HF 1030

1st Engrossment - 88th Legislature (2013 - 2014) Posted on 03/21/2013 03:25pm

A bill for an act
relating to commerce; ending the transfer of money from the automobile theft
prevention account to the general fund; restoring use of the fund to its original
purpose; amending Minnesota Statutes 2012, sections 45.0135, subdivision 6;
65B.84, subdivision 1; 168A.40, subdivision 4.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 45.0135, subdivision 6, is amended to read:

Subd. 6.

Insurance fraud prevention account.

The insurance fraud prevention
account is created in the state treasury. Money received from assessments under subdivision
7 new text begin and from the automobile theft prevention account in section 168A.40, subdivision 4 new text end is
deposited in the account. Money in this fund is appropriated to the commissioner of
commerce for the purposes specified in this section and sections 60A.951 to 60A.956.

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 65B.84, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Program described; commissioner's duties; appropriation.

(a)
The commissioner of commerce shall:

(1) develop and sponsor the implementation of statewide plans, programs, and
strategies to combat automobile theft, improve the administration of the automobile theft
laws, and provide a forum for identification of critical problems for those persons dealing
with automobile theft;

(2) coordinate the development, adoption, and implementation of plans, programs,
and strategies relating to interagency and intergovernmental cooperation with respect
to automobile theft enforcement;

(3) annually audit the plans and programs that have been funded in whole or in part
to evaluate the effectiveness of the plans and programs and withdraw funding should the
commissioner determine that a plan or program is ineffective or is no longer in need
of further financial support from the fund;

(4) develop a plan of operation including:

(i) an assessment of the scope of the problem of automobile theft, including areas
of the state where the problem is greatest;

(ii) an analysis of various methods of combating the problem of automobile theft;

(iii) a plan for providing financial support to combat automobile theft;

(iv) a plan for eliminating car hijacking; deleted text begin and
deleted text end

(v) an estimate of the funds required to implement the plan; deleted text begin and
deleted text end

(5) distribute money, in consultation with the commissioner of public safety,
pursuant to subdivision 3 from the automobile theft prevention special revenue account
for automobile theft prevention activities, including:

(i) paying the administrative costs of the program;

(ii) providing financial support to the State Patrol and local law enforcement
agencies for automobile theft enforcement teams;

(iii) providing financial support to state or local law enforcement agencies for
programs designed to reduce the incidence of automobile theft and for improved
equipment and techniques for responding to automobile thefts;

(iv) providing financial support to local prosecutors for programs designed to reduce
the incidence of automobile theft;

(v) providing financial support to judicial agencies for programs designed to reduce
the incidence of automobile theft;

(vi) providing financial support for neighborhood or community organizations or
business organizations for programs designed to reduce the incidence of automobile
theft and to educate people about the common methods of automobile theft, the models
of automobiles most likely to be stolen, and the times and places automobile theft is
most likely to occur; deleted text begin and
deleted text end

new text begin (vii) providing financial support of $100,000 annually for grants under section
611A.675, subdivision 1, clause (6), or reasonable uninsured need-based property damage
reimbursement to victims of automobile theft; and
new text end

deleted text begin (vii) deleted text end new text begin (viii) new text end providing financial support for automobile theft educational and training
programs for state and local law enforcement officials, driver and vehicle services exam
and inspections staff, and members of the judiciary.

(b) The commissioner may not spend in any fiscal year more than ten percent of the
money in the fund for the program's administrative and operating costs. The commissioner
is annually appropriated and must distribute the amount of the proceeds credited to
the automobile theft prevention special revenue account each year deleted text begin , less the transfer of
$1,300,000 each year to the general fund described in section 168A.40, subdivision 4 deleted text end .

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 168A.40, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

Subd. 4.

Automobile theft prevention account.

A special revenue account is
created in the state treasury to be credited with the proceeds of the surcharge imposed
under subdivision 3. deleted text begin Of the revenue in the account, $1,300,000 each year must be
transferred to the general fund. Revenues in excess of $1,300,000 each year may be used
only for the automobile theft prevention program described in section 65B.84.
deleted text end