HF 595

as introduced - 82nd Legislature (2001 - 2002) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

  1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to railroads; authorizing local units of 
  1.3             government to establish "quiet zones," subject to 
  1.4             federal law and regulation, in which audible 
  1.5             locomotive warning devices are regulated or 
  1.6             prohibited; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota 
  1.7             Statutes, chapter 219. 
  1.8   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.9      Section 1.  [219.166] [ESTABLISHMENT OF QUIET ZONES.] 
  1.10     Subdivision 1.  [AUTHORITY.] A county, statutory or home 
  1.11  rule charter city, or town may by ordinance establish a defined 
  1.12  "quiet zone" in which the sounding of horns, whistles, or other 
  1.13  audible warnings by locomotives is regulated or prohibited.  A 
  1.14  quiet zone established under this section must consist of at 
  1.15  least one-half mile of railroad right-of-way.  All quiet zones, 
  1.16  regulations, and ordinances adopted under this section must 
  1.17  conform to federal law and the regulations of the Federal 
  1.18  Railroad Administration. 
  1.19     Subd. 2.  [STATE-AID FUNDS.] Notwithstanding any other law 
  1.20  to the contrary, but in accordance with the Minnesota 
  1.21  Constitution, article XIV, sections 7 and 8, counties and 
  1.22  statutory or home rule charter cities may spend their county 
  1.23  state-aid highway or municipal state-aid street allotments to 
  1.24  purchase, construct, and install the necessary signals and 
  1.25  barriers required to meet federal regulations when establishing 
  1.26  a quiet zone at intersections of the railway and any county 
  2.1   state-aid highway or municipal state-aid street, as applicable.