HF 3065

as introduced - 88th Legislature (2013 - 2014) Posted on 03/13/2014 02:53pm

A bill for an act
relating to transportation; requiring the legislative auditor to examine results
of efficiencies adopted by the Department of Transportation and Metropolitan
Council; requiring a report; amending Minnesota Statutes 2012, sections
3.972, by adding subdivisions; 174.56, subdivision 1, by adding a subdivision;
proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 473.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 3.972, is amended by adding a subdivision
to read:

new text begin Subd. 2a. new text end

new text begin Audit of Department of Transportation efficiencies. new text end

new text begin The legislative
auditor shall, in every even-numbered fiscal year in connection with its audit of the
Department of Transportation under subdivision 2: (1) examine the department's efforts to
achieve the level of construction expenditure reduction due to implemented efficiencies
required under section 174.56, subdivision 2b; and (2) determine whether the savings have
been appropriately and transparently applied to advance priority projects of statewide or
regional significance through the corridors of commerce program.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 3.972, is amended by adding a subdivision to
read:

new text begin Subd. 2b. new text end

new text begin Audit of Metropolitan Council efficiencies. new text end

new text begin The legislative auditor shall,
in every even-numbered fiscal year: (1) examine the efforts of the Metropolitan Council
to achieve the level of metropolitan transit expenditure reduction due to implemented
efficiencies required under section 473.4485; and (2) determine whether the savings have
been appropriately and transparently applied to expand the metropolitan area transit system.
new text end

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 174.56, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Report required.

(a) The commissioner of transportation shall
submit a report by December 15 of each year on (1) the status of major highway projects
completed during the previous two years or under construction or planned during the year
of the report and for the ensuing 15 years, deleted text begin and deleted text end (2) trunk highway fund expenditures new text begin , and
(3) efficiencies achieved in the previous fiscal year new text end .

(b) For purposes of this section, a "major highway project" is a highway project that
has a total cost for all segments that the commissioner estimates at the time of the report
to be at least (1) $15,000,000 in the metropolitan highway construction district, or (2)
$5,000,000 in any nonmetropolitan highway construction district.

Sec. 4.

Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 174.56, is amended by adding a subdivision
to read:

new text begin Subd. 2b. new text end

new text begin Efficiencies. new text end

new text begin The commissioner shall include in the report information
on efficiencies implemented in the previous year in operations, planning, and project
management and delivery, along with an explanation of the efficiency measures utilized
to calculate efficiency-related savings. The level of savings achieved must equal, in
comparison with the previous three-year average of construction expenditures, a minimum
of five percent in fiscal year 2015, ten percent in fiscal year 2016, and 15 percent each
fiscal year thereafter. The savings must be utilized to advance priority projects of statewide
or regional significance through the corridors of commerce program under section
161.088. The report must identify the projects that have been advanced or completed due
to the implementation of efficiency measures.
new text end

Sec. 5.

new text begin [473.4485] METROPOLITAN COUNCIL TRANSIT EFFICIENCIES.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Reduction of expenditures and expansion of system. new text end

new text begin The council
shall adopt innovations in financial management, planning, operations, procurement, and
use of technology in order to reduce expenditures related to metropolitan area transit. The
level of savings achieved in the annual transit operating budget must equal or exceed five
percent in calendar year 2015, ten percent in calendar year 2016, and 15 percent each
calendar year thereafter. Savings achieved must be reinvested in a transparent manner to
expand the metropolitan area transit system.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Report. new text end

new text begin Beginning in 2015 and annually thereafter, by February 15, the
Metropolitan Council shall submit a report to the chairs and ranking minority members of
the house of representatives and senate committees and divisions with jurisdiction over
transportation policy and budget, describing the efficiencies implemented and the resulting
savings realized under this section. The report must also include details concerning the
application of the savings to the expansion of the metropolitan area transit system.
new text end