1.1                          A bill for an act
  1.2             relating to local and state government; providing for 
  1.3             emergency expenditures related to the continuing 
  1.4             severe weather conditions and their aftermath; 
  1.5             appropriating money. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  [LEGISLATIVE FINDING.] 
  1.8      The legislature finds that the department of transportation 
  1.9   and the department of public safety, state patrol, have exceeded 
  1.10  normal expenditures as a result of winter storms, and without 
  1.11  additional appropriations, services will be significantly 
  1.12  reduced. 
  1.13     Sec. 2.  [APPROPRIATION FOR 1997 SEVERE WEATHER AFFECTING 
  1.14  PUBLIC SAFETY.] 
  1.15     A special 1997 severe weather contingent appropriation is 
  1.16  authorized.  Grants under this section must be coordinated in so 
  1.17  far as possible, and subject to immediate public safety 
  1.18  concerns, with emergency federal funding for the same or similar 
  1.19  purposes.  Some examples of needs for which grants are available 
  1.20  are:  snowplowing for emergencies because the snowplowing budget 
  1.21  or other resources are depleted; emergencies due to severe 
  1.22  weather and its aftermath, which may include flooding, and which 
  1.23  affects or threatens public safety; and required matching funds 
  1.24  under 1997 federal weather-related disaster declarations.  The 
  1.25  division of emergency management of the department of public 
  2.1   safety in cooperation with the department of transportation 
  2.2   shall devise a formula or criteria for distribution of funds for 
  2.3   1996 snowplowing, which will compare snowplowing expenditures of 
  2.4   the local unit of government for 1993, 1994, and 1995 against 
  2.5   1996 snowplowing expenditures.  To receive a grant for 
  2.6   reimbursement of 1996 snowplowing expenditures or to match 
  2.7   federal disaster assistance, a county, city, or town must 
  2.8   request the aid and provide relevant information to the division 
  2.9   of emergency management which shall review the request, 
  2.10  determine the appropriate amount of the reimbursement or match, 
  2.11  and distribute funds accordingly.  An application of a county, 
  2.12  city, or town for assistance associated with 1997 flooding or 
  2.13  related emergencies which affect public safety, is subject to 
  2.14  approval as follows: 
  2.15     (a) The commissioner of public safety may make grants up to 
  2.16  $5,000 from the appropriation to counties, cities, and towns for 
  2.17  emergency 1997 severe weather-related matters urgently affecting 
  2.18  or threatening public safety.  
  2.19     (b) The commissioner may make grants from $5,000 to and 
  2.20  including $10,000 to counties, cities, and towns for the purpose 
  2.21  in paragraph (a), with the approval of the governor. 
  2.22     (c) Grants of more than $10,000 to counties, cities, towns, 
  2.23  and the state of Minnesota for the purpose in paragraph (a) may 
  2.24  be authorized by the governor after the governor has consulted 
  2.25  the legislative advisory commission and it has made its 
  2.26  recommendation on the grant.  Its recommendation is advisory 
  2.27  only.  Failure or refusal of the commission to make a 
  2.28  recommendation is a negative recommendation. 
  2.29     Sec. 3.  [APPROPRIATIONS.] 
  2.30     Subdivision 1.  [SEVERE WEATHER COSTS.] $20,000,000 in 
  2.31  fiscal year 1997 is appropriated from the general fund to the 
  2.32  commissioner of public safety to be spent as provided in section 
  2.33  2, except that the commissioner may use necessary funds for 
  2.34  administration of this program.  Of the $20,000,000, up to 
  2.35  $3,500,000 shall be available as needed to match federal 
  2.36  disaster assistance, $2,000,000 shall be held in reserve until 
  3.1   needed for assistance associated with 1997 flooding or related 
  3.2   emergencies which affect public safety, and the remainder shall 
  3.3   be used for reimbursement of 1996 snowplowing expenses. 
  3.4      Subd. 2.  [HIGHWAY SNOW AND ICE CONTROL; SPRING 
  3.5   MAINTENANCE.] $16,000,000 in fiscal year 1997 is appropriated 
  3.6   from the trunk highway fund to the commissioner of 
  3.7   transportation for highway snow and ice control and spring 
  3.8   maintenance. 
  3.9      Subd. 3.  [STATE PATROL OVERTIME COSTS.] $95,000 in fiscal 
  3.10  year 1997 is appropriated from the trunk highway fund to the 
  3.11  commissioner of public safety to offset extraordinary 
  3.12  expenditures for overtime costs for the state patrol during 
  3.13  winter storms. 
  3.14     Sec. 4.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  3.15     Sections 2 and 3 are effective the day after their final 
  3.16  enactment.