SF 1881

1st Engrossment - 80th Legislature (1997 - 1998) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

  1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to the organization and operation of state 
  1.3             government; appropriating money for the department of 
  1.4             transportation and other agencies with certain 
  1.5             conditions; regulating certain activities and 
  1.6             practices; providing for fees; establishing revolving 
  1.7             account; requiring a study; amending Minnesota 
  1.8             Statutes 1996, sections 16B.335, subdivision 1; 
  1.9             161.082, by adding a subdivision; 168.011, subdivision 
  1.10            9; 168.018; 168A.29, subdivision 1; 169.974, 
  1.11            subdivision 2; 171.06, subdivision 2a; 171.13, by 
  1.12            adding a subdivision; 173.13, subdivision 4; 296.16, 
  1.13            subdivision 1; 360.015, by adding a subdivision; 
  1.14            360.017, subdivision 1; and 457A.04, subdivision 2; 
  1.15            proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, 
  1.16            chapter 299A. 
  1.17  BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.18                             ARTICLE 1
  1.19                           APPROPRIATIONS 
  1.20  Section 1.  [TRANSPORTATION AND OTHER AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS.] 
  1.21     The sums shown in the columns marked "APPROPRIATIONS" are 
  1.22  appropriated from the general fund, or another named fund, to 
  1.23  the agencies and for the purposes specified in this act, to be 
  1.24  available for the fiscal years indicated for each purpose.  The 
  1.25  figures "1997," "1998," and "1999," where used in this act, mean 
  1.26  that the appropriation or appropriations listed under them are 
  1.27  available for the year ending June 30, 1997, June 30, 1998, or 
  1.28  June 30, 1999, respectively.  If the figures are not used, the 
  1.29  appropriations are available for the year ending June 30, 1998, 
  1.30  or June 30, 1999, respectively.  The term "first year" means the 
  1.31  year ending June 30, 1998, and the term "second year" means the 
  2.1   year ending June 30, 1999.  Appropriations for the year ending 
  2.2   June 30, 1997, are in addition to appropriations made in 
  2.3   previous years. 
  2.4                           SUMMARY BY FUND
  2.5              1997         1998          1999           TOTAL
  2.6   General $  226,000   $ 77,010,000   $ 73,748,000   $150,984,000
  2.7   Airports               18,016,000     18,078,000     36,094,000 
  2.8   C.S.A.H.              318,289,000    327,512,000    645,801,000 
  2.9   Highway User           14,199,000     14,269,000     28,468,000 
  2.10  M.S.A.S.               96,580,000     99,264,000    195,844,000 
  2.11  Special Revenue           912,000        927,000      1,839,000 
  2.12  Trunk 
  2.13  Highway  9,000,000    936,783,000    936,772,000  1,882,555,000 
  2.14  TOTAL  $ 9,226,000 $1,461,789,000 $1,470,570,000 $2,941,585,000
  2.15                                             APPROPRIATIONS 
  2.16                                         Available for the Year 
  2.17                                             Ending June 30 
  2.18                             1997           1998         1999 
  2.19  Sec. 2.  TRANSPORTATION 
  2.20  Subdivision 1.  Total 
  2.21  Appropriation         $ 9,000,000 $1,309,474,000 $1,319,920,000
  2.22  The appropriations in this section are 
  2.23  from the trunk highway fund, except 
  2.24  when another fund is named. 
  2.25                          Summary by Fund
  2.26                    1997          1998           1999 
  2.27  General                       15,744,000     14,437,000
  2.28  Airports                      17,966,000     18,028,000
  2.29  C.S.A.H.                     318,289,000    327,512,000
  2.30  M.S.A.S.                      96,580,000     99,264,000
  2.31  Trunk Highway    9,000,000   861,720,000    860,879,000
  2.32  The amounts that may be spent from this 
  2.33  appropriation for each program are 
  2.34  specified in the following subdivisions.
  2.35  Subd. 2.  Aeronautics                 18,296,000     17,958,000
  2.36                Summary by Fund
  2.37  Airports             17,896,000     17,958,000
  2.38  General                 400,000        -0-
  2.39  The amounts that may be spent from this 
  2.40  appropriation for each activity are as 
  2.41  follows:  
  3.1   (a) Airport Development and Assistance 
  3.2         1998           1999
  3.3       12,948,000     12,948,000
  3.4   $12,846,000 the first year and 
  3.5   $12,846,000 the second year are for 
  3.6   navigational aids, construction grants, 
  3.7   and maintenance grants.  If the 
  3.8   appropriation for either year is 
  3.9   insufficient, the appropriation for the 
  3.10  other year is available for it. 
  3.11  These appropriations must be spent in 
  3.12  accordance with Minnesota Statutes, 
  3.13  section 360.305, subdivision 4. 
  3.14  $12,000 the first year and $12,000 the 
  3.15  second year are for maintenance of the 
  3.16  Pine Creek Airport.  
  3.17  $90,000 the first year and $90,000 the 
  3.18  second year are for air service grants. 
  3.19  (b) Aviation Support 
  3.20       4,880,000      4,941,000
  3.21  $65,000 the first year and $65,000 the 
  3.22  second year are for the civil air 
  3.23  patrol. 
  3.24  $200,000 the first year and $200,000 
  3.25  the second year are to assist 
  3.26  municipalities to initiate, enhance, 
  3.27  and market scheduled air service at 
  3.28  their airports. 
  3.29  (c) Air Transportation Services 
  3.30                Summary by Fund
  3.31  Airports                 68,000         69,000
  3.32  General                 400,000           -0-
  3.33  $400,000 the first year is for 
  3.34  refurbishing a federal surplus jet 
  3.35  airplane for state ownership and use. 
  3.36  Subd. 3.  Transit                    15,248,000     14,337,000
  3.37                Summary by Fund
  3.38  General              14,937,000     14,021,000
  3.39  Trunk Highway           311,000        316,000
  3.40  The amounts that may be spent from this 
  3.41  appropriation for each activity are as 
  3.42  follows:  
  3.43  (a) Greater Minnesota Transit
  3.44  Assistance 
  3.45      13,556,000    13,556,000
  3.46  This appropriation is from the general 
  3.47  fund.  Any unencumbered balance the 
  3.48  first year does not cancel but is 
  4.1   available for the second year. 
  4.2   (b) Transit Administration   
  4.3          767,000       781,000
  4.4                 Summary by Fund
  4.5   General                 456,000       465,000
  4.6   Trunk Highway           311,000       316,000 
  4.7   (c) Access to Jobs and Training
  4.8   in Greater Minnesota
  4.9          925,000          -0- 
  4.10  This appropriation is from the general 
  4.11  fund. 
  4.12  The commissioner shall make grants 
  4.13  under this subdivision to counties 
  4.14  located outside the metropolitan area 
  4.15  and to eligible recipients of the 
  4.16  public transit subsidy program under 
  4.17  Minnesota Statutes, section 174.24, 
  4.18  subdivision 2, to facilitate the 
  4.19  transition between public assistance 
  4.20  and employment.  Grant recipients under 
  4.21  this subdivision shall, to the greatest 
  4.22  extent possible, seek federal or 
  4.23  private sector funding to transport 
  4.24  economically disadvantaged persons to 
  4.25  jobs and employment-related activities, 
  4.26  including child care facilities. 
  4.27  Recipients of grants from this 
  4.28  appropriation may spend the grants on 
  4.29  the following activities: 
  4.30  (1) providing transportation service or 
  4.31  arranging for service by contract with 
  4.32  a transportation provider; 
  4.33  (2) enhancing existing public transit 
  4.34  service; 
  4.35  (3) providing full or partial bus fare 
  4.36  reimbursement; 
  4.37  (4) facilitating employer efforts to 
  4.38  provide or coordinate transportation 
  4.39  services; 
  4.40  (5) coordinating transportation service 
  4.41  already being provided; 
  4.42  (6) providing or contracting for 
  4.43  transportation links between public 
  4.44  transportation routes and major 
  4.45  employment locations; and 
  4.46  (7) providing, through other programs, 
  4.47  cost-effective transportation to the 
  4.48  target population. 
  4.49  This appropriation is available for 
  4.50  expenditure in either year of the 
  4.51  biennium. 
  4.52  Subd. 4.  Railroads and Waterways    1,452,000      1,484,000
  5.1                 Summary by Fund
  5.2   General                 247,000       253,000
  5.3   Trunk Highway         1,205,000     1,231,000 
  5.4   Subd. 5.  Motor Carrier Regulation   2,437,000      2,487,000
  5.5                 Summary by Fund
  5.6   General                 110,000       113,000
  5.7   Trunk Highway         2,327,000     2,374,000
  5.8   Subd. 6.  Local Roads              414,869,000    426,776,000
  5.9                 Summary by Fund
  5.10  C.S.A.H.            318,289,000   327,512,000
  5.11  M.S.A.S.             96,580,000    99,264,000
  5.12  The amounts that may be spent from this 
  5.13  appropriation for each activity are as 
  5.14  follows:  
  5.15  (a) County State Aids 
  5.16     318,289,000    327,512,000
  5.17  This appropriation is from the county 
  5.18  state-aid highway fund and is available 
  5.19  until spent.  
  5.20  (b) Municipal State Aids 
  5.21      96,580,000     99,264,000
  5.22  This appropriation is from the 
  5.23  municipal state-aid street fund and is 
  5.24  available until spent.  
  5.25  If an appropriation for either county 
  5.26  state aids or municipal state aids does 
  5.27  not exhaust the balance in the fund 
  5.28  from which it is made in the year for 
  5.29  which it is made, the commissioner of 
  5.30  finance, upon request of the 
  5.31  commissioner of transportation, shall 
  5.32  notify the chair of the transportation 
  5.33  budget division of the senate and the 
  5.34  chair of the committee on ways and 
  5.35  means of the house of representatives 
  5.36  of the amount of the remainder and 
  5.37  shall then add that amount to the 
  5.38  appropriation.  The amount added is 
  5.39  appropriated for the purposes of county 
  5.40  state aids or municipal state aids, as 
  5.41  appropriate.  
  5.42  Subd. 7.  Local Bridge 
  5.43  Replacement and Rehabilitation            
  5.44  The appropriation of $7,631,000 in Laws 
  5.45  1994, chapter 643, section 15, 
  5.46  subdivision 2, for the Bloomington 
  5.47  ferry bridge is reduced to $5,131,000 
  5.48  and the appropriation of $12,445,000 in 
  5.49  Laws 1994, chapter 643, section 15, 
  5.50  subdivision 4, for local bridge 
  5.51  replacement and rehabilitation is 
  6.1   increased to $14,945,000. 
  6.2   Subd. 8.  State Roads    9,000,000   807,214,000    817,612,000
  6.3                           Summary by Fund
  6.4                     1997          1998           1999 
  6.5   General                            9,000          9,000
  6.6   Trunk Highway    9,000,000   807,205,000    817,603,000
  6.7   The amounts that may be spent from this 
  6.8   appropriation for each activity are as 
  6.9   follows:  
  6.10  (a) State Road Construction 
  6.11                   9,000,000   445,822,000    445,838,000
  6.12  It is estimated that these 
  6.13  appropriations will be funded as 
  6.14  follows:  
  6.15  Federal Highway Aid 
  6.16     225,000,000    225,000,000
  6.17  Highway User Taxes 
  6.18     220,822,000    220,838,000
  6.19  The commissioner of transportation 
  6.20  shall notify the chair of the 
  6.21  transportation budget division of the 
  6.22  senate and chair of the committee on 
  6.23  ways and means of the house of 
  6.24  representatives quarterly of any events 
  6.25  that should cause these estimates to 
  6.26  change. 
  6.27  This appropriation is for the actual 
  6.28  construction, reconstruction, and 
  6.29  improvement of trunk highways.  This 
  6.30  includes the cost of actual payment to 
  6.31  landowners for lands acquired for 
  6.32  highway right-of-way, payment to 
  6.33  lessees, interest subsidies, and 
  6.34  relocation expenses.  
  6.35  The appropriation for fiscal year 1997 
  6.36  is for state road construction and is 
  6.37  added to the appropriations in Laws 
  6.38  1995, chapter 265, article 2, section 
  6.39  2, subdivision 7, clause (a).  
  6.40  Of this appropriation, up to 
  6.41  $15,000,000 the first year and up to 
  6.42  $15,000,000 the second year may be 
  6.43  transferred by the commissioner to the 
  6.44  trunk highway revolving loan account if 
  6.45  this account is created in the trunk 
  6.46  highway fund. 
  6.47  The commissioner shall identify at 
  6.48  least three appropriate trunk highway 
  6.49  bridges in fiscal years 1998 and 1999 
  6.50  on which to demonstrate alternative 
  6.51  polymer bridge wrap processes.  The 
  6.52  commissioner shall report to the 
  6.53  legislature by February 1, 2000, on the 
  7.1   results of utilization of polymer 
  7.2   bridge wrap and its ability to provide 
  7.3   structurally sound preventive 
  7.4   maintenance, strengthen bridges beyond 
  7.5   their original construction 
  7.6   specifications, and facilitate 
  7.7   necessary maintenance in a timely and 
  7.8   cost-effective manner. 
  7.9   The commissioner of transportation may 
  7.10  receive money covering other shares of 
  7.11  the cost of partnership projects.  
  7.12  These receipts are appropriated to the 
  7.13  commissioner for these projects. 
  7.14  Before proceeding with a project, or a 
  7.15  series of projects on a single highway, 
  7.16  with a cost exceeding $10,000,000, the 
  7.17  commissioner shall consider the 
  7.18  feasibility of alternative means of 
  7.19  financing the project or series of 
  7.20  projects, including but not limited to 
  7.21  congestion pricing, tolls, mileage 
  7.22  pricing, and public-private 
  7.23  partnerships. 
  7.24  (b) Highway Debt Service 
  7.25      15,161,000     13,539,000
  7.26  $5,951,000 the first year and 
  7.27  $5,403,000 the second year are for 
  7.28  transfer to the state bond fund. 
  7.29  If this appropriation is insufficient 
  7.30  to make all transfers required in the 
  7.31  year for which it is made, the 
  7.32  commissioner of finance shall notify 
  7.33  the committee on state government 
  7.34  finance of the senate and the committee 
  7.35  on ways and means of the house of 
  7.36  representatives of the amount of the 
  7.37  deficiency and shall then transfer that 
  7.38  amount under the statutory open 
  7.39  appropriation.  
  7.40  Any excess appropriation must be 
  7.41  canceled to the trunk highway fund. 
  7.42  (c) Research and Investment Management 
  7.43      11,606,000     11,791,000
  7.44  $600,000 the first year and $600,000 
  7.45  the second year are available for 
  7.46  grants for transportation studies 
  7.47  outside the metropolitan area for 
  7.48  transportation studies to identify 
  7.49  critical concerns, problems, and 
  7.50  issues.  These grants are available to 
  7.51  (1) regional development commissions, 
  7.52  and (2) in regions where no regional 
  7.53  development commission is functioning, 
  7.54  joint-powers boards established under 
  7.55  agreement of two or more political 
  7.56  subdivisions in the region to exercise 
  7.57  the planning functions of a regional 
  7.58  development commission, and (3) in 
  7.59  regions where no regional development 
  7.60  commission or joint powers board is 
  7.61  functioning, the department's district 
  8.1   office for that region. 
  8.2   $216,000 the first year and $216,000 
  8.3   the second year are available for 
  8.4   grants to metropolitan planning 
  8.5   organizations outside the seven-county 
  8.6   metropolitan area. 
  8.7   $154,000 the first year and $181,000 
  8.8   the second year are for development of 
  8.9   an upgraded transportation information 
  8.10  system for making investment decisions. 
  8.11  $75,000 the first year and $75,000 the 
  8.12  second year are for a transportation 
  8.13  research contingent account to finance 
  8.14  research projects that are reimbursable 
  8.15  from the federal government or from 
  8.16  other sources.  If the appropriation 
  8.17  for either year is insufficient, the 
  8.18  appropriation for the other year is 
  8.19  available for it. 
  8.20  (d) Central Engineering Services
  8.21      56,593,000     57,384,000
  8.22  Of these appropriations, $2,190,000 the 
  8.23  first year and $2,190,000 the second 
  8.24  year are for scientific equipment.  If 
  8.25  the appropriation for either year is 
  8.26  insufficient, the appropriation for the 
  8.27  other year is available for it. 
  8.28  (e) Design and Construction Engineering
  8.29      69,445,000     70,879,000
  8.30  (f) State Road Operations
  8.31     202,331,000    205,403,000
  8.32  $11,689,000 the first year and 
  8.33  $11,689,000 the second year are for 
  8.34  road equipment.  If the appropriation 
  8.35  for either year is insufficient, the 
  8.36  appropriation for the other year is 
  8.37  available for it. 
  8.38  $1,790,000 each year is for safety 
  8.39  initiatives related to the highway 
  8.40  helper program, traffic and incident 
  8.41  management, accident analysis, and 
  8.42  other safety initiatives. 
  8.43  $805,000 each year is for the Orion 
  8.44  intelligent transportation system 
  8.45  research project. 
  8.46  (g) Electronic Communications
  8.47       6,256,000     12,778,000
  8.48                Summary by Fund
  8.49  General                   9,000         9,000
  8.50  Trunk Highway         6,247,000    12,769,000
  8.51  $9,000 the first year and $9,000 the 
  8.52  second year are from the general fund 
  9.1   for equipment and operation of the 
  9.2   Roosevelt signal tower for Lake of the 
  9.3   Woods weather broadcasting. 
  9.4   $1,730,000 the first year and 
  9.5   $8,170,000 the second year are for the 
  9.6   purchase of ancillary equipment for the 
  9.7   800 MHZ system and for personnel 
  9.8   necessary to develop, install, and 
  9.9   operate the system. 
  9.10  Subd. 9.  General Support             38,512,000     39,466,000
  9.11                Summary by Fund
  9.12  General                  41,000        41,000
  9.13  Airports                 70,000        70,000 
  9.14  Trunk Highway        38,401,000    39,355,000
  9.15  The amounts that may be spent from this 
  9.16  appropriation for each activity are as 
  9.17  follows:  
  9.18  (a) General Management       
  9.19      25,599,000     25,924,000
  9.20  $500,000 the first year and $500,000 
  9.21  the second year are for technical 
  9.22  training for highway maintenance and 
  9.23  bridge workers and highway technicians. 
  9.24  $388,000 the first year and $212,000 
  9.25  the second year are for improvements to 
  9.26  the inventory and other administrative 
  9.27  systems. 
  9.28  $230,000 the first year and $230,000 
  9.29  the second year are for information 
  9.30  resource management. 
  9.31  Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, 
  9.32  sections 160.84 to 160.92, the 
  9.33  commissioner of transportation is 
  9.34  authorized to implement a demonstration 
  9.35  congestion-pricing project involving 
  9.36  I-394 trunk highway facilities to 
  9.37  determine the feasibility of charging 
  9.38  user fees as allowed by section 1012(b) 
  9.39  of the Intermodal Surface 
  9.40  Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991, 
  9.41  Public Law Number 102-240 (ISTEA).  A 
  9.42  demonstration congestion-pricing 
  9.43  project implemented under this 
  9.44  paragraph may not be continued longer 
  9.45  than two years after the date of its 
  9.46  implementation.  For the purposes of 
  9.47  this demonstration project, the 
  9.48  commissioner is exempt from any 
  9.49  rulemaking requirements.  The 
  9.50  commissioner of transportation must 
  9.51  obtain prior approval for the project 
  9.52  from the metropolitan council.  The 
  9.53  metropolitan council must hold a public 
  9.54  hearing on the project as proposed by 
  9.55  the commissioner of transportation 
  9.56  before granting its approval.  All fees 
  9.57  collected by the commissioner must be 
  9.58  deposited in the trunk highway fund and 
 10.1   are appropriated to implement and 
 10.2   administer this demonstration project. 
 10.3   (b) General Services 
 10.4       12,913,000     13,542,000
 10.5                 Summary by Fund
 10.6   General                  41,000        41,000
 10.7   Airports                 70,000        70,000 
 10.8   Trunk Highway        12,802,000    13,431,000 
 10.9   $1,500,000 the first year and 
 10.10  $1,500,000 the second year are for data 
 10.11  processing development.  If the 
 10.12  appropriation for either year is 
 10.13  insufficient, the appropriation for the 
 10.14  other year is available for it. 
 10.15  The commissioner of transportation 
 10.16  shall manage the department of 
 10.17  transportation in such a manner as to 
 10.18  provide seasonal employees of the 
 10.19  department with the maximum feasible 
 10.20  amount of employment security 
 10.21  consistent with the efficient delivery 
 10.22  of department programs. 
 10.23  Subd. 10.  Buildings                  12,271,000        -0-     
 10.24  Of this amount, $6,771,000 the first 
 10.25  year is for ongoing operational 
 10.26  building needs.  
 10.27  The appropriation of $644,000 in Laws 
 10.28  1996, chapter 455, article 2, section 
 10.29  2, clause (5), for the Deer Lake 
 10.30  equipment storage building, is canceled 
 10.31  and is reappropriated for a Virginia 
 10.32  headquarters building addition for the 
 10.33  state patrol.  
 10.34  $5,500,000 the first year is for 
 10.35  construction of a new truck station 
 10.36  facility near Cedar Avenue and 66th 
 10.37  Street in Richfield. 
 10.38  Subd. 11.  Transfers
 10.39  The commissioner of transportation with 
 10.40  the approval of the commissioner of 
 10.41  finance may transfer unencumbered 
 10.42  balances among the appropriations from 
 10.43  the trunk highway fund and the state 
 10.44  airports fund made in this section.  No 
 10.45  transfer may be made from the 
 10.46  appropriation for state road 
 10.47  construction.  No transfer may be made 
 10.48  from the appropriations for debt 
 10.49  service to any other appropriation.  
 10.50  Transfers may not be made between funds.
 10.51  Transfers must be reported immediately 
 10.52  to the chair of the transportation 
 10.53  budget division of the senate and the 
 10.54  chair of the committee on ways and 
 10.55  means of the house of representatives.  
 10.56  Subd. 12.  Use of State Road 
 11.1   Construction Appropriations 
 11.2   Any money appropriated to the 
 11.3   commissioner of transportation for 
 11.4   state road construction for any fiscal 
 11.5   year before fiscal year 1999 is 
 11.6   available to the commissioner during 
 11.7   fiscal years 1998 and 1999 to the 
 11.8   extent that the commissioner spends the 
 11.9   money on the state road construction 
 11.10  project for which the money was 
 11.11  originally encumbered during the fiscal 
 11.12  year for which it was appropriated. 
 11.13  The commissioner of transportation 
 11.14  shall report to the commissioner of 
 11.15  finance by August 1 of each fiscal 
 11.16  year, on a form the commissioner of 
 11.17  finance provides, on expenditures made 
 11.18  during the previous fiscal year that 
 11.19  are authorized by this section. 
 11.20  Sec. 3.  METROPOLITAN COUNCIL  
 11.21  TRANSIT                               51,351,000     49,351,000
 11.22  Subdivision 1.  Access to Jobs 
 11.23  and Training                           2,000,000          -0-  
 11.24  The metropolitan council shall make 
 11.25  grants under this subdivision to 
 11.26  counties located in the metropolitan 
 11.27  area to facilitate the transition 
 11.28  between public assistance and 
 11.29  employment.  Counties receiving grants 
 11.30  under this subdivision shall, to the 
 11.31  greatest extent possible, seek federal 
 11.32  or private sector funding to transport 
 11.33  economically disadvantaged persons to 
 11.34  jobs and employment-related activities, 
 11.35  including child care facilities. 
 11.36  Counties receiving grants from this 
 11.37  appropriation may spend the grants on 
 11.38  the following activities: 
 11.39  (1) providing transportation service or 
 11.40  arranging for service by contract with 
 11.41  a transportation provider; 
 11.42  (2) providing full or partial bus fare 
 11.43  reimbursement; 
 11.44  (3) facilitating employer efforts to 
 11.45  provide or coordinate transportation 
 11.46  services; 
 11.47  (4) coordinating transportation service 
 11.48  already being provided; 
 11.49  (5) providing or contracting for 
 11.50  transportation links between public 
 11.51  transportation routes and major 
 11.52  employment locations; and 
 11.53  (6) providing, through other programs, 
 11.54  cost-effective transportation to the 
 11.55  target population. 
 11.56  This appropriation is available for 
 11.57  expenditure in either year of the 
 11.58  biennium. 
 12.1   Subd. 2.  School 
 12.2   Transportation 
 12.3   (a) The metropolitan council, the 
 12.4   school board of special school district 
 12.5   No. 1, Minneapolis, and the school 
 12.6   board of independent school district 
 12.7   No. 625, St. Paul, in consultation with 
 12.8   an advisory board, shall develop a 
 12.9   school transportation plan, the goal of 
 12.10  which is to make available school 
 12.11  transportation through the metropolitan 
 12.12  council's public transit system, at no 
 12.13  cost to students, to no fewer than 75 
 12.14  percent of the students transported by 
 12.15  Minneapolis public schools and no fewer 
 12.16  than 75 percent of the students 
 12.17  transported by St. Paul public schools, 
 12.18  in grades 9 to 12, during the 1998-1999 
 12.19  school year.  The plan shall consider 
 12.20  the feasibility of extending the plan, 
 12.21  for 1998-1999 implementation or in 
 12.22  subsequent years, to students in grades 
 12.23  7 and 8. 
 12.24  (b) The metropolitan council and the 
 12.25  school boards shall appoint, convene, 
 12.26  and consult with an advisory board 
 12.27  concerning the development of the 
 12.28  school transportation plan.  The 
 12.29  advisory board shall include, without 
 12.30  limitation, the school transportation 
 12.31  directors from the Minneapolis and St. 
 12.32  Paul school districts; a member of the 
 12.33  Amalgamated Transit Union; secondary 
 12.34  students and parents of secondary 
 12.35  students who use school transportation 
 12.36  in those school districts; a 
 12.37  representative of the department of 
 12.38  public safety; representatives of 
 12.39  nonpublic schools located within the 
 12.40  districts; a representative of the 
 12.41  department of children, families, and 
 12.42  learning; and administrators of 
 12.43  secondary schools within the 
 12.44  districts.  The advisory board expires 
 12.45  upon submission of the report required 
 12.46  by paragraph (d). 
 12.47  (c) The transportation plan must 
 12.48  include, without being limited to: 
 12.49  (1) a plan for service of the maximum 
 12.50  possible number of students, with a 
 12.51  goal of transporting no less than 75 
 12.52  percent of the students in grades 9 to 
 12.53  12 who are transported in each 
 12.54  district, with a minimum number of new 
 12.55  transit routes; 
 12.56  (2) a recommendation for school day 
 12.57  start and end times to optimize use of 
 12.58  public transit for school 
 12.59  transportation; 
 12.60  (3) an analysis of availability of 
 12.61  public transit for special education 
 12.62  students; open enrollment students; 
 12.63  students enrolled in nonpublic schools, 
 12.64  charter schools, post-secondary 
 12.65  enrollment options programs, area 
 13.1   learning centers, and other 
 13.2   nontraditional programs; and students 
 13.3   participating in school activities 
 13.4   before or after the school day; 
 13.5   (4) a description of the quality of 
 13.6   service to be available to students, 
 13.7   including maximum length of ride, 
 13.8   number of transfers required, and 
 13.9   maximum distance between home or school 
 13.10  and bus stop; 
 13.11  (5) a recommendation concerning 
 13.12  policies applicable to fares for 
 13.13  student ridership throughout the school 
 13.14  day and identification by public 
 13.15  transit drivers of students entitled to 
 13.16  free school transportation; 
 13.17  (6) a plan to extend the goals and 
 13.18  requirements of the state's school 
 13.19  transportation safety program to the 
 13.20  transportation of students on public 
 13.21  transit, to the maximum feasible 
 13.22  extent; 
 13.23  (7) a method for communicating 
 13.24  information to students whose school 
 13.25  transportation will be provided by 
 13.26  public transit, and their parents and 
 13.27  guardians, of the school transportation 
 13.28  plan prior to any implementation and 
 13.29  identification of a contact person to 
 13.30  answer resulting questions; 
 13.31  (8) recommendations concerning any 
 13.32  legislation required to implement the 
 13.33  school transportation plan; 
 13.34  (9) an analysis of the cost to the 
 13.35  metropolitan council of providing the 
 13.36  service outlined in the school 
 13.37  transportation plan; 
 13.38  (10) an analysis of the cost to the 
 13.39  Minneapolis and St. Paul school 
 13.40  districts for providing transportation 
 13.41  and transportation-related services to 
 13.42  students in grades 9 to 12 under the 
 13.43  school transportation plan developed as 
 13.44  provided in paragraph (a), which must 
 13.45  not exceed the projected cost, as 
 13.46  determined by the districts, of 
 13.47  providing equivalent transportation and 
 13.48  transportation-related services using 
 13.49  district-provided transportation; 
 13.50  (11) a description of the services that 
 13.51  the districts will be able to 
 13.52  discontinue by virtue of the 
 13.53  implementation of the school 
 13.54  transportation plan, and the financial 
 13.55  impact to the school districts of 
 13.56  discontinuing these services; and 
 13.57  (12) an analysis of the safety 
 13.58  implications of the plan. 
 13.59  (d) The metropolitan council and school 
 13.60  boards for the Minneapolis and St. Paul 
 13.61  school districts shall report the 
 14.1   school transportation plan to the 
 14.2   senate children, families and learning 
 14.3   K-12 committee and transportation 
 14.4   committee, and to the house of 
 14.5   representatives education committee and 
 14.6   transportation and transit committee 
 14.7   before January 30, 1998. 
 14.8   Sec. 4.  PUBLIC SAFETY
 14.9   Subdivision 1.  Total
 14.10  Appropriation             226,000     99,072,000    100,057,000
 14.11                          Summary by Fund
 14.12                    1997          1998           1999 
 14.13  General           226,000      9,915,000      9,960,000
 14.14  Trunk
 14.15  Highway           -0-         74,196,000     75,026,000
 14.16  Highway User      -0-         14,049,000     14,114,000
 14.17  Special 
 14.18  Revenue           -0-            912,000        927,000
 14.19  Subd. 2.  Administration 
 14.20  and Related Services                  11,806,000     11,898,000
 14.21                Summary by Fund
 14.22  General               3,951,000      3,937,000
 14.23  Trunk Highway         6,490,000      6,616,000
 14.24  Highway User          1,365,000      1,345,000
 14.25  $326,000 the first year and $326,000 
 14.26  the second year are for payment of 
 14.27  public safety officer survivor benefits 
 14.28  under Minnesota Statutes, section 
 14.29  299A.44.  If the appropriation for 
 14.30  either year is insufficient, the 
 14.31  appropriation for the other year is 
 14.32  available for it. 
 14.33  $1,128,000 the first year and 
 14.34  $1,128,000 the second year from the 
 14.35  general fund and $575,000 the first 
 14.36  year and $575,000 the second year from 
 14.37  the trunk highway fund are to enhance 
 14.38  the criminal justice computer systems. 
 14.39  $292,000 the first year and $292,000 
 14.40  the second year are for soft body armor 
 14.41  reimbursements under Minnesota 
 14.42  Statutes, section 299A.38.  
 14.43  $50,000 the first year from the highway 
 14.44  user tax distribution fund is for the 
 14.45  public awareness campaign on vehicle 
 14.46  forfeiture and administrative plate 
 14.47  impoundment.  This appropriation 
 14.48  cancels unless a law is enacted in 1997 
 14.49  which requires the department of public 
 14.50  safety to implement this campaign. 
 14.51  $1,851,000 the first year and 
 14.52  $1,830,000 the second year are 
 15.1   appropriated from the general fund for 
 15.2   transfer by the commissioner of finance 
 15.3   to the trunk highway fund on January 1, 
 15.4   1998, and January 1, 1999, 
 15.5   respectively, in order to reimburse the 
 15.6   trunk highway fund for expenses not 
 15.7   related to the fund.  These represent 
 15.8   amounts appropriated out of the trunk 
 15.9   highway fund for general fund purposes 
 15.10  in the administration and related 
 15.11  services program.  
 15.12  $580,000 the first year and $610,000 
 15.13  the second year are appropriated from 
 15.14  the highway user tax distribution fund 
 15.15  for transfer by the commissioner of 
 15.16  finance to the trunk highway fund on 
 15.17  January 1, 1998, and January 1, 1999, 
 15.18  respectively, in order to reimburse the 
 15.19  trunk highway fund for expenses not 
 15.20  related to the fund.  These represent 
 15.21  amounts appropriated out of the trunk 
 15.22  highway fund for highway user tax 
 15.23  distribution fund purposes in the 
 15.24  administration and related services 
 15.25  program.  
 15.26  $716,000 the first year and $716,000 
 15.27  the second year are appropriated from 
 15.28  the highway user tax distribution fund 
 15.29  for transfer by the commissioner of 
 15.30  finance to the general fund on January 
 15.31  1, 1998, and January 1, 1999, 
 15.32  respectively, in order to reimburse the 
 15.33  general fund for expenses not related 
 15.34  to the fund.  These represent amounts 
 15.35  appropriated out of the general fund 
 15.36  for operation of the criminal justice 
 15.37  data network related to driver and 
 15.38  motor vehicle licensing. 
 15.39  Subd. 3.  State Patrol    226,000     51,336,000     51,691,000
 15.40                          Summary by Fund
 15.41                    1997          1998           1999 
 15.42  General           226,000      2,179,000      2,155,000
 15.43  Trunk Highway                 49,067,000     49,446,000
 15.44  Highway User                  90,000         90,000
 15.45  Of the appropriation for fiscal year 
 15.46  1997, $76,000 is for transfer to the 
 15.47  trunk highway fund and $150,000 is to 
 15.48  reimburse the state patrol for general 
 15.49  fund expenditures to cover the costs of 
 15.50  deploying state patrol troopers to the 
 15.51  city of Minneapolis to assist the city 
 15.52  in combating violent crime. 
 15.53  $600,000 the first year and $1,200,000 
 15.54  the second year are appropriated from 
 15.55  the trunk highway fund to implement 
 15.56  wage increases for state patrol 
 15.57  troopers, trooper 1s, and corporals.  
 15.58  The wage adjustments are based on an 
 15.59  internal Hay study conducted by the 
 15.60  department of employee relations. 
 16.1   $1,675,000 the first year and $424,000 
 16.2   the second year from the trunk highway 
 16.3   fund and $93,000 the first year and 
 16.4   $22,000 the second year from the 
 16.5   general fund are for the development 
 16.6   and operational costs of computer-aided 
 16.7   dispatching, records management, and 
 16.8   station office automation systems. 
 16.9   $199,000 the first year and $202,000 
 16.10  the second year from the general fund 
 16.11  are for additional capitol complex 
 16.12  security positions. 
 16.13  The commissioner of public safety shall 
 16.14  identify and implement measures to 
 16.15  increase the representation of females 
 16.16  and minorities in the state patrol so 
 16.17  that the trooper population more 
 16.18  accurately reflects the population 
 16.19  served by the state patrol.  These 
 16.20  measures must include: 
 16.21  (1) evaluation of hiring and training 
 16.22  programs to identify and eliminate any 
 16.23  biases against underutilized, protected 
 16.24  groups; 
 16.25  (2) expansion of outreach programs to 
 16.26  high schools to include informational 
 16.27  presentations on law enforcement 
 16.28  careers and law enforcement degree 
 16.29  programs; 
 16.30  (3) intensification of recruitment 
 16.31  efforts toward qualified members of 
 16.32  protected groups; 
 16.33  (4) provision of guidance and support 
 16.34  to students in law enforcement degree 
 16.35  programs; 
 16.36  (5) publication of employment 
 16.37  opportunities in newspapers with 
 16.38  substantial readership among protected 
 16.39  groups; and 
 16.40  (6) development of other innovative 
 16.41  ways to promote awareness, acceptance, 
 16.42  and appreciation for diversity and 
 16.43  affirmative action in the state patrol. 
 16.44  The commissioner shall report to the 
 16.45  senate transportation committee and the 
 16.46  house of representatives transportation 
 16.47  and transit committee by January 30, 
 16.48  1998, on the measures implemented, 
 16.49  results achieved, progress made in 
 16.50  reaching affirmative action goals, and 
 16.51  recommendations for future action. 
 16.52  Subd. 4.  Driver and
 16.53  Vehicle Services                      34,666,000     35,185,000
 16.54                Summary by Fund
 16.55  General               3,724,000      3,807,000
 16.56  Trunk Highway        18,348,000     18,669,000
 16.57  Highway User         12,594,000     12,709,000
 17.1   $867,000 the first year and $777,000 
 17.2   the second year from the highway user 
 17.3   tax distribution fund are for 
 17.4   purchasing manufactured license plates 
 17.5   from the department of corrections. 
 17.6   $24,000 the first year and $19,000 the 
 17.7   second year from the trunk highway fund 
 17.8   are for the costs related to adding 
 17.9   blood alcohol concentration to drivers' 
 17.10  records.  This appropriation cancels 
 17.11  unless a law is enacted in 1997 which 
 17.12  requires the department of public 
 17.13  safety to record blood alcohol 
 17.14  concentration on a driver's record. 
 17.15  $89,000 the first year and $135,000 the 
 17.16  second year from the highway user tax 
 17.17  distribution fund are for implementing 
 17.18  the plate impoundments.  This 
 17.19  appropriation cancels unless a law is 
 17.20  enacted in 1997 which requires the 
 17.21  commissioner of public safety to 
 17.22  impound a vehicle's license plates upon 
 17.23  a second DWI conviction within five 
 17.24  years on the part of the vehicle's 
 17.25  owner. 
 17.26  Subd. 5.  Traffic
 17.27  Safety                                   352,000        356,000
 17.28                Summary by Fund
 17.29  General                  61,000        61,000
 17.30  Trunk Highway           291,000       295,000
 17.31  Subd. 6.  Pipeline Safety                912,000        927,000
 17.32  This appropriation is from the pipeline 
 17.33  safety account in the special revenue 
 17.34  fund. 
 17.35  Sec. 5.  ADMINISTRATION                   25,000       -0- 
 17.36  This appropriation is from the highway 
 17.37  user tax distribution fund.  The 
 17.38  commissioner shall spend this 
 17.39  appropriation for a study by a 
 17.40  qualified consultant to determine the 
 17.41  actual percent of all gasoline received 
 17.42  in and produced or brought into the 
 17.43  state, except gasoline used for 
 17.44  aviation purposes, that is being used 
 17.45  as fuel for snowmobiles in the state.  
 17.46  The commissioner shall consult with the 
 17.47  commissioners of revenue, 
 17.48  transportation, and natural resources 
 17.49  in preparing the request for proposals 
 17.50  for the study and in selecting the 
 17.51  consultant to perform the study.  The 
 17.52  commissioner shall report to the 
 17.53  legislature on the results of the study 
 17.54  by February 1, 1998. 
 17.55  Sec. 6.  MINNESOTA SAFETY COUNCIL         67,000        67,000
 17.56  This appropriation is from the trunk 
 17.57  highway fund. 
 18.1   Sec. 7.  GENERAL CONTINGENT 
 18.2   ACCOUNTS                                 375,000       375,000
 18.3   The appropriations in this section may 
 18.4   only be spent with the approval of the 
 18.5   governor after consultation with the 
 18.6   legislative advisory commission 
 18.7   pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, section 
 18.8   3.30. 
 18.9   If an appropriation in this section for 
 18.10  either year is insufficient, the 
 18.11  appropriation for the other year is 
 18.12  available for it.  
 18.13                Summary by Fund
 18.14  Trunk Highway           200,000       200,000
 18.15  Highway User            125,000       125,000
 18.16  Airports                 50,000        50,000
 18.17  Sec. 8.  TORT CLAIMS                     600,000       600,000
 18.18  To be spent by the commissioner of 
 18.19  finance.  
 18.20  This appropriation is from the trunk 
 18.21  highway fund. 
 18.22  If the appropriation for either year is 
 18.23  insufficient, the appropriation for the 
 18.24  other year is available for it. 
 18.25     Sec. 9.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
 18.26     Any provision making an appropriation for fiscal year 1997 
 18.27  is effective the day following final enactment. 
 18.28                             ARTICLE 2 
 18.29                     TRANSPORTATION DEVELOPMENT 
 18.30     Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 16B.335, 
 18.31  subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
 18.32     Subdivision 1.  [CONSTRUCTION AND MAJOR REMODELING.] (a) 
 18.33  The commissioner, or any other recipient to whom an 
 18.34  appropriation is made to acquire or better public lands or 
 18.35  buildings or other public improvements of a capital nature, must 
 18.36  not prepare final plans and specifications for any construction, 
 18.37  major remodeling, or land acquisition in anticipation of which 
 18.38  the appropriation was made until the agency that will use the 
 18.39  project has presented the program plan and cost estimates for 
 18.40  all elements necessary to complete the project to the chair of 
 18.41  the senate finance committee and the chair of the house ways and 
 18.42  means committee and the chairs have made their recommendations, 
 19.1   and the chair of the house capital investment committee is 
 19.2   notified.  "Construction or major remodeling" means construction 
 19.3   of a new building or substantial alteration of the exterior 
 19.4   dimensions or interior configuration of an existing building.  
 19.5   The presentation must note any significant changes in the work 
 19.6   that will be done, or in its cost, since the appropriation for 
 19.7   the project was enacted or from the predesign submittal.  The 
 19.8   program plans and estimates must be presented for review at 
 19.9   least two weeks before a recommendation is needed.  The 
 19.10  recommendations are advisory only.  Failure or refusal to make a 
 19.11  recommendation is considered a negative recommendation.  The 
 19.12  chairs of the senate finance committee, the house capital 
 19.13  investment committee, and the house ways and means committee 
 19.14  must also be notified whenever there is a substantial change in 
 19.15  a construction or major remodeling project, or in its cost. 
 19.16     (b) Capital projects exempt from the requirements of this 
 19.17  section include construction, renovation, or improvements to 
 19.18  dams, highway rest areas, truck stations, storage facilities not 
 19.19  consisting primarily of offices or heated work areas, trails, 
 19.20  bike paths, sewer separation projects, water and wastewater 
 19.21  facilities, campgrounds, roads, bridges, port development 
 19.22  projects for which the commissioner of transportation has 
 19.23  entered into an assistance agreement under section 457A.04, or 
 19.24  any other capital project with a construction cost of less than 
 19.25  $200,000. 
 19.26     Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 161.082, is 
 19.27  amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
 19.28     Subd. 3.  [TRANSFERS TO TURNBACK ACCOUNT.] (a) Whenever a 
 19.29  county submits plans for a project to be funded from the county 
 19.30  turnback account and the commissioner determines that the 
 19.31  project would be approved for funding except for insufficient 
 19.32  money in the county turnback account, the commissioner may 
 19.33  transfer from the unencumbered balance of the construction 
 19.34  account in the county state-aid highway fund an amount 
 19.35  sufficient to pay the costs of the project. 
 19.36     (b) The commissioner may make a transfer under paragraph 
 20.1   (a) only if the commissioner determines that the transfer would 
 20.2   not reduce the unencumbered balance of the construction account 
 20.3   in the county state-aid highway fund to less than $50,000,000. 
 20.4      (c) Not later than ten years after any transfer under 
 20.5   paragraph (a), the commissioner shall transfer from the county 
 20.6   turnback account to the construction account in the county 
 20.7   state-aid highway fund an amount sufficient to repay the amount 
 20.8   transferred under paragraph (a). 
 20.9      Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 168.011, 
 20.10  subdivision 9, is amended to read: 
 20.11     Subd. 9.  [BUS; INTERCITY BUS.] (a) "Bus" means (1) every 
 20.12  motor vehicle designed for carrying more than 15 passengers 
 20.13  including the driver and used for transporting persons, and (2) 
 20.14  every motor vehicle that is (i) designed for carrying more than 
 20.15  ten passengers including the driver, (ii) used for transporting 
 20.16  persons, and (iii) owned by a nonprofit organization and not 
 20.17  operated for hire or for commercial purposes, or (3) every motor 
 20.18  vehicle certified by the department of transportation as a 
 20.19  special transportation service provider vehicle and receiving 
 20.20  reimbursement as provided in section 256B.0625, subdivision 17.  
 20.21     (b) "Intercity bus" means any bus operating as a common 
 20.22  passenger carrier over regular routes and between fixed termini, 
 20.23  but excluding all buses operating wholly within the limits of 
 20.24  one city, or wholly within two or more contiguous cities, or 
 20.25  between contiguous cities and a terminus outside the corporate 
 20.26  limits of such cities, and not more than 20 miles distant 
 20.27  measured along the fixed route from such corporate limits. 
 20.28     Sec. 4.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 168.018, is 
 20.29  amended to read: 
 20.30     168.018 [QUARTERLY REGISTRATION OF FARM TRUCKS.] 
 20.31     The owner of (1) any farm truck as defined in section 
 20.32  168.011, subdivision 17, or (2) a truck owned by a retailer who 
 20.33  is engaged in the intrastate transportation of fertilizer or 
 20.34  agricultural chemicals directly to a farm for on-farm use within 
 20.35  a radius of 50 miles of the retailer's business location, may 
 20.36  elect to register and license the farm truck only for one or 
 21.1   more quarters of a registration year, at a tax of one-fourth of 
 21.2   the annual tax on the vehicle plus $5 for each quarterly 
 21.3   registration.  The owner may not apply for quarterly 
 21.4   registration or renewal until seven days before the selected 
 21.5   quarter or concurrent quarters.  The expiration date of a 
 21.6   registration shall be displayed on the license plate in such a 
 21.7   manner as the registrar shall direct.  No farm truck registered 
 21.8   on a quarterly basis shall be operated on the public streets and 
 21.9   highways more than ten days beyond the end of the quarter for 
 21.10  which it is registered unless the registration has been renewed 
 21.11  for another quarter or for the remainder of the registration 
 21.12  year.  
 21.13     For purposes of this section registration quarters shall 
 21.14  begin on March 1, June 1, September 1, and December 1. 
 21.15     Sec. 5.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 168A.29, 
 21.16  subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
 21.17     Subdivision 1.  [AMOUNTS.] (a) The department shall be paid 
 21.18  the following fees: 
 21.19     (1) for filing an application for and the issuance of an 
 21.20  original certificate of title, the sum of $2; 
 21.21     (2) for each security interest when first noted upon a 
 21.22  certificate of title, including the concurrent notation of any 
 21.23  assignment thereof and its subsequent release or satisfaction, 
 21.24  the sum of $2, except that no fee is due for a security interest 
 21.25  filed by a public authority under section 168A.05, subdivision 
 21.26  8; 
 21.27     (3) for the transfer of the interest of an owner and the 
 21.28  issuance of a new certificate of title, the sum of $2; 
 21.29     (4) for each assignment of a security interest when first 
 21.30  noted on a certificate of title, unless noted concurrently with 
 21.31  the security interest, the sum of $1; 
 21.32     (5) for issuing a duplicate certificate of title, the sum 
 21.33  of $4.  
 21.34     (b) After June 30, 1994, in addition to each of the fees 
 21.35  required under paragraph (a), clauses (1) and (3), the 
 21.36  department shall be paid: 
 22.1      (1) from July 1, 1994, to June 30, 1997, $3.50; but then 
 22.2      (2) after June 30, 1997, $1.  
 22.3      The additional fee collected under this paragraph must be 
 22.4   deposited in the transportation services special revenue fund 
 22.5   and credited to the state patrol public safety motor vehicle 
 22.6   account established in section 299D.10 299A.70. 
 22.7      Sec. 6.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 169.974, 
 22.8   subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
 22.9      Subd. 2.  [LICENSE REQUIREMENTS.] No person shall operate a 
 22.10  motorcycle on any street or highway without having a valid 
 22.11  standard driver's license with a two-wheeled vehicle endorsement 
 22.12  as provided by law.  No such two-wheeled vehicle endorsement 
 22.13  shall be issued unless the person applying therefor has in 
 22.14  possession a valid two-wheeled vehicle instruction permit as 
 22.15  provided herein, has passed a written examination and road test 
 22.16  administered by the department of public safety for such 
 22.17  endorsement, and, in the case of applicants under 18 years of 
 22.18  age, shall present a certificate or other evidence of having 
 22.19  successfully completed an approved two-wheeled vehicle driver's 
 22.20  safety course in this or another state, in accordance with rules 
 22.21  promulgated by the state board of education for courses offered 
 22.22  through the public schools, or rules promulgated by the 
 22.23  commissioner of public safety for courses offered by a private 
 22.24  or commercial school or institute.  The commissioner of public 
 22.25  safety may waive the road test for any applicant on determining 
 22.26  that the applicant possesses a valid license to operate a 
 22.27  two-wheeled vehicle issued by a jurisdiction that requires a 
 22.28  comparable road test for license issuance.  A two-wheeled 
 22.29  vehicle instruction permit shall be issued to any person over 16 
 22.30  years of age, who is in possession of a valid driver's license, 
 22.31  who is enrolled in an approved two-wheeled vehicle driver's 
 22.32  safety course, and who has passed a written examination for such 
 22.33  permit and has paid such fee as the commissioner of public 
 22.34  safety shall prescribe.  A two-wheeled vehicle instruction 
 22.35  permit shall be effective for 45 days one year, and may be 
 22.36  renewed under rules to be prescribed by the commissioner of 
 23.1   public safety. 
 23.2      No person who is operating by virtue of a two-wheeled 
 23.3   vehicle instruction permit shall: 
 23.4      (a) carry any passengers on the streets and highways of 
 23.5   this state on the motorcycle which the person is operating; 
 23.6      (b) drive the motorcycle at night time; 
 23.7      (c) drive the motorcycle on any highway marked by the 
 23.8   commissioner as an interstate highway pursuant to title 23 of 
 23.9   the United States Code; or 
 23.10     (d) drive the motorcycle without wearing protective 
 23.11  headgear that complies with standards established by the 
 23.12  commissioner of public safety. 
 23.13     Notwithstanding the provisions of this subdivision, the 
 23.14  commissioner of public safety may, however, issue a special 
 23.15  motorcycle permit, restricted or qualified in such manner as the 
 23.16  commissioner of public safety shall deem proper, to any person 
 23.17  demonstrating a need therefor and unable to qualify for a 
 23.18  standard driver's license. 
 23.19     Sec. 7.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 171.06, 
 23.20  subdivision 2a, is amended to read: 
 23.21     Subd. 2a.  [TWO-WHEELED VEHICLE ENDORSEMENT FEE 
 23.22  INCREASED.] (a) The fee for any duplicate drivers driver's 
 23.23  license which is obtained for the purpose of adding a 
 23.24  two-wheeled vehicle endorsement is increased by $16 $18.50 for 
 23.25  each first such duplicate license and $13 for each renewal 
 23.26  thereof.  The additional fee shall be paid into the state 
 23.27  treasury and credited as follows: 
 23.28     (1) $8.50 $11 of the additional fee for each first 
 23.29  duplicate license, and $7 of the additional fee for each 
 23.30  renewal, must be credited to the motorcycle safety fund which is 
 23.31  hereby created; provided that any fee receipts in excess of 
 23.32  $750,000 in a fiscal year shall be credited 90 percent to the 
 23.33  trunk highway fund and ten percent to the general fund, as 
 23.34  provided in section 171.26. 
 23.35     (2) The remainder of the additional fee must be credited to 
 23.36  the general fund. 
 24.1      (b) All application forms prepared by the commissioner for 
 24.2   two-wheeled vehicle endorsements shall clearly contain the 
 24.3   information that state the amount of the total fee charged for 
 24.4   the endorsement, $7 that is dedicated to the motorcycle safety 
 24.5   fund. 
 24.6      Sec. 8.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 171.13, is 
 24.7   amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
 24.8      Subd. 6.  [INITIAL MOTORCYCLE ENDORSEMENT FEES.] A person 
 24.9   applying to secure a motorcycle endorsement on the person's 
 24.10  driver's license shall pay a sum of $21, which includes the fees 
 24.11  for examination and the applicant's first duplicate license, at 
 24.12  the place of application.  Of this combined fee, $11 must be 
 24.13  credited according to section 171.06, subdivision 2a, paragraph 
 24.14  (a), clause (1). 
 24.15     Sec. 9.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 173.13, 
 24.16  subdivision 4, is amended to read: 
 24.17     Subd. 4.  [FEES.] The annual fee for each such permit or 
 24.18  renewal thereof shall be as follows: 
 24.19     (1) If the advertising area of the advertising device does 
 24.20  not exceed 50 square feet, the fee shall be $25 $30. 
 24.21     (2) If the advertising area exceeds 50 square feet but does 
 24.22  not exceed 300 square feet, the fee shall be $50 $60. 
 24.23     (3) If the advertising area exceeds 300 square feet, the 
 24.24  fee shall be $100 $120. 
 24.25     (4) No fee shall be charged for a permit for official signs 
 24.26  and notices as they are defined in section 173.02, except that a 
 24.27  fee may be charged for a star city sign erected under section 
 24.28  173.085. 
 24.29     Sec. 10.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 296.16, 
 24.30  subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
 24.31     Subdivision 1.  [INTENT; GASOLINE USE.] All gasoline 
 24.32  received in this state and all gasoline produced in or brought 
 24.33  into this state except aviation gasoline and marine gasoline 
 24.34  shall be determined to be intended for use in motor vehicles in 
 24.35  this state. 
 24.36     Approximately 1-1/2 percent of all gasoline received in 
 25.1   this state and 1-1/2 percent of all gasoline produced or brought 
 25.2   into this state, except gasoline used for aviation purposes, is 
 25.3   being used as fuel for the operation of motorboats on the waters 
 25.4   of this state and of the total revenue derived from the 
 25.5   imposition of the gasoline fuel tax for uses other than for 
 25.6   aviation purposes, 1-1/2 percent of such revenues is the amount 
 25.7   of tax on fuel used in motorboats operated on the waters of this 
 25.8   state.  
 25.9      Approximately three-fourths of one percent in fiscal years 
 25.10  1998 and 1999, and three-fourths of one percent thereafter, of 
 25.11  all gasoline received in and produced or brought into this 
 25.12  state, except gasoline used for aviation purposes, is being used 
 25.13  as fuel for the operation of snowmobiles in this state, and of 
 25.14  the total revenue derived from the imposition of the gasoline 
 25.15  fuel tax for uses other than for aviation 
 25.16  purposes, three-fourths of one percent in fiscal years 1998 and 
 25.17  1999, and three-fourths of one percent thereafter, of such 
 25.18  revenues is the amount of tax on fuel used in snowmobiles 
 25.19  operated in this state. 
 25.20     Approximately 0.15 of one percent of all gasoline received 
 25.21  in or produced or brought into this state, except gasoline used 
 25.22  for aviation purposes, is being used for the operation of 
 25.23  all-terrain vehicles in this state, and of the total revenue 
 25.24  derived from the imposition of the gasoline fuel tax, 0.15 of 
 25.25  one percent is the amount of tax on fuel used in all-terrain 
 25.26  vehicles operated in this state. 
 25.27     Approximately 0.046 of one percent of all gasoline received 
 25.28  or produced in or brought into this state, except gasoline used 
 25.29  for aviation purposes, is being used for the operation of 
 25.30  off-highway motorcycles in this state, and of the total revenue 
 25.31  derived from the imposition of the gasoline fuel tax for uses 
 25.32  other than for aviation purposes, 0.046 of one percent is the 
 25.33  amount of tax on fuel used in off-highway motorcycles operated 
 25.34  in this state. 
 25.35     Approximately .164 of one percent of all gasoline received 
 25.36  or produced in or brought into this state, except gasoline used 
 26.1   for aviation purposes, is being used for the off-road operation 
 26.2   of off-road vehicles, as defined in section 84.797, in this 
 26.3   state, and of the total revenue derived from the imposition of 
 26.4   the gasoline fuel tax for uses other than aviation purposes, 
 26.5   .164 of one percent is the amount of tax on fuel used for 
 26.6   off-road operation of off-road vehicles in this state. 
 26.7      Sec. 11.  [299A.70] [PUBLIC SAFETY MOTOR VEHICLE ACCOUNT.] 
 26.8      The public safety motor vehicle account is created in the 
 26.9   special revenue fund, consisting of the fees collected under 
 26.10  section 168A.29, subdivision 1, paragraph (b).  Money in the 
 26.11  account is annually appropriated to the commissioner for 
 26.12  purchasing and equipping department vehicles.  
 26.13     Sec. 12.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 360.015, is 
 26.14  amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
 26.15     Subd. 13a.  [ASSISTANCE FOR MUNICIPALITY'S AIR 
 26.16  TRANSPORTATION SERVICES.] The commissioner may render assistance 
 26.17  to a municipality to initiate and enhance scheduled air service, 
 26.18  including marketing surveys and promotions.  The cost of this 
 26.19  assistance must be paid out of the state airports fund and from 
 26.20  legislative appropriations made for that purpose.  Money may be 
 26.21  spent for purposes of this section only with the approval and 
 26.22  under the supervision of the commissioner. 
 26.23     Sec. 13.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 360.017, 
 26.24  subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
 26.25     Subdivision 1.  [CREATION; AUTHORIZED DISBURSEMENTS.] (a) 
 26.26  There is hereby created a fund to be known as the state airports 
 26.27  fund.  The fund shall consist of all money appropriated to it, 
 26.28  or directed to be paid into it, by the legislature. 
 26.29     (b) The state airports fund shall be paid out on 
 26.30  authorization of the commissioner and shall be used: 
 26.31     (1) to acquire, construct, improve, maintain, and operate 
 26.32  airports and other air navigation facilities and; 
 26.33     (2) to assist municipalities in the acquisition, 
 26.34  construction, improvement, and maintenance of airports and other 
 26.35  air navigation facilities.  The fund may also be used; 
 26.36     (3) to assist municipalities to initiate, enhance, and 
 27.1   market scheduled air service at their airports; 
 27.2      (4) to promote interest and safety in aeronautics through 
 27.3   education and information.; and 
 27.4      (5) to pay the salaries and expenses in of the department 
 27.5   of transportation related to aeronautic planning, 
 27.6   administration, and operation shall be paid from the state 
 27.7   airports fund.  All allotments of money from the state airports 
 27.8   fund for salaries and expenses shall be approved by the 
 27.9   commissioner of finance. 
 27.10     Sec. 14.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 457A.04, 
 27.11  subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
 27.12     Subd. 2.  [ELIGIBLE COSTS.] (a) An assistance agreement 
 27.13  must specify those project costs which may be paid in whole or 
 27.14  in part with assistance from the commissioner.  
 27.15     (b) Assistance agreements may provide that only the 
 27.16  following costs may be so paid: 
 27.17     (1) final engineering costs on a commercial navigation 
 27.18  facility project; 
 27.19     (2) capital improvements to a commercial navigation 
 27.20  facility; and 
 27.21     (3) costs of dredging necessary to open a new commercial 
 27.22  navigation facility project,; 
 27.23     (4) costs of providing access to on-shore facilities from 
 27.24  existing channels maintained by the federal government; 
 27.25     (5) costs to provide for fleeting operations; and 
 27.26     (6) costs for disposal of dredged material. 
 27.27     (c) The following costs may not be paid with assistance 
 27.28  from the commissioner: 
 27.29     (1) the applicant's administrative, insurance, and legal 
 27.30  costs; 
 27.31     (2) costs of acquiring project permits; 
 27.32     (3) costs of preparing environmental documents, feasibility 
 27.33  studies, or project designs; 
 27.34     (4) interest on money borrowed by the applicant or charged 
 27.35  to the applicant for late payment of project costs; 
 27.36     (5) any costs related to the routine maintenance, repair, 
 28.1   or operation of a commercial navigation facility; and 
 28.2      (6) costs of dredging to maintain an existing channel; and 
 28.3      (7) costs for a project that involves only 
 28.4   dredging maintained by the federal government. 
 28.5      Sec. 15.  [COMMUTER RAIL STUDY.] 
 28.6      The commissioner of transportation, in coordination with 
 28.7   other public sector interests and the railroads, will conduct a 
 28.8   study to determine the feasibility of utilizing freight railroad 
 28.9   corridors for potential commuter rail service in and connecting 
 28.10  with the metropolitan area.  The primary goal of this initiative 
 28.11  is to determine if commuter rail can provide a viable 
 28.12  transportation option for the metropolitan area.  Additionally, 
 28.13  the study will define commuter rail's potential to reduce 
 28.14  highway congestion, provide an alternative to highway system 
 28.15  expansion, and improve air quality.  The commissioner shall 
 28.16  report the results of the study no later than December 1, 1997. 
 28.17     Sec. 16.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
 28.18     Section 15 is effective the day following final enactment.