Every fall at our Annual Meeting, GMPT adopts its Legislative Policies and Agenda for the upcoming legislative session. The Legislative Policies are a statement of the organization’s principles and do not change much from year to year. The Agenda defines the issues that we will primarily focus on during the upcoming legislative session.  

Earlier this month at the Annual Fall Meeting, GMPT adopted its 2027 Legislative Policies and Agenda for the upcoming legislative session. The Policies are a statement of the positions we take on specific issues and areas of concern, providing guidance for our Agenda and for how we might respond to legislation that is introduced during the 2027 session. The Agenda sets forth the issues that we will be affirmatively working on, though we may not introduce legislation on each item. Because 2027 is a budget year at the state capitol, our work will be primarily focused on financial matters. 

Here is a brief summary of the changes made to and the items adopted in our Legislative Priorities. 

• We updated our policy on the Legacy bill to include a focus on pushing renewal of the Legacy Amendment.
• We cleaned up several positions on the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission (GMRPTC) to better reflect the work they do and our relationship with them.
• We shortened language on DNR grants, eliminating the names of specific programs, because our work has expanded to include more programs.
• We eliminated old language that no one remembers why we added.
• We added a policy opposing efforts to exclude most of Greater Minnesota from the Outdoor Heritage Fund Conservation Partners Legacy Program.
• We added a policy supporting efforts to promote the safer use of e-bikes.

We also adopted four items for our Legislative Agenda.

• We support a Legacy Finance Bill that includes 20% funding for Greater Minnesota and that ties the DNR fees to actual work performed.
• We support including grant extensions for several Legacy projects in Greater Minnesota.
• We support passage of an LCCMR bill that includes funding for local parks and trails grant programs as well as member projects included in the recommendations.
• We support passage of an Outdoor Heritage Bill that ensures all of Greater Minnesota is eligible for Conservation Partners Legacy grants.

Next week’s elections should not affect our priorities and agenda, but they will shape how we approach these issues, including our bill authors and legislative plans. Click here to view our complete 2027 Legislative Policies and Agenda.

As we approach the next legislative session, stay tuned for updates on reaching out to new and reelected legislators, agency appointments, and more. We will host a legislative preview webinar in January, and our Legislative Action Day is scheduled for February 17, so mark your calendars! For a full overview of our 2027 Legislative Policies and Agenda directly from the source, you can view our forum from early October here.

In the meantime, if you have questions regarding our legislative work, please contact GMPT Lobbyist Elizabeth Wefel at eawefel@flaherty-hood.com.