1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to transportation; public transit; allowing use of public transit free of 
1.3 	charge for disabled veterans and current, uniformed members on active service; 
1.4 	amending Minnesota Statutes 2008, sections 174.24, subdivision 1a, by adding a 
1.5 	subdivision; 473.384, subdivision 5, by adding a subdivision.
1.6 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.7 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 174.24, subdivision 1a, is amended to read:
1.8 		Subd. 1a.Transit service needs implementation plan. The commissioner shall 
1.9 	develop a transit service needs implementation plan that contains a goal of meeting at 
1.10 	least 80 percent of unmet transit service needs in greater Minnesota by July 1, 2015, and 
1.11 	meeting at least 90 percent of unmet transit service needs in greater Minnesota by July 1, 
1.12 	2025. The plan must include, but is not limited to, the following: an analysis of ridership 
1.13 	and transit service needs throughout greater Minnesota; a calculation of unmet needs; an 
1.14 	assessment of the level and type of service required to meet unmet needs; an analysis of 
1.15 	costs and revenue options; and, a plan to reduce unmet transit service needs as specified 
1.16 	in this subdivision. The plan must specifically address special transportation service 
1.17 	ridership and needs. The plan must also provide that recipients of operating assistance 
1.18 	under this section provide public transit service without charge for disabled veterans 
1.19 	and for persons in uniform and currently on active military service in accordance with 
1.20 	subdivision 7. The commissioner may amend the plan as necessary, and may use all or 
1.21 	part of the 2001 greater Minnesota public transportation plan created by the Minnesota 
1.22 	Department of Transportation.

1.23 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 174.24, is amended by adding a subdivision 
1.24 	to read:
2.1 		Subd. 7.Transit service for veterans and uniformed persons on active service.
 2.2 	On and after the effective date of this section, an eligible recipient of operating assistance 
2.3 	under this section, who contracts or has contracted to provide public transit, shall provide 
2.4 	public transit service free of charge for (1) veterans, as defined in section 197.447, certified 
2.5 	as disabled and (2) persons in uniform and currently on active service, as defined in section 
2.6 	190.05, subdivision 5. For purposes of this section, "certified as disabled" means certified 
2.7 	in writing by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs or the state commissioner 
2.8 	of veterans affairs as having a permanent and total service-connected disability.

2.9 	Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 473.384, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
2.10 		Subd. 5.Service plan. The council shall, before making a contract with an eligible 
2.11 	recipient, require the submission of a service plan which that includes the following 
2.12 	elements:
2.13 	(a) a description of the service proposed for financial assistance, including vehicles, 
2.14 	routes, and schedules;
2.15 	(b) an assessment of the extent to which the proposed service meets the needs as 
2.16 	determined by the transit study;
2.17 	(c) a description of the contract administration and review process if the operation of 
2.18 	the proposed service is to be done by a private contractor;
2.19 	(d) a description of the amount required to establish and operate the proposed service 
2.20 	and the proposed sources of the required amount including operating revenue, other local 
2.21 	sources, and assistance from the council and from federal sources;
2.22 	(e) the fare structure of the proposed service, including but not limited to provision 
2.23 	by an eligible recipient described in subdivision 2, of the use of regular route transit 
2.24 	without charge by disabled veterans and by persons in uniform and currently on active 
2.25 	military service, in accordance with subdivision 10; and
2.26 	(f) projections of usage of the system.
2.27 	The council may specify procedures, including public hearing requirements, to be 
2.28 	followed by applicants that are statutory or home rule charter cities, towns, or counties, or 
2.29 	combinations, thereof in conducting transit studies and formulating service plans.

2.30 	Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 473.384, is amended by adding a subdivision 
2.31 	to read:
2.32 		Subd. 10.Transit service for veterans and uniformed persons on active service.
 2.33 	On and after the effective date of this section, an eligible recipient of financial assistance 
2.34 	under this section, who contracts or has contracted to provide regular route transit as 
3.1 	defined in section 473.385, subdivision 1, shall provide regular route transit service free of 
3.2 	charge for (1) veterans, as defined in section 197.447, certified as disabled and (2) persons 
3.3 	in uniform and currently on active service, as defined in section 190.05, subdivision 5. For 
3.4 	purposes of this section, "certified as disabled" means certified in writing by the United 
3.5 	States Department of Veterans Affairs or the state commissioner of veterans affairs as 
3.6 	having a permanent and total service-connected disability.