1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to the Metropolitan Airports Commission;
1.3 	providing for additional taxicabs at Minneapolis-St.
1.4 	Paul International Airport; providing a procedure to
1.5 	increase fees on taxicab services; permitting transfer
1.6 	of taxicab permits and assets; prohibiting the
1.7 	enactment of certain unsafe rules; providing for a
1.8 	report; amending Minnesota Statutes 2004, sections
1.9 	221.091, subdivision 3; 473.606, by adding a
1.10 	subdivision; 473.621, by adding a subdivision.
1.11 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.12 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 221.091,
1.13 	subdivision 3, is amended to read:
1.14 		Subd. 3.Authority of metropolitan airports commission.
 1.15 	Notwithstanding any other law:
1.16 	(a) The Metropolitan Airports Commission may regulate
1.17 	ground transportation to and from an airport under its
1.18 	jurisdiction, subject to the provisions of paragraph 
1.19 	paragraphs (b), (c), and (d).  The authority under this
1.20 	paragraph includes, but is not limited to, regulating the number
1.21 	and types of transportation services, making concession
1.22 	agreements, and establishing vehicle standards.
1.23 	(b) The Metropolitan Airports Commission may regulate small
1.24 	passenger vehicles, including taxicabs, serving an airport under
1.25 	its jurisdiction only by ordinance.  An ordinance adopted under
1.26 	this paragraph must at a minimum (1) define taxicabs and , (2) 
1.27 	provide for driver qualifications, insurance, and vehicle
1.28 	safety, and may (3) provide for issuance of permits to taxicabs
2.1 	and other small passenger vehicles,and limits on (4) limit the
2.2 	number of permits issued to taxicabs in an amount not to exceed
2.3 	640.  The Metropolitan Airports Commission may not issue any new
2.4 	taxicab permits until the average waiting time for a taxicab in
2.5 	the line to pick up a passenger is less than one hour per trip,
2.6 	even if the number of permits issued is less than 640.  The
2.7 	Metropolitan Airports Commission may not revoke an existing
2.8 	permit solely for the purpose of reducing the number of taxicabs
2.9 	serving the airport.  An ordinance under this paragraph may not
2.10 	provide for making concession agreements relating to small
2.11 	passenger vehicle service, including taxicabs.
2.12 	(c) The Metropolitan Airports Commission may impose fees on
2.13 	taxicab service companies, taxicabs, and drivers under its
2.14 	jurisdiction only by ordinance.  An ordinance that increases
2.15 	permit or licensing fees must be adopted by a two-thirds vote of
2.16 	the commission.  The ordinance may not be voted on or adopted
2.17 	until a public hearing has been held on the question.  Notice of
2.18 	the time, place, and purpose of the hearing must be mailed to
2.19 	anyone who would be subject to an increase in permit or
2.20 	licensing fees.
2.21 	(d) The Metropolitan Airports Commission may allow
2.22 	permitted taxicab owners to transfer their business assets and
2.23 	permit.  The commission shall not provide a different standard
2.24 	for transfers between sole proprietors or individual owner
2.25 	taxicab operators than that provided for transfers between two
2.26 	corporations.

2.27 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 473.606, is
2.28 	amended by adding a subdivision to read:
2.29 		Subd. 8.Health and safety standards. The corporation
2.30 	shall not enact or enforce any ordinance, rule, or regulation
2.31 	that would be in conflict with occupational safety and health
2.32 	standards established in section 182.653 and subject any
2.33 	individual working or traveling at the airport to a greater
2.34 	likelihood of death, serious injury, or harm.

2.35 	Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 473.621, is
2.36 	amended by adding a subdivision to read:
3.1 		Subd. 1c.Annual report on fees. The corporation shall
3.2 	report to the legislature by February 15 of each year indicating
3.3 	the amount of fees, fines, rents, and other payments generated
3.4 	from its landside operations from July 1 to June 30 in the
3.5 	preceding year.  The corporation shall report all fees that are
3.6 	directly or indirectly paid by the public, including fees
3.7 	related to short-term and long-term parking and licensing and
3.8 	permitting fees or rents for ground transportation and
3.9 	taxicabs.  The corporation shall also report the expenses
3.10 	associated with the activities for which fees were collected.
3.11 	If the corporation's fees collected from July 1 to June 30 in
3.12 	the preceding year exceed its expenses related to the activities
3.13 	for which the fees were collected, the corporation must include
3.14 	in the report a description of the corporation's plan to reduce
3.15 	future fee revenue or a description of the corporation's plan to
3.16 	increase the quantity or quality of its activities for which the
3.17 	fees are collected so as to eliminate future surplus, or an
3.18 	explanation of why the corporation reasonably does not expect
3.19 	the surplus experienced in the preceding year to be repeated in
3.20 	future years.