HF 1393

as introduced - 84th Legislature (2005 - 2006) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to the Metropolitan Airports Commission;
providing for additional taxicabs at Minneapolis-St.
Paul International Airport; providing a procedure to
increase fees on taxicab services; permitting transfer
of taxicab permits and assets; prohibiting the
enactment of certain unsafe rules; providing for a
report; amending Minnesota Statutes 2004, sections
221.091, subdivision 3; 473.606, by adding a
subdivision; 473.621, by adding a subdivision.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 221.091,
subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3.

Authority of metropolitan airports commission.

Notwithstanding any other law:

(a) The Metropolitan Airports Commission may regulate
ground transportation to and from an airport under its
jurisdiction, subject to deleted text begin the provisions of paragraph
deleted text end new text begin paragraphs new text end (b) new text begin , (c), and (d) new text end . The authority under this
paragraph includes, but is not limited to, regulating the number
and types of transportation services, making concession
agreements, and establishing vehicle standards.

(b) The Metropolitan Airports Commission may regulate small
passenger vehicles, including taxicabs, serving an airport under
its jurisdiction only by ordinance. An ordinance adopted under
this paragraph must at a minimum new text begin (1) new text end define taxicabs deleted text begin and deleted text end new text begin , (2)
new text end provide for driver qualifications, insurance, and vehicle
safety, deleted text begin and may deleted text end new text begin (3) new text end provide for issuance of permits to taxicabs
and other small passenger vehicles new text begin , new text end and deleted text begin limits on deleted text end new text begin (4) limit new text end the
number of permits issued new text begin to taxicabs in an amount not to exceed
640. The Metropolitan Airports Commission may not issue any new
taxicab permits until the average waiting time for a taxicab in
the line to pick up a passenger is less than one hour per trip,
even if the number of permits issued is less than 640. The
Metropolitan Airports Commission may not revoke an existing
permit solely for the purpose of reducing the number of taxicabs
serving the airport new text end . An ordinance under this paragraph may not
provide for making concession agreements relating to small
passenger vehicle service, including taxicabs.

new text begin (c) The Metropolitan Airports Commission may impose fees on
taxicab service companies, taxicabs, and drivers under its
jurisdiction only by ordinance. An ordinance that increases
permit or licensing fees must be adopted by a two-thirds vote of
the commission. The ordinance may not be voted on or adopted
until a public hearing has been held on the question. Notice of
the time, place, and purpose of the hearing must be mailed to
anyone who would be subject to an increase in permit or
licensing fees.
new text end

new text begin (d) The Metropolitan Airports Commission may allow
permitted taxicab owners to transfer their business assets and
permit. The commission shall not provide a different standard
for transfers between sole proprietors or individual owner
taxicab operators than that provided for transfers between two
corporations.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 473.606, is
amended by adding a subdivision to read:

new text begin Subd. 8. new text end

new text begin Health and safety standards. new text end

new text begin The corporation
shall not enact or enforce any ordinance, rule, or regulation
that would be in conflict with occupational safety and health
standards established in section 182.653 and subject any
individual working or traveling at the airport to a greater
likelihood of death, serious injury, or harm.
new text end

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 473.621, is
amended by adding a subdivision to read:

new text begin Subd. 1c. new text end

new text begin Annual report on fees. new text end

new text begin The corporation shall
report to the legislature by February 15 of each year indicating
the amount of fees, fines, rents, and other payments generated
from its landside operations from July 1 to June 30 in the
preceding year. The corporation shall report all fees that are
directly or indirectly paid by the public, including fees
related to short-term and long-term parking and licensing and
permitting fees or rents for ground transportation and
taxicabs. The corporation shall also report the expenses
associated with the activities for which fees were collected.
If the corporation's fees collected from July 1 to June 30 in
the preceding year exceed its expenses related to the activities
for which the fees were collected, the corporation must include
in the report a description of the corporation's plan to reduce
future fee revenue or a description of the corporation's plan to
increase the quantity or quality of its activities for which the
fees are collected so as to eliminate future surplus, or an
explanation of why the corporation reasonably does not expect
the surplus experienced in the preceding year to be repeated in
future years.
new text end