HF 1475

as introduced - 85th Legislature (2007 - 2008) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to transportation; encouraging coordination of paratransit services;
establishing paratransit and special transportation service standards; requiring
subsidized paratransit providers to offer intercounty service; directing
commissioner to facilitate establishment of one-stop paratransit call centers;
amending Minnesota Statutes 2006, sections 174.24, subdivision 2a; 174.255, by
adding a subdivision; 174.29, by adding subdivisions; 473.386, subdivision 3.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 174.24, subdivision 2a, is amended to read:

Subd. 2a.

Eligible activities.

Activities eligible for assistance under the program
include but are not limited to:

(1) planning and engineering design for transit services and facilities;

(2) capital assistance to purchase or refurbish transit vehicles and other capital
expenditures necessary to provide a transit service;

(3) operating assistance as provided under subdivision 3b; deleted text begin and
deleted text end

(4) new text begin partnership creation to coordinate and supplement services of county, local, and
private transit providers;
new text end

new text begin (5) design and operation of regional call centers; and
new text end

new text begin (6) new text end other assistance for public transit services that furthers the purposes of section
174.21.

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 174.255, is amended by adding a subdivision
to read:

new text begin Subd. 1a. new text end

new text begin Service standards. new text end

new text begin The commissioner shall require any paratransit
project that serves disabled individuals and receives assistance under section 174.24 to:
new text end

new text begin (1) allow passengers to schedule trips up to four days in advance;
new text end

new text begin (2) guarantee same-day demand service availability for trips that are 25 miles or
less; and
new text end

new text begin (3) provide service for a minimum of 14 hours per day, unless the commissioner
finds that service needs are met by one or more providers in the service area for a
minimum of 14 hours per day.
new text end

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 174.29, is amended by adding a subdivision
to read:

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Supplementary paratransit. new text end

new text begin The commissioner shall facilitate the
creation of partnerships among paratransit providers, including, but not limited to, medical
assistance transportation providers, to supplement and coordinate with available county
and local transit service.
new text end

Sec. 4.

Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 174.29, is amended by adding a subdivision
to read:

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Intercounty service. new text end

new text begin The commissioner shall require providers of
service within ..... miles of a county line to enter into regional intercounty service
agreements, allowing passengers to take trips up to 50 miles in length without payment
of a supplemental fare. The commissioner, in cooperation with state agencies that
assist, provide, reimburse, or regulate special transportation services, shall establish a
reimbursement mechanism to facilitate reimbursement for intercounty trips.
new text end

Sec. 5.

Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 174.29, is amended by adding a subdivision
to read:

new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin One-stop call centers. new text end

new text begin The commissioner shall promote, support, and
facilitate the establishment and operation of one-stop regional call centers that assist
callers in arranging the most efficient and cost-effective available rides while meeting
passengers' needs for special equipment.
new text end

Sec. 6.

Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 473.386, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3.

Duties of council.

In implementing the special transportation service, the
council shall:

(a) encourage participation in the service by public, private, and private nonprofit
providers of special transportation currently receiving capital or operating assistance
from a public agency;

(b) contract with public, private, and private nonprofit providers that have
demonstrated their ability to effectively provide service at a reasonable cost;

(c) encourage individuals using special transportation to use the type of service
most appropriate to their particular needs;

(d) ensure that all persons providing special transportation service receive equitable
treatment in the allocation of the ridership;

(e) new text begin require special transit service providers to:
new text end

new text begin (1) allow passengers to schedule trips up to four days in advance;
new text end

new text begin (2) guarantee same-day demand service availability for trips that are 25 miles or less;
new text end

new text begin (3) provide service for a minimum of 14 hours per day, unless the council finds
that service needs are met by one or more providers in the service area for a minimum
of 14 hours per day; and
new text end

new text begin (4) new text end encourage shared rides to the greatest extent practicable;

(f) encourage public agencies that provide transportation to eligible individuals as a
component of human services and educational programs to coordinate with this service
and to allow reimbursement for transportation provided through the service at rates that
reflect the public cost of providing that transportation;

(g) establish criteria to be used in determining individual eligibility for special
transportation services;

(h) consult with the Transportation Accessibility Advisory Committee in a timely
manner before changes are made in the provision of special transportation services,
including, but not limited to, changes in policies affecting the matters subject to hearing
under subdivision 2;

(i) provide for effective administration and enforcement of council policies and
standards;

(j) annually evaluate providers of special transportation service to ensure compliance
with the standards established for the program; and

(k) ensure that, taken as a whole including contracts with public, private, and private
nonprofit providers, the geographic coverage area of the special transportation service is
continuous within the boundaries of the transit taxing district, as defined as of March 1,
2006, in section 473.446, subdivision 2.

Sec. 7. new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE.
new text end

new text begin Sections 1 and 3 are effective July 1, 2007. Sections 2, 4, 5, and 6 are effective
January 1, 2010.
new text end