St. Paul, Minnesota — State Representative Rick Hansen (DFL – South St. Paul) has been appointed by House Speaker Paul Thissen to serve on the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council. Rep. Hansen had previously served on the council from 2009-2010.
“I look forward to once again be serving on the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council,” said Rep. Hansen. “As someone who co-authored and campaigned for the Legacy Amendment, I believe we can continue to implement it as part of the Constitution that I have sworn to uphold.”
Article XI, Section 15 of the Minnesota Constitution specifies that outdoor heritage funds “may be spent only to restore, protect, and enhance wetlands, prairies, forests, and habitat for fish, game, and wildlife.”
The Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council was established by the legislature with the responsibility of providing annual funding recommendations to the legislature from the Outdoor Heritage Fund. The Outdoor Heritage Fund, one of four funds created by the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment, receives one-third of the money raised by the tax increase.
Hansen was elected to the legislature in 2004 representing northern Dakota County. He previously was elected and served to the Dakota County Soil & Water Conservation District Board from 1997 through 2005. He co-chaired Dakota County’s successful farm land and natural area referendum campaign in 2002. He has a M.S. in Soil Management from Iowa State University. He is actively involved in his family farm in southern Minnesota.