Legislative Updates

February 20, 2018

At FMR, we stand with Minnesotans from all walks of life who believe that clean and healthy rivers, lakes, streams and drinking water supplies must not be compromised for political gain. As the Minnesota Legislature sets to work on its two-year budget, we'll be keeping an eye out for unfair cuts, raids and rollbacks. Learn more and sign up to be a River Guardian to take action when it's needed most. >>

Our 2018 legislative priorities

by Trevor Russell

February 12, 2018

Budget uncertainty, election-year politics and a sometimes-heated debate on environment and conservation issues should make for a fascinating legislative session. Here are our priorities for the 2018 session, which kicks off Tuesday, February 20.

Our Capitol rotunda, full of hundreds of Minnesotans calling on legislators to support clean water.

Media coverage of our lawsuit against the state

February 6, 2018

As articles about our lawsuit roll in, we'll be sure to post them here. First up, the Star Tribune. >>

Evaluating the final Clean Water Fund bill

by Trevor Russell

June 28, 2017

HF 707 betrays the expectations of Minnesota voters by raiding $22 million in Clean Water Fund money for administrative costs for local governments, while failing to heed the recmmendations of Minnesota's Clean Water Council.

How water fared in the legislative session + a happy hour invitation

by Trevor Russell

June 5, 2017

While the 2017 Minnesota legislative session didn’t go as well as we hoped — we failed to make any meaningful progress on water quality — we can say for certain that the final bills were a great improvement over those originally vetoed by Gov. Mark Dayton.

Thank you FMR River Guardians, Water Action Day participants and everyone who joined in our efforts to stand up for clean water this session!

Learn more from our Legislative Updates blog and join us for happy hour, Tuesday, June 27 to recap the session with the FMR Capitol Crew and discuss what's next.

Environment bill becomes law: What’s in & what’s out?

by Trevor Russell

June 2, 2017

The Minnesota Legislature's original environment bill was one of the most sweeping anti-environmental bills to advance at the Capitol in many years. Luckily, it was vetoed by Gov. Mark Dayton on May 12. So what made it into the final bill that the governor signed on May 30? Some rollbacks, no water quality progress, but not the worst provisions were removed during final negotiations with the Dayton administration.

Sigh... Environment bill signed. Legacy funds shifted.

by Trevor Russell

June 1, 2017

We're pretty sure that when Minnesotans passed the Legacy Amendment, this isn't what they — what we — had in mind. Just signed by Gov. Mark Dayton, the environment bill shifts voter-mandated conservation funds to administrative costs. Thank you to all the River Guardians who tried to prevent this, we look forward to inviting you to happy hour soon to recap the session.