HF 2943

1st Committee Engrossment - 85th Legislature (2007 - 2008) Posted on 12/22/2009 12:38pm

1.1A bill for an act

1.2relating to transportation; requiring transit implementation plan to meet
1.380 percent of transit needs in greater Minnesota by 2015; requiring annual
1.4assessment of ridership needs of people with disabilities in metropolitan area;
1.5requiring annual transit report;amending Minnesota Statutes 2006, sections
1.6174.24, by adding a subdivision; 473.1465, by adding a subdivision; proposing
1.7coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 174.
1.8BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.9    Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 174.24, is amended by adding a
1.10subdivision to read:
1.11    Subd. 1a. Transit service needs implementation plan. The commissioner shall
1.12develop and implement a transit service needs implementation plan that contains a goal of
1.13meeting at least 80 percent of unmet transit service needs in greater Minnesota by July 1,
1.142015, and meeting at least 90 percent of unmet transit service needs in greater Minnesota
1.15by July 1, 2025. The plan must include, but is not limited to, the following: an analysis of
1.16ridership and transit service needs throughout greater Minnesota; a calculation of unmet
1.17needs; an assessment of the level and type of service required to meet unmet needs; an
1.18analysis of costs and revenue options; and, a plan to reduce unmet transit service needs as
1.19specified in this subdivision. The plan must specifically address special transportation
1.20service ridership and needs. The commissioner may amend the plan as necessary, and
1.21may use all or part of the 2001 greater Minnesota public transportation plan created by the
1.22Minnesota Department of Transportation.
1.23EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment.

1.24    Sec. 2. [174.247] ANNUAL TRANSIT REPORT.
2.1(a) By February 15 annually, the commissioner shall submit a report to the legislature
2.2on transit services outside the metropolitan area. The Metropolitan Council and any
2.3public transit system receiving assistance under section 174.24 shall provide assistance
2.4in creating the report, as requested by the commissioner.
2.5(b) The report must include, at a minimum, the following:
2.6(1) a descriptive overview of public transit in Minnesota;
2.7(2) a descriptive summary of funding sources and assistance programs;
2.8(3) a summary of each public transit system receiving assistance under section
2.9174.24;
2.10(4) data that identifies use of volunteers in providing transit service;
2.11(5) financial data that identifies operating and capital costs, and funding sources,
2.12for each public transit system and for each transit system classification under section
2.13174.24, subdivision 3b;
2.14(6) a summary of progress with the transit service needs implementation plan under
2.15section 174.24, subdivision 1a, including identification of any adjustments made to the
2.16plan; and
2.17(7) a calculation of the amounts of surplus or insufficient funds available for (i)
2.18paying the state share of transit operating costs under section 174.24, subdivision 3b, and
2.19(ii) following the transit service needs implementation plan.

2.20    Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 473.1465, is amended by adding a subdivision
2.21to read:
2.22    Subd. 4. Special transportation service assessment. As part of its annual
2.23update to the performance evaluation report under section 473.13, subdivision 1a, the
2.24Metropolitan Council shall include an assessment of progress towards meeting transit
2.25goals for people with disabilities. The assessment must include, but is not limited to, the
2.26following: a description of proposed program enhancements; an assessment of progress;
2.27identification of the estimated total number of potential and actual riders who are disabled;
2.28an assessment of the level and type of service required to meet unmet ridership needs; and
2.29an analysis of costs and revenue options, including a calculation of the amounts of surplus
2.30or insufficient funds available for achieving paratransit needs.
2.31EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment.