budget and management plan - ten-year strategic plan - 25-year framework - ecosystem services markets - asset allocation - asset position - market value - real estate development projects - interdepartmental agreements - joint powers agreements (chapter 471) - cost certification - revenue-generating options - quarterly public meeting - public reporting