1.1                          A bill for an act
  1.2             relating to law enforcement; authorizing the use of 
  1.3             the department of public safety's helicopters and 
  1.4             aircraft for general law enforcement purposes; 
  1.5             appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes 1996, 
  1.6             section 299D.07. 
  1.7   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.8      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 299D.07, is 
  1.9   amended to read: 
  1.10     299D.07 [HELICOPTERS AND FIXED WING AIRCRAFT.] 
  1.11     The commissioner of public safety is hereby authorized to 
  1.12  retain, acquire, maintain and operate helicopters and fixed wing 
  1.13  aircraft for the purposes of the highway patrol and the Bureau 
  1.14  of Criminal Apprehension and for any other law enforcement 
  1.15  purpose that the commissioner determines is appropriate.  The 
  1.16  commissioner also is authorized to employ state patrol officer 
  1.17  pilots as required. 
  1.18     Sec. 2.  [APPROPRIATION.] 
  1.19     $250,000 is appropriated from the trunk highway fund each 
  1.20  year of the fiscal biennium ending June 30, 1999, to be used to 
  1.21  pay the costs of using the department of public safety's 
  1.22  helicopters and aircraft for law enforcement purposes.