SF 1881

1st Unofficial 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; 162.09, subdivision 
  1.10            4; 162.181, subdivisions 1 and 3; 168.011, subdivision 
  1.11            9; 168.1291, subdivision 1; 168A.29, subdivision 1; 
  1.12            169.06, subdivision 4; 169.14, subdivision 3; 169.85; 
  1.13            169.974, subdivision 2; 169.983; 171.06, subdivision 
  1.14            2a; 171.13, subdivision 5, and by adding a 
  1.15            subdivision; 171.29, subdivision 2; 173.13, 
  1.16            subdivision 4; 174.03, by adding a subdivision; 
  1.17            299A.38, subdivision 2, and by adding a subdivision; 
  1.18            299C.10, subdivision 4; 299C.46, subdivision 3, and by 
  1.19            adding a subdivision; 457A.04, subdivision 2; 473.408, 
  1.20            subdivision 7; and 473.446, subdivision 1a; proposing 
  1.21            coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapters 
  1.22            162; 168; 299A; 299D; and 360. 
  1.23  BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.24     Section 1.  [TRANSPORTATION AND OTHER AGENCIES 
  1.25  APPROPRIATIONS.] 
  1.26     The sums shown in the columns marked "APPROPRIATIONS" are 
  1.27  appropriated from the general fund, or another named fund, to 
  1.28  the agencies and for the purposes specified in this act, to be 
  1.29  available for the fiscal years indicated for each purpose.  The 
  1.30  figures "1997," "1998," and "1999," where used in this act, mean 
  1.31  that the appropriation or appropriations listed under them are 
  1.32  available for the year ending June 30, 1997, June 30, 1998, or 
  1.33  June 30, 1999, respectively.  If the figures are not used, the 
  1.34  appropriations are available for the year ending June 30, 1998, 
  2.1   or June 30, 1999, respectively.  The term "first year" means the 
  2.2   year ending June 30, 1998, and the term "second year" means the 
  2.3   year ending June 30, 1999.  Appropriations for the year ending 
  2.4   June 30, 1997, are in addition to appropriations made in 
  2.5   previous years. 
  2.6                           SUMMARY BY FUND
  2.7              1997         1998          1999           TOTAL
  2.8   General $  290,000   $124,078,000   $100,507,000   $224,875,000
  2.9   Airports               18,016,000     18,078,000     36,094,000 
  2.10  C.S.A.H.              318,289,000    327,512,000    645,801,000 
  2.11  Highway User           14,035,000     14,134,000     28,169,000 
  2.12  M.S.A.S.               96,580,000     99,264,000    195,844,000 
  2.13  Special Revenue           912,000        927,000      1,839,000
  2.14  Trunk 
  2.15  Highway   8,905,000   940,546,000    944,020,000  1,893,471,000 
  2.16  TOTAL  $9,195,000  $1,512,456,000 $1,504,442,000 $3,026,093,000
  2.17                                             APPROPRIATIONS 
  2.18                                         Available for the Year 
  2.19                                             Ending June 30 
  2.20                             1997          1998           1999 
  2.21  Sec. 2.  TRANSPORTATION 
  2.22  Subdivision 1.  Total 
  2.23  Appropriation         $ 8,905,000   $1,340,744,000 $1,343,091,000
  2.24  The appropriations in this section are 
  2.25  from the trunk highway fund, except 
  2.26  when another fund is named. 
  2.27                          Summary by Fund
  2.28                    1997          1998           1999 
  2.29  General                       41,519,000     32,737,000
  2.30  Airports                      17,966,000     18,028,000
  2.31  C.S.A.H.                     318,289,000    327,512,000
  2.32  M.S.A.S.                      96,580,000     99,264,000
  2.33  Trunk Highway    8,905,000   865,507,000     864,516,000
  2.34  The amounts that may be spent from this 
  2.35  appropriation for each program are 
  2.36  specified in the following subdivisions.
  2.37  Subd. 2.  Aeronautics                 18,296,000     17,958,000
  2.38                Summary by Fund
  2.39  Airports             17,896,000     17,958,000
  2.40  General                 400,000        -0-
  3.1   The amounts that may be spent from this 
  3.2   appropriation for each activity are as 
  3.3   follows:  
  3.4   (a) Airport Development and Assistance 
  3.5         1998           1999
  3.6       12,948,000     12,948,000
  3.7   $12,846,000 the first year and 
  3.8   $12,846,000 the second year are for 
  3.9   navigational aids, construction grants, 
  3.10  and maintenance grants.  If the 
  3.11  appropriation for either year is 
  3.12  insufficient, the appropriation for the 
  3.13  other year is available for it. 
  3.14  These appropriations must be spent in 
  3.15  accordance with Minnesota Statutes, 
  3.16  section 360.305, subdivision 4. 
  3.17  $12,000 the first year and $12,000 the 
  3.18  second year are for maintenance of the 
  3.19  Pine Creek Airport.  
  3.20  $90,000 the first year and $90,000 the 
  3.21  second year are for air service grants. 
  3.22  (b) Aviation Support 
  3.23       4,880,000      4,941,000
  3.24  $65,000 the first year and $65,000 the 
  3.25  second year are for the civil air 
  3.26  patrol. 
  3.27  $200,000 the first year and $200,000 
  3.28  the second year are for the air service 
  3.29  marketing program under Minnesota 
  3.30  Statutes, section 360.0151. 
  3.31  (c) Air Transportation Services 
  3.32        468,000          69,000
  3.33                Summary by Fund
  3.34  Airports                 68,000         69,000
  3.35  General                 400,000           -0-
  3.36  $400,000 the first year is from the 
  3.37  general fund for refurbishing a federal 
  3.38  surplus jet airplane for state 
  3.39  ownership and use. 
  3.40  Subd. 3.  Transit                    15,823,000     15,837,000
  3.41                Summary by Fund
  3.42  General              15,512,000     15,521,000
  3.43  Trunk Highway           311,000        316,000
  3.44  If the appropriation for either year is 
  3.45  insufficient, the appropriation for the 
  3.46  other year is available. 
  3.47  The amounts that may be spent from this 
  3.48  appropriation for each activity are as 
  4.1   follows:  
  4.2   (a) Greater Minnesota Transit
  4.3   Assistance 
  4.4       15,056,000    15,056,000
  4.5   This appropriation is from the general 
  4.6   fund.  
  4.7   (b) Transit Administration   
  4.8          767,000       781,000
  4.9                 Summary by Fund
  4.10  General                 456,000       465,000
  4.11  Trunk Highway           311,000       316,000 
  4.12  Subd. 4.  Railroads and Waterways    4,752,000      2,184,000
  4.13                Summary by Fund
  4.14  General               3,547,000       953,000
  4.15  Trunk Highway         1,205,000     1,231,000 
  4.16  $3,000,000 is from the general fund for 
  4.17  port development assistance under 
  4.18  Minnesota Statutes, chapter 457A.  This 
  4.19  appropriation is available until June 
  4.20  30, 1999.  This is a one-time 
  4.21  appropriation and may not be added to 
  4.22  the agency's budget base. 
  4.23  $1,000,000 the first year is from the 
  4.24  general fund for the study of commuter 
  4.25  rail service under section 8.  This 
  4.26  appropriation is available until June 
  4.27  30, 1999. Of this amount the 
  4.28  commissioner may spend up to $100,000 
  4.29  for the costs of managing the study. 
  4.30  Subd. 5.  Motor Carrier Regulation   2,437,000      2,487,000
  4.31                Summary by Fund
  4.32  General                 110,000       113,000
  4.33  Trunk Highway         2,327,000     2,374,000
  4.34  Subd. 6.  Local Roads              414,869,000    426,776,000
  4.35                Summary by Fund
  4.36  C.S.A.H.            318,289,000    327,512,000
  4.37  M.S.A.S.             96,580,000     99,264,000
  4.38  The amounts that may be spent from this 
  4.39  appropriation for each activity are as 
  4.40  follows:  
  4.41  (a) County State Aids 
  4.42     318,289,000    327,512,000
  4.43  This appropriation is from the county 
  4.44  state-aid highway fund and is available 
  4.45  until spent.  
  5.1   (b) Municipal State Aids 
  5.2       96,580,000     99,264,000
  5.3   This appropriation is from the 
  5.4   municipal state-aid street fund and is 
  5.5   available until spent.  
  5.6   If an appropriation for either county 
  5.7   state aids or municipal state aids does 
  5.8   not exhaust the balance in the fund 
  5.9   from which it is made in the year for 
  5.10  which it is made, the commissioner of 
  5.11  finance, upon request of the 
  5.12  commissioner of transportation, shall 
  5.13  notify the committee on finance of the 
  5.14  senate and the committee on ways and 
  5.15  means of the house of representatives 
  5.16  of the amount of the remainder and 
  5.17  shall then add that amount to the 
  5.18  appropriation.  The amount added is 
  5.19  appropriated for the purposes of county 
  5.20  state aids or municipal state aids, as 
  5.21  appropriate.  
  5.22  Subd. 7.  Bridges                    21,800,000   16,000,000
  5.23  This appropriation is from the general 
  5.24  fund. 
  5.25  Of this amount, $5,800,000 the first 
  5.26  year is for grants to political 
  5.27  subdivisions for key bridges, and is to 
  5.28  be spent in accordance with Minnesota 
  5.29  Statutes, section 174.50, subdivisions 
  5.30  4 to 7. 
  5.31  Of this amount, $16,000,000 the first 
  5.32  year and $16,000,000 the second year 
  5.33  are for trunk highway bridges. 
  5.34  Subd. 8.  State Roads    8,905,000    811,101,000    821,349,000
  5.35  The amounts that may be spent from this 
  5.36  appropriation for each activity are as 
  5.37  follows:  
  5.38  (a) State Road Construction 
  5.39                   8,905,000   446,533,000    446,421,000
  5.40  It is estimated that these 
  5.41  appropriations will be funded as 
  5.42  follows:  
  5.43  Federal Highway Aid 
  5.44     225,000,000    225,000,000
  5.45  Highway User Taxes 
  5.46     221,533,000    221,421,000
  5.47  The commissioner of transportation 
  5.48  shall notify the chair of the committee 
  5.49  on finance of the senate and chair of 
  5.50  the committee on ways and means of the 
  5.51  house of representatives quarterly of 
  5.52  any events that should cause these 
  5.53  estimates to change. 
  6.1   This appropriation is for the actual 
  6.2   construction, reconstruction, and 
  6.3   improvement of trunk highways.  This 
  6.4   includes the cost of actual payment to 
  6.5   landowners for lands acquired for 
  6.6   highway rights-of-way, payment to 
  6.7   lessees, interest subsidies, and 
  6.8   relocation expenses.  
  6.9   The appropriation for fiscal year 1997 
  6.10  is for state road construction and is 
  6.11  added to the appropriations in Laws 
  6.12  1995, chapter 265, article 2, section 
  6.13  2, subdivision 7, clause (a).  
  6.14  The commissioner of transportation may 
  6.15  receive money covering other shares of 
  6.16  the cost of partnership projects.  
  6.17  These receipts are appropriated to the 
  6.18  commissioner for these projects. 
  6.19  Before proceeding with a project, or a 
  6.20  series of projects on a single highway, 
  6.21  with a cost exceeding $10,000,000, the 
  6.22  commissioner shall consider the 
  6.23  feasibility of alternative means of 
  6.24  financing the project or series of 
  6.25  projects, including but not limited to 
  6.26  congestion pricing, tolls, mileage 
  6.27  pricing, and public-private partnership.
  6.28  (b) Highway Debt Service 
  6.29      15,161,000     13,539,000
  6.30  $5,951,000 the first year and 
  6.31  $5,403,000 the second year are for 
  6.32  transfer to the state bond fund. 
  6.33  If this appropriation is insufficient 
  6.34  to make all transfers required in the 
  6.35  year for which it is made, the 
  6.36  commissioner of finance shall notify 
  6.37  the committee on finance of the senate 
  6.38  and the committee on ways and means of 
  6.39  the house of representatives of the 
  6.40  amount of the deficiency and shall then 
  6.41  transfer that amount under the 
  6.42  statutory open appropriation.  
  6.43  Any excess appropriation must be 
  6.44  canceled to the trunk highway fund. 
  6.45  (c) Research and Investment Management 
  6.46      11,679,000     11,864,000
  6.47  $499,000 the first year and $499,000 
  6.48  the second year are available for 
  6.49  grants for transportation studies 
  6.50  outside the metropolitan area to 
  6.51  identify critical concerns, problems, 
  6.52  and issues.  These grants are available 
  6.53  to (1) regional development 
  6.54  commissions, (2) in regions where no 
  6.55  regional development commission is 
  6.56  functioning, joint powers boards 
  6.57  established under agreement of two or 
  6.58  more political subdivisions in the 
  6.59  region to exercise the planning 
  6.60  functions of a regional development 
  7.1   commission, and (3) in regions where no 
  7.2   regional development commission or 
  7.3   joint powers board is functioning, the 
  7.4   department's district office for that 
  7.5   region. 
  7.6   $198,000 the first year and $198,000 
  7.7   the second year are available for 
  7.8   grants to metropolitan planning 
  7.9   organizations outside the seven-county 
  7.10  metropolitan area. 
  7.11  $75,000 the first year and $75,000 the 
  7.12  second year are for a transportation 
  7.13  research contingent account to finance 
  7.14  research projects that are reimbursable 
  7.15  from the federal government or from 
  7.16  other sources.  If the appropriation 
  7.17  for either year is insufficient, the 
  7.18  appropriation for the other year is 
  7.19  available for it. 
  7.20  (d) Central Engineering Services
  7.21      56,593,000     57,384,000
  7.22  Of these appropriations, $2,190,000 the 
  7.23  first year and $2,190,000 the second 
  7.24  year are for scientific equipment.  If 
  7.25  the appropriation for either year is 
  7.26  insufficient, the appropriation for the 
  7.27  other year is available for it. 
  7.28  (e) Design and Construction Engineering
  7.29      72,448,000     73,860,000
  7.30  Of this amount, $2,850,000 the first 
  7.31  year and $2,850,000 the second year are 
  7.32  related to the appropriation for trunk 
  7.33  highway bridges in subdivision 7. 
  7.34  (f) State Road Operations
  7.35     202,431,000    205,503,000
  7.36                Summary by Fund
  7.37  General                 100,000       100,000
  7.38  Trunk Highway       202,331,000   205,403,000
  7.39  $11,689,000 the first year and 
  7.40  $11,689,000 the second year are for 
  7.41  road equipment.  If the appropriation 
  7.42  for either year is insufficient, the 
  7.43  appropriation for the other year is 
  7.44  available for it. 
  7.45  $100,000 the first year and $100,000 
  7.46  the second year are from the general 
  7.47  fund for grants to the Minnesota 
  7.48  highway safety center at St. Cloud 
  7.49  State University for driver education. 
  7.50  (g) Electronic Communications
  7.51        6,256,000     12,778,000
  7.52              Summary by Fund
  8.1   General                   9,000         9,000
  8.2   Trunk Highway         6,247,000    12,769,000
  8.3   $9,000 the first year and $9,000 the 
  8.4   second year are from the general fund 
  8.5   for equipment and operation of the 
  8.6   Roosevelt signal tower for Lake of the 
  8.7   Woods weather broadcasting. 
  8.8   Subd. 9.  General Support             38,512,000     39,466,000
  8.9                 Summary by Fund
  8.10  General                  41,000        41,000
  8.11  Airports                 70,000        70,000 
  8.12  Trunk Highway        38,401,000    39,355,000
  8.13  The amounts that may be spent from this 
  8.14  appropriation for each activity are as 
  8.15  follows:  
  8.16  (a) General Management       
  8.17      25,599,000     25,924,000
  8.18  (b) General Services 
  8.19      12,913,000     13,542,000
  8.20                Summary by Fund
  8.21  General                  41,000        41,000
  8.22  Airports                 70,000        70,000 
  8.23  Trunk Highway        12,802,000    13,431,000 
  8.24  $1,500,000 the first year and 
  8.25  $1,500,000 the second year are for data 
  8.26  processing development.  If the 
  8.27  appropriation for either year is 
  8.28  insufficient, the appropriation for the 
  8.29  other year is available for it. 
  8.30  The commissioner of transportation 
  8.31  shall manage the department of 
  8.32  transportation in such a manner as to 
  8.33  provide seasonal employees of the 
  8.34  department with the maximum feasible 
  8.35  amount of employment security 
  8.36  consistent with the efficient delivery 
  8.37  of department programs. 
  8.38  Subd. 10.  Buildings                  12,271,000        -0- 
  8.39  $6,771,000 is for ongoing operational 
  8.40  building needs.  $5,550,000 is for the 
  8.41  Cedar Avenue truck station in Richfield.
  8.42  The appropriation of $644,000 in Laws 
  8.43  1996, chapter 455, article 2, section 
  8.44  2, clause (5), for the Deer Lake 
  8.45  equipment storage building, is 
  8.46  reappropriated for a Virginia 
  8.47  headquarters building addition for the 
  8.48  state patrol.  
  8.49  Subd. 11.  Transfers
  9.1   The commissioner of transportation with 
  9.2   the approval of the commissioner of 
  9.3   finance may transfer unencumbered 
  9.4   balances among the appropriations from 
  9.5   the trunk highway fund and the state 
  9.6   airports fund made in this section.  No 
  9.7   transfer may be made from the 
  9.8   appropriation for state road 
  9.9   construction.  No transfer may be made 
  9.10  from the appropriations for debt 
  9.11  service to any other appropriation.  
  9.12  Transfers may not be made between funds.
  9.13  Transfers must be reported immediately 
  9.14  to the committee on finance of the 
  9.15  senate and the committee on ways and 
  9.16  means of the house of representatives.  
  9.17  Subd. 12.  Contingent Appropriation 
  9.18  The commissioner of transportation, 
  9.19  with the approval of the governor after 
  9.20  consultation with the legislative 
  9.21  advisory commission under Minnesota 
  9.22  Statutes, section 3.30, may transfer 
  9.23  all or part of the unappropriated 
  9.24  balance in the trunk highway fund to an 
  9.25  appropriation (1) for trunk highway 
  9.26  design, construction, or inspection in 
  9.27  order to take advantage of an 
  9.28  unanticipated receipt of income to the 
  9.29  trunk highway fund, (2) for trunk 
  9.30  highway maintenance in order to meet an 
  9.31  emergency, or (3) to pay tort or 
  9.32  environmental claims.  The amount 
  9.33  transferred is appropriated for the 
  9.34  purpose of the account to which it is 
  9.35  transferred. 
  9.36  Sec. 3.  METROPOLITAN COUNCIL 
  9.37  TRANSIT                               73,100,000     57,000,000
  9.38  (a) The council may not spend more than 
  9.39  $36,000,000 for metro mobility in the 
  9.40  1998-1999 biennium except for proceeds 
  9.41  from bond sales when use of those 
  9.42  proceeds for metro mobility capital 
  9.43  expenditures is authorized by law.  
  9.44  (b) Any appropriation in excess of 
  9.45  $49,351,000 the first year and 
  9.46  $49,351,000 the second year may not be 
  9.47  added to the agency's budget base. 
  9.48  (c) $100,000, or so much of this amount 
  9.49  as the metropolitan council determines 
  9.50  is necessary, is for development of the 
  9.51  school transportation plan under 
  9.52  section 10. 
  9.53  (d) The council may not raise fares for 
  9.54  regular route service it provides 
  9.55  during the 1998-1999 biennium. 
  9.56  (e) The council shall use this 
  9.57  appropriation to meet the following 
  9.58  goals, and thereby provide at least 
  9.59  139,000,000 riders per biennium: 
  9.60  (1) preserve current transit service 
  9.61  levels; 
 10.1   (2) enhance transit service reliability 
 10.2   to assure commuters that they will 
 10.3   arrive at work on time; 
 10.4   (3) implement improvements in transit 
 10.5   service for commuters; 
 10.6   (4) develop and implement programs that 
 10.7   enhance partnerships with employers in 
 10.8   order to promote transit use by 
 10.9   employees and link job-seekers to new 
 10.10  jobs; 
 10.11  (5) make selected routes more efficient 
 10.12  for commuters by limiting the number of 
 10.13  stops and decreasing travel time; 
 10.14  (6) effectively manage connections of 
 10.15  suburban circulators and other regular 
 10.16  route services with timed transfers; 
 10.17  and 
 10.18  (7) increase service in targeted areas 
 10.19  to support all work shifts. 
 10.20  (f) The council shall work with 
 10.21  metropolitan counties to ensure that 
 10.22  transportation is not a barrier for 
 10.23  economically disadvantaged persons 
 10.24  seeking to obtain and keep jobs. 
 10.25  (g) Of this amount, up to $1,000,000 
 10.26  the first year and $1,000,000 the 
 10.27  second year may be used by the council 
 10.28  to make grants to metropolitan counties 
 10.29  and nonprofit organizations in the 
 10.30  metropolitan area currently working to 
 10.31  place disadvantaged persons in jobs 
 10.32  where transportation has proven to be a 
 10.33  barrier to job placement.  Grants may 
 10.34  be used to: 
 10.35  (1) provide full or partial bus fare 
 10.36  reimbursement; 
 10.37  (2) work with employers to ensure that 
 10.38  transportation meets employment 
 10.39  opportunities in the metropolitan area; 
 10.40  and 
 10.41  (3) provide or contract for 
 10.42  transportation links between public 
 10.43  transportation routes and employment 
 10.44  locations.  This appropriation is 
 10.45  available until June 30, 1999. 
 10.46  (h) Of this amount, $16,000,000 the 
 10.47  first year must be used by the council 
 10.48  for transit capital improvements to 
 10.49  maximize available funds for transit 
 10.50  capital projects.  This appropriation 
 10.51  is available until June 30, 1999.  
 10.52  Except as otherwise provided in this 
 10.53  section, the metropolitan council shall 
 10.54  not use the appropriation in this 
 10.55  section for capital expenditures. 
 10.56  Sec. 4.  PUBLIC SAFETY
 10.57  Subdivision 1.  Total
 10.58  Appropriation             290,000     98,453,000    104,343,000
 11.1                           Summary by Fund
 11.2                     1997          1998           1999 
 11.3   General           290,000        9,459,000     10,770,000
 11.4   Special Revenue    -0-             912,000        927,000
 11.5   Trunk Highway      -0-          74,172,000     78,637,000
 11.6   Highway User       -0-          13,910,000     14,009,000
 11.7   Subd. 2.  Administration 
 11.8   and Related Services                  10,635,000     11,914,000
 11.9                 Summary by Fund
 11.10  General                          2,830,000      3,953,000
 11.11  Trunk Highway                    6,490,000      6,616,000
 11.12  Highway User                     1,315,000      1,345,000
 11.13  $326,000 the first year and $326,000 
 11.14  the second year are for payment of 
 11.15  public safety officer survivor benefits 
 11.16  under Minnesota Statutes, section 
 11.17  299A.44.  If the appropriation for 
 11.18  either year is insufficient, the 
 11.19  appropriation for the other year is 
 11.20  available for it. 
 11.21  $299,000 the first year and $308,000 
 11.22  the second year are for soft body armor 
 11.23  reimbursements under Minnesota 
 11.24  Statutes, section 299A.38.  
 11.25  $1,851,000 the first year and 
 11.26  $1,830,000 the second year are 
 11.27  appropriated from the general fund for 
 11.28  transfer by the commissioner of finance 
 11.29  to the trunk highway fund on January 1, 
 11.30  1998, and January 1, 1999, 
 11.31  respectively, in order to reimburse the 
 11.32  trunk highway fund for expenses not 
 11.33  related to the fund.  These represent 
 11.34  amounts appropriated out of the trunk 
 11.35  highway fund for general fund purposes 
 11.36  in the administration and related 
 11.37  services program.  
 11.38  $580,000 the first year and $610,000 
 11.39  the second year are appropriated from 
 11.40  the highway user tax distribution fund 
 11.41  for transfer by the commissioner of 
 11.42  finance to the trunk highway fund on 
 11.43  January 1, 1998, and January 1, 1999, 
 11.44  respectively, in order to reimburse the 
 11.45  trunk highway fund for expenses not 
 11.46  related to the fund.  These represent 
 11.47  amounts appropriated out of the trunk 
 11.48  highway fund for highway user tax 
 11.49  distribution fund purposes in the 
 11.50  administration and related services 
 11.51  program.  
 11.52  $716,000 the first year and $716,000 
 11.53  the second year are appropriated from 
 11.54  the highway user tax distribution fund 
 11.55  for transfer by the commissioner of 
 12.1   finance to the general fund on January 
 12.2   1, 1998, and January 1, 1999, 
 12.3   respectively, in order to reimburse the 
 12.4   general fund for expenses not related 
 12.5   to the fund.  These represent amounts 
 12.6   appropriated out of the general fund 
 12.7   for operation of the criminal justice 
 12.8   data network related to driver and 
 12.9   motor vehicle licensing. 
 12.10  $1,128,000 the second year from the 
 12.11  general fund and $575,000 the first 
 12.12  year and $575,000 the second year from 
 12.13  the trunk highway fund are to enhance 
 12.14  the criminal justice computer systems. 
 12.15  Subd. 3.  State Patrol    290,000     52,001,000     56,115,000
 12.16                          Summary by Fund
 12.17  General           290,000      2,844,000      2,949,000
 12.18  Trunk Highway                 49,067,000     53,076,000
 12.19  Highway User                      90,000         90,000
 12.20  The appropriation for fiscal year 1997 
 12.21  is for transfer to the trunk highway 
 12.22  fund to cover the costs of deploying 
 12.23  state patrol troopers to the city of 
 12.24  Minneapolis to assist the city in 
 12.25  combating violent crime. 
 12.26  $864,000 the first year and $864,000 
 12.27  the second year are for installing, 
 12.28  maintaining, and operating video 
 12.29  cameras on state patrol vehicles 
 12.30  purchased on or after July 1, 1997.  
 12.31  This appropriation is from the general 
 12.32  fund.  This amount may not be added to 
 12.33  the agency's budget base. 
 12.34  $1,675,000 the first year and $424,000 
 12.35  the second year from the trunk highway 
 12.36  fund are for the development and 
 12.37  operational costs of computer-aided 
 12.38  dispatching, records management, and 
 12.39  station office automation systems. 
 12.40  $3,480,000 for the second year is from 
 12.41  the trunk highway fund for employment 
 12.42  of up to 29 additional state troopers 
 12.43  to be assigned to patrolling highways, 
 12.44  and additional support personnel for 
 12.45  those troopers.  This appropriation is 
 12.46  available to the commissioner at the 
 12.47  rate of $120,000 for each state trooper 
 12.48  employed after July 1, 1998, and 
 12.49  assigned to patrolling highways.  The 
 12.50  number of state troopers assigned to 
 12.51  patrolling highways at any time during 
 12.52  the biennium may not be less than the 
 12.53  number so assigned on July 1, 1997, 
 12.54  plus additional state troopers employed 
 12.55  as a result of this appropriation. 
 12.56  The commissioner shall identify and 
 12.57  implement measures to increase the 
 12.58  representation of females and 
 12.59  minorities in the state patrol so that 
 12.60  the trooper population more accurately 
 13.1   reflects the population served by the 
 13.2   state patrol. 
 13.3   When an otherwise qualified candidate 
 13.4   does not have the educational credits 
 13.5   to meet the current peace officer 
 13.6   standards and training board licensing 
 13.7   standards, the commissioner may provide 
 13.8   the financial resources to obtain the 
 13.9   education necessary to meet the 
 13.10  licensing requirements.  Of this 
 13.11  appropriation, $150,000 the second year 
 13.12  from the trunk highway fund is for 
 13.13  assistance to these otherwise qualified 
 13.14  individuals to prepare them for the 
 13.15  trooper candidate school beginning in 
 13.16  January 1999. 
 13.17  $600,000 the first year and $1,200,000 
 13.18  the second year from the trunk highway 
 13.19  fund are to implement wage increases 
 13.20  for state patrol troopers, trooper 1s, 
 13.21  and corporals.  The wage adjustments 
 13.22  are based on an internal Hay study 
 13.23  conducted by the department of employee 
 13.24  relations. 
 13.25  Subd. 4.  Driver and
 13.26  Vehicle Services                      34,553,000     35,031,000
 13.27                Summary by Fund
 13.28  General                            3,724,000      3,807,000
 13.29  Trunk Highway                     18,324,000     18,650,000
 13.30  Highway User                      12,505,000     12,574,000
 13.31  $867,000 the first year and $777,000 
 13.32  the second year from the highway user 
 13.33  tax distribution fund are for 
 13.34  purchasing manufactured license plates 
 13.35  from the department of corrections. 
 13.36  Subd. 5.  Traffic
 13.37  Safety                                   352,000        356,000
 13.38                Summary by Fund
 13.39  General                  61,000        61,000
 13.40  Trunk Highway           291,000       295,000
 13.41  Subd. 6.  Pipeline Safety                912,000        927,000
 13.42  This appropriation is from the pipeline 
 13.43  safety account in the special revenue 
 13.44  fund. 
 13.45  Sec. 5.  MINNESOTA SAFETY COUNCIL         67,000        67,000
 13.46  This appropriation is from the trunk 
 13.47  highway fund. 
 13.48  Sec. 6.  GENERAL CONTINGENT 
 13.49  ACCOUNTS                                 375,000       375,000
 13.50  The appropriations in this section may 
 13.51  only be spent with the approval of the 
 13.52  governor after consultation with the 
 13.53  legislative advisory commission 
 14.1   pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, section 
 14.2   3.30. 
 14.3   If an appropriation in this section for 
 14.4   either year is insufficient, the 
 14.5   appropriation for the other year is 
 14.6   available for it.  
 14.7                 Summary by Fund
 14.8   Trunk Highway           200,000       200,000
 14.9   Highway User            125,000       125,000
 14.10  Airports                 50,000        50,000
 14.11  Sec. 7.  TORT CLAIMS                    600,000        600,000
 14.12  This appropriation is to be spent by 
 14.13  the commissioner of finance.  
 14.14  This appropriation is from the trunk 
 14.15  highway fund. 
 14.16  If the appropriation for either year is 
 14.17  insufficient, the appropriation for the 
 14.18  other year is available for it. 
 14.19     Sec. 8.  [COMMUTER RAIL SERVICE STUDY.] 
 14.20     Subdivision 1.  [STUDY.] The commissioner of 
 14.21  transportation, through the division of railroads and waterways, 
 14.22  shall conduct a study of the potential of utilizing freight rail 
 14.23  corridors in the Twin Cities metropolitan area for commuter rail 
 14.24  service.  The commissioner shall perform the study in 
 14.25  coordination with the metropolitan council and metropolitan 
 14.26  regional rail authorities and shall consider, among other 
 14.27  things, the positive and negative effects of commuter rail 
 14.28  service on surrounding neighborhoods. 
 14.29     Subd. 2.  [REPORT.] The commissioner shall report the 
 14.30  findings and recommendations of the study to the governor and 
 14.31  legislature by January 15, 1998, and February 1, 1999.  If in 
 14.32  the report required by January 15, 1998, the commissioner 
 14.33  identifies one or more rail corridors that have potential for a 
 14.34  commuter rail demonstration project, the commissioner, alone or 
 14.35  in cooperation with the metropolitan council and one or more 
 14.36  metropolitan regional rail authorities, may propose legislation 
 14.37  to the 1998 legislative session that provides for acquisition or 
 14.38  lease of the corridors, improvements necessary for their use for 
 14.39  commuter rail purposes, acquisition of commuter rail rolling 
 14.40  stock, and operation of commuter rail services. 
 15.1      Subd. 3.  [REGIONAL RAIL AUTHORITIES.] Nothing in this 
 15.2   section may be construed to prohibit or restrict a regional rail 
 15.3   authority in the performance of any duty or exercise of any 
 15.4   power under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 398A. 
 15.5      Sec. 9.  [RAILROAD SERVICE PRESERVATION.] 
 15.6      No state or local agency or political subdivision may take 
 15.7   any action that would have the effect of precluding the use for 
 15.8   commuter rail service of any rail line that is providing rail 
 15.9   service within the seven-county metropolitan area on the 
 15.10  effective date of this section. 
 15.11     Sec. 10.  [SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION PLAN.] 
 15.12     Subdivision 1.  [DEVELOPMENT OF PLAN.] The metropolitan 
 15.13  council, the school board of special school district No. 1, 
 15.14  Minneapolis, and the school board of independent school district 
 15.15  No. 625, St. Paul, in consultation with an advisory board, shall 
 15.16  develop a school transportation plan, the goal of which is to 
 15.17  make available school transportation through the metropolitan 
 15.18  council's public transit system, at no cost to students, to no 
 15.19  fewer than 75 percent of the students transported by Minneapolis 
 15.20  public schools and no fewer than 75 percent of the students 
 15.21  transported by St. Paul public schools, in grades 9 to 12, 
 15.22  during the 1998-1999 school year. 
 15.23     Subd. 2.  [ADVISORY BOARD.] The metropolitan council and 
 15.24  the school boards shall convene and consult with an advisory 
 15.25  board concerning the development of the school transportation 
 15.26  plan.  The advisory board shall include, without limitation, the 
 15.27  school transportation directors from the Minneapolis and St. 
 15.28  Paul school districts; secondary students and parents of 
 15.29  secondary students who use school transportation in those school 
 15.30  districts; representatives of nonpublic schools located within 
 15.31  the districts; a representative of the department of children, 
 15.32  families, and learning; and administrators of secondary schools 
 15.33  within the districts. 
 15.34     Subd. 3.  [SCOPE OF PLAN.] The transportation plan must 
 15.35  include, without being limited to: 
 15.36     (1) a plan for service of the maximum possible number of 
 16.1   students, with a goal of transporting no less than 75 percent of 
 16.2   the students in grades 9 to 12 who are transported in each 
 16.3   district, with a minimum number of new transit routes; 
 16.4      (2) a recommendation for school day start and end times to 
 16.5   optimize use of public transit for school transportation; 
 16.6      (3) an analysis of availability of public transit for 
 16.7   special education students; open enrollment students; students 
 16.8   enrolled in nonpublic schools, charter schools, post-secondary 
 16.9   enrollment options programs, area learning centers, and other 
 16.10  nontraditional programs; and students participating in school 
 16.11  activities before or after the school day; 
 16.12     (4) a description of the quality of service to be available 
 16.13  to students, including maximum length of ride, number of 
 16.14  transfers required, and maximum distance between home or school 
 16.15  and bus stop; 
 16.16     (5) a recommendation concerning policies applicable to 
 16.17  fares for student ridership throughout the school day and 
 16.18  identification by public transit drivers of students entitled to 
 16.19  free school transportation; 
 16.20     (6) a plan to extend the goals and requirements of the 
 16.21  state's school transportation safety program to the 
 16.22  transportation of students on public transit, to the maximum 
 16.23  feasible extent; 
 16.24     (7) a method for communicating information to students 
 16.25  whose school transportation will be provided by public transit, 
 16.26  and their parents and guardians, of the school transportation 
 16.27  plan to be implemented in the 1998-1999 school year and 
 16.28  identification of a contact person to answer resulting 
 16.29  questions; 
 16.30     (8) recommendations concerning any legislation required to 
 16.31  implement the school transportation plan; 
 16.32     (9) an analysis of the cost to the metropolitan council of 
 16.33  providing the service outlined in the school transportation 
 16.34  plan; 
 16.35     (10) a description of the services that the districts will 
 16.36  be able to discontinue by virtue of the implementation of the 
 17.1   school transportation plan, and the financial impact to the 
 17.2   school districts of discontinuing these services; and 
 17.3      (11) an analysis of the safety implications of the plan. 
 17.4      Subd. 4.  [REPORT.] The metropolitan council and school 
 17.5   boards for the Minneapolis and St. Paul school districts shall 
 17.6   report the school transportation plan to the senate children, 
 17.7   families and learning K-12 committee and transportation 
 17.8   committee, and to the house of representatives education 
 17.9   committee and transportation and transit committee before 
 17.10  January 30, 1998.  The cost to the Minneapolis and St. Paul 
 17.11  school districts for providing transportation and 
 17.12  transportation-related services to students in grades 9 to 12 
 17.13  under the school transportation plan developed as provided in 
 17.14  section 1 must not exceed the projected cost, as determined by 
 17.15  the districts, of providing equivalent transportation and 
 17.16  transportation-related services using district-provided 
 17.17  transportation. 
 17.18     Sec. 11.  [SCREENING AND ADVISORY COMMITTEES.] 
 17.19     Notwithstanding any other law, the following advisory 
 17.20  committees do not expire on June 30, 1997: 
 17.21     (1) the county state-aid rules advisory committee 
 17.22  established under Minnesota Statutes, section 162.02, 
 17.23  subdivision 2; 
 17.24     (2) the county state-aid screening board established under 
 17.25  Minnesota Statutes, section 162.07, subdivision 5; 
 17.26     (3) the municipal state-aid rules advisory committee 
 17.27  established under Minnesota Statutes, section 162.09, 
 17.28  subdivision 2; and 
 17.29     (4) the municipal state-aid screening committee established 
 17.30  under Minnesota Statutes, section 162.13, subdivision 3. 
 17.31     Sec. 12.  [STATE ROAD CONSTRUCTION; APPROPRIATIONS FOR 
 17.32  PREVIOUS YEARS.] 
 17.33     Any money appropriated to the commissioner of 
 17.34  transportation for state road construction for any fiscal year 
 17.35  before fiscal year 1999 is available to the commissioner during 
 17.36  fiscal years 1998 and 1999 to the extent that the commissioner 
 18.1   spends the money on the state road construction project for 
 18.2   which the money was originally encumbered during the fiscal year 
 18.3   for which it was appropriated. 
 18.4      The commissioner of transportation shall report to the 
 18.5   commissioner of finance by August 1 of each fiscal year, on a 
 18.6   form the commissioner of finance provides, on expenditures made 
 18.7   during the previous fiscal year that are authorized by this 
 18.8   section. 
 18.9      Sec. 13.  [DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION; LAND TRANSFER.] 
 18.10     Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the 
 18.11  commissioner of transportation shall at the earliest feasible 
 18.12  date transfer to the city of Duluth at no cost a tract of land 
 18.13  consisting of 0.59 acres of parcel No. 211 in the city of Duluth.
 18.14     Sec. 14.  [JIM RICE MEMORIAL PARKWAY.] 
 18.15     That portion of West River Parkway in the city of 
 18.16  Minneapolis, from its intersection with Portland Avenue to its 
 18.17  intersection with East Broadway Street, is hereby designated the 
 18.18  Jim Rice Memorial Parkway. 
 18.19     Sec. 15.  [DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM.] 
 18.20     Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 473.384, 
 18.21  subdivision 6, regarding percentages of total operating costs to 
 18.22  be subsidized by the metropolitan council, until June 30, 2001, 
 18.23  the metropolitan council may establish the appropriate 
 18.24  percentage operating subsidy to be granted to individual 
 18.25  recipients under the subdivision.  The metropolitan council must 
 18.26  establish the percentage annually, based on available transit 
 18.27  funds and the council's determination of a reasonable subsidy 
 18.28  per passenger trip in comparison to similar transit or 
 18.29  paratransit service in the metropolitan area.  The council may 
 18.30  provide a subsidy up to 100 percent of a recipient's operating 
 18.31  costs for all or any portion of the transit or paratransit 
 18.32  service and may require recipients to pay up to 100 percent of 
 18.33  their own operating costs for all or any portion of the service. 
 18.34     Sec. 16.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 16B.335, 
 18.35  subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
 18.36     Subdivision 1.  [CONSTRUCTION AND MAJOR REMODELING.] (a) 
 19.1   The commissioner, or any other recipient to whom an 
 19.2   appropriation is made to acquire or better public lands or 
 19.3   buildings or other public improvements of a capital nature, must 
 19.4   not prepare final plans and specifications for any construction, 
 19.5   major remodeling, or land acquisition in anticipation of which 
 19.6   the appropriation was made until the agency that will use the 
 19.7   project has presented the program plan and cost estimates for 
 19.8   all elements necessary to complete the project to the chair of 
 19.9   the senate finance committee and the chair of the house ways and 
 19.10  means committee and the chairs have made their recommendations, 
 19.11  and the chair of the house capital investment committee is 
 19.12  notified.  "Construction or major remodeling" means construction 
 19.13  of a new building or substantial alteration of the exterior 
 19.14  dimensions or interior configuration of an existing building.  
 19.15  The presentation must note any significant changes in the work 
 19.16  that will be done, or in its cost, since the appropriation for 
 19.17  the project was enacted or from the predesign submittal.  The 
 19.18  program plans and estimates must be presented for review at 
 19.19  least two weeks before a recommendation is needed.  The 
 19.20  recommendations are advisory only.  Failure or refusal to make a 
 19.21  recommendation is considered a negative recommendation.  The 
 19.22  chairs of the senate finance committee, the house capital 
 19.23  investment committee, and the house ways and means committee 
 19.24  must also be notified whenever there is a substantial change in 
 19.25  a construction or major remodeling project, or in its cost. 
 19.26     (b) Capital projects exempt from the requirements of this 
 19.27  section include construction, renovation, or improvements to 
 19.28  dams, highway rest areas, truck stations, storage facilities not 
 19.29  consisting primarily of offices or heated work areas, trails, 
 19.30  bike paths, sewer separation projects, water and wastewater 
 19.31  facilities, campgrounds, roads, bridges, port development 
 19.32  projects for which the commissioner of transportation has 
 19.33  entered into an assistance agreement under section 457A.04, or 
 19.34  any other capital project with a construction cost of less than 
 19.35  $200,000. 
 19.36     Sec. 17.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 161.082, is 
 20.1   amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
 20.2      Subd. 3.  [TRANSFERS TO TURNBACK ACCOUNT.] (a) Whenever a 
 20.3   county submits plans for a project to be funded from the county 
 20.4   turnback account and the commissioner determines that the 
 20.5   project would be approved for funding except for insufficient 
 20.6   money in the county turnback account, the commissioner may 
 20.7   transfer from the unencumbered balance of the construction 
 20.8   account in the county state-aid highway fund an amount 
 20.9   sufficient to pay the costs of the project. 
 20.10     (b) The commissioner may make a transfer under paragraph (a)
 20.11  only if the commissioner determines that the transfer would not 
 20.12  reduce the unencumbered balance of the construction account in 
 20.13  the county state-aid highway fund to less than $50,000,000. 
 20.14     (c) Not later than ten years after any transfer under 
 20.15  paragraph (a), the commissioner shall transfer from the county 
 20.16  turnback account to the construction account in the county 
 20.17  state-aid highway fund an amount sufficient to repay the amount 
 20.18  transferred under paragraph (a). 
 20.19     Sec. 18.  [162.082] [METROPOLITAN TOWN ROAD ACCOUNT.] 
 20.20     Subdivision 1.  [DEFINITION.] For purposes of this section 
 20.21  "metropolitan town" means any town within the seven-county 
 20.22  metropolitan area as defined in section 473.121, subdivision 2, 
 20.23  that has a population of 9,000 or more according to the most 
 20.24  recent federal decennial census. 
 20.25     Subd. 2.  [ACCOUNT CREATED.] A metropolitan town road 
 20.26  account is created in the county state-aid highway fund. 
 20.27     Subd. 3.  [APPORTIONMENT.] Funds in the metropolitan town 
 20.28  road account must be apportioned to each county in the 
 20.29  seven-county metropolitan area so that each such county receives 
 20.30  the percentage that the total miles of town road in metropolitan 
 20.31  towns in the county bears to the total miles of town roads in 
 20.32  metropolitan towns in the metropolitan area. 
 20.33     Subd. 4.  [DISTRIBUTION TO COUNTIES.] Upon determining the 
 20.34  amount of money to be apportioned to each county under section 
 20.35  162.07, the commissioner shall also determine the amounts in the 
 20.36  metropolitan town road account to be apportioned under 
 21.1   subdivision 3.  The apportionment must be included in the 
 21.2   statement sent to the commissioner of finance and the county 
 21.3   auditor and county engineer of each county under section 162.08, 
 21.4   subdivision 2.  The amounts so apportioned and allocated to each 
 21.5   county from the metropolitan town road account must be paid by 
 21.6   the state to the treasurer of each county at the same time that 
 21.7   payments are made under section 162.08, subdivision 2, provided 
 21.8   that the amounts must be paid in a sufficient time to allow the 
 21.9   county to distribute the amounts to each metropolitan town by 
 21.10  March 1, annually. 
 21.11     Subd. 5.  [DISTRIBUTION TO TOWNS.] By March 1 of each year, 
 21.12  or within 30 days of receipt of payment from the commissioner, 
 21.13  whichever occurs earlier, the county treasurer of each county 
 21.14  that receives money under subdivision 4 must pay to each 
 21.15  metropolitan town in the county an amount that the commissioner 
 21.16  certifies to the county treasurer that the town would have 
 21.17  received from the municipal state-aid street fund in the 
 21.18  apportionment of that fund for that calendar year if the town 
 21.19  were a city eligible for municipal state-aid street fund 
 21.20  apportionments, based on the formula in section 162.13, 
 21.21  subdivision 1.  For purposes of calculating a metropolitan 
 21.22  town's apportionment from the municipal state-aid street fund, 
 21.23  the town shall designate, subject to standards and approval 
 21.24  requirements under section 162.09, subdivision 2, a metropolitan 
 21.25  town road system of not more than 20 percent of the metropolitan 
 21.26  town's total town road mileage, and this system is the 
 21.27  equivalent of a city's municipal state-aid street system for 
 21.28  calculation of money needs.  A metropolitan town's expenditure 
 21.29  of money from the account is subject to the municipal state-aid 
 21.30  standards contained in rules adopted under section 162.09, 
 21.31  subdivision 2. 
 21.32     Subd. 6.  [EXCESS APPORTIONMENT.] If the amount that a 
 21.33  county distributes under subdivision 5 for any year is less than 
 21.34  the amount that the county receives for that year under 
 21.35  subdivision 4, the county may retain the excess amount.  A 
 21.36  county that retains an amount under this subdivision may spend 
 22.1   the money so retained only on county state-aid highways located 
 22.2   within a metropolitan town in the county. 
 22.3      Sec. 19.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 162.09, 
 22.4   subdivision 4, is amended to read: 
 22.5      Subd. 4.  [FEDERAL CENSUS TO BE CONCLUSIVE.] (a) In 
 22.6   determining whether any city has a population of 5,000 or more, 
 22.7   the last federal census shall be conclusive, except as otherwise 
 22.8   provided in this subdivision.  
 22.9      (b) A city that has previously been classified as having a 
 22.10  population of 5,000 or more for the purposes of chapter 162 and 
 22.11  whose population decreases by less than 15 percent from the 
 22.12  census figure that last qualified the city for inclusion shall 
 22.13  receive the following percentages of its 1981 apportionment for 
 22.14  the years indicated:  1982, 66 percent and 1983, 33 percent.  
 22.15  Thereafter the city shall not receive any apportionment from the 
 22.16  municipal state-aid street fund unless its population is 
 22.17  determined to be 5,000 or over by a federal census.  The 
 22.18  governing body of the city may contract with the United States 
 22.19  Bureau of the Census to take one special census before January 
 22.20  1, 1986.  A certified copy of the results of the census shall be 
 22.21  filed with the appropriate state authorities by the city.  The 
 22.22  result of the census shall be the population of the city for the 
 22.23  purposes of any law providing that population is a required 
 22.24  qualification for distribution of highway aids under chapter 
 22.25  162.  The special census shall remain in effect until the 1990 
 22.26  federal census is completed and filed.  The expense of taking 
 22.27  the special census shall be paid by the city.  
 22.28     (c) If an entire area not heretofore incorporated as a city 
 22.29  is incorporated as such during the interval between federal 
 22.30  censuses, its population shall be determined by its 
 22.31  incorporation census.  The incorporation census shall be 
 22.32  determinative of the population of the city only until the next 
 22.33  federal census. 
 22.34     (d) The population of a city created by the consolidation 
 22.35  of two or more previously incorporated cities shall be 
 22.36  determined by the most recent population estimate of the 
 23.1   metropolitan council or state demographer, until the first 
 23.2   federal decennial census or special census taken after the 
 23.3   consolidation. 
 23.4      (e) The population of a city that is not receiving a 
 23.5   municipal state-aid street fund apportionment shall be 
 23.6   determined, upon request of the city, by the most recent 
 23.7   population estimate of the metropolitan council or state 
 23.8   demographer.  A municipal state-aid street fund apportionment 
 23.9   received by the city must be based on this population estimate 
 23.10  until the next federal decennial census or special census. 
 23.11     Sec. 20.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 162.181, 
 23.12  subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
 23.13     Subdivision 1.  [LIMITATION ON AMOUNT.] Except as otherwise 
 23.14  provided herein, any county may, in accordance with chapter 475, 
 23.15  issue and sell its obligations, the total amount thereof not to 
 23.16  exceed the total of the preceding two years state-aid 
 23.17  allotments, for the purpose of establishing, locating, 
 23.18  relocating, constructing, reconstructing, and improving county 
 23.19  state-aid highways therein and constructing buildings and other 
 23.20  facilities for maintaining county state-aid highways.  In the 
 23.21  resolution providing for the issuance of the obligations, the 
 23.22  county board of the county shall irrevocably pledge and 
 23.23  appropriate to the sinking fund from which the obligations are 
 23.24  payable, an amount of the moneys money allotted or to be 
 23.25  allotted to the county from its account in the county state-aid 
 23.26  highway fund sufficient to pay the principal of and the interest 
 23.27  on the obligations as they respectively come due.  The 
 23.28  obligations shall be issued in the amounts and on terms such 
 23.29  that the amount of principal and interest due in any calendar 
 23.30  year on the obligations, including any similar obligations of 
 23.31  the county which are outstanding, shall not exceed 50 percent of 
 23.32  the amount of the last annual allotment preceding the bond issue 
 23.33  received by the county from the construction account in the 
 23.34  county state-aid highway fund.  All interest on the obligations 
 23.35  shall be paid out of the county's normal maintenance account in 
 23.36  the county state-aid highway fund.  The obligations may be made 
 24.1   general obligations, but if moneys money of the county other 
 24.2   than moneys money received from the county state-aid highway 
 24.3   fund, are used for payment of the obligations, the moneys money 
 24.4   so used shall be restored to the appropriate fund from 
 24.5   the moneys money next received by the county from the 
 24.6   construction or maintenance account in the county state-aid 
 24.7   highway fund which are not required to be paid into a sinking 
 24.8   fund for obligations. 
 24.9      Sec. 21.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 162.181, 
 24.10  subdivision 3, is amended to read: 
 24.11     Subd. 3.  [PROCEEDS TO BE USED FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES.] 
 24.12  Moneys Money received from the sale of the obligations and spent 
 24.13  for the establishment, location, relocation, construction, 
 24.14  reconstruction, and improvement of county state-aid highways 
 24.15  within the county shall be spent only in accordance with other 
 24.16  provisions of law and the rules of the transportation 
 24.17  commissioner relating to the establishment, location, 
 24.18  relocation, construction, reconstruction, and improvement of 
 24.19  county state-aid highways within the county issuing the 
 24.20  obligations those purposes. 
 24.21     Sec. 22.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 168.011, 
 24.22  subdivision 9, is amended to read: 
 24.23     Subd. 9.  [BUS; INTERCITY BUS.] (a) "Bus" means (1) every 
 24.24  motor vehicle designed for carrying more than 15 passengers 
 24.25  including the driver and used for transporting persons, and (2) 
 24.26  every motor vehicle that is (i) designed for carrying more than 
 24.27  ten passengers including the driver, (ii) used for transporting 
 24.28  persons, and (iii) owned by a nonprofit organization and not 
 24.29  operated for hire or for commercial purposes, or (3) every motor 
 24.30  vehicle certified by the department of transportation as a 
 24.31  special transportation service provider vehicle and receiving 
 24.32  reimbursement as provided in section 256B.0625, subdivision 17.  
 24.33     (b) "Intercity bus" means any bus operating as a common 
 24.34  passenger carrier over regular routes and between fixed termini, 
 24.35  but excluding all buses operating wholly within the limits of 
 24.36  one city, or wholly within two or more contiguous cities, or 
 25.1   between contiguous cities and a terminus outside the corporate 
 25.2   limits of such cities, and not more than 20 miles distant 
 25.3   measured along the fixed route from such corporate limits. 
 25.4      Sec. 23.  [168.1235] [VETERANS SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS; 
 25.5   SPECIAL LICENSE PLATE STICKERS.] 
 25.6      Subdivision 1.  [GENERAL REQUIREMENTS; FEES.] (a) On 
 25.7   payment of a fee of $10 for each set of two license plates, or 
 25.8   for a single plate in the case of a motorcycle plate, payment of 
 25.9   the registration tax required by law, and compliance with other 
 25.10  laws relating to the registration and licensing of a passenger 
 25.11  automobile, pickup truck, van, self-propelled recreational 
 25.12  equipment, or motorcycle, as applicable, the registrar shall 
 25.13  issue a special license plate sticker for each plate to an 
 25.14  applicant who is a member of a congressionally chartered 
 25.15  veterans service organization and is an owner or joint owner of 
 25.16  a passenger automobile, pickup truck, van, self-propelled 
 25.17  recreational equipment, or motorcycle. 
 25.18     (b) The additional fee of $10 is payable at the time of 
 25.19  initial application for the special license plate stickers and 
 25.20  when the license plates must be replaced or renewed.  An 
 25.21  applicant must not be issued more than two sets of special 
 25.22  license plate stickers for vehicles listed in paragraph (a) and 
 25.23  owned or jointly owned by the applicant. 
 25.24     (c) The commissioner of veterans affairs shall determine 
 25.25  what documentation is required by each applicant to show that 
 25.26  the applicant is a member of a congressionally chartered 
 25.27  veterans service organization and is entitled to the special 
 25.28  license plate stickers. 
 25.29     Subd. 2.  [DESIGN.] (a) The commissioner of veterans 
 25.30  affairs, after consultation with each of the congressionally 
 25.31  chartered veterans service organizations, shall design the 
 25.32  special license plate stickers, subject to the approval of the 
 25.33  registrar.  The emblem, symbol, or other pictorial 
 25.34  representation on the sticker must be at least as large as the 
 25.35  letters and numerals on the plate and the registrar shall allow 
 25.36  for plates with spaces for the stickers in place of a numeral or 
 26.1   letter. 
 26.2      (b) Each congressionally chartered veterans service 
 26.3   organization must arrange for any applicable rules of the 
 26.4   national organization to be changed or copyrights to be released 
 26.5   before the commissioner may issue special license plate stickers 
 26.6   to members of any particular service organization under this 
 26.7   section. 
 26.8      Subd. 3.  [NUMBER ESTIMATED.] The commissioner of veterans 
 26.9   affairs shall estimate the number of special plate stickers that 
 26.10  will be required and submit the estimate to the registrar.  
 26.11     Subd. 4.  [PLATE TRANSFERS.] Notwithstanding section 168.12 
 26.12  or other law to the contrary, on payment of a fee of $5, the 
 26.13  special plate stickers issued under subdivision 1, may be 
 26.14  transferred to other license plates on a passenger automobile, 
 26.15  pickup truck, van, motorcycle, or self-propelled recreational 
 26.16  equipment owned or jointly owned by the person to whom the 
 26.17  stickers were issued.  
 26.18     Subd. 5.  [FEES CREDITED.] Fees collected under this 
 26.19  section must be paid into the state treasury and credited to the 
 26.20  highway user tax distribution fund. 
 26.21     Sec. 24.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 168.1291, 
 26.22  subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
 26.23     Subdivision 1.  [DEFINITION.] For purposes of this section 
 26.24  "special license plates" means license plates issued under 
 26.25  sections 168.12, subdivisions 2b to 2e; 168.123; 168.1235; 
 26.26  168.129; 168.1292; and 168.1296. 
 26.27     Sec. 25.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 168A.29, 
 26.28  subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
 26.29     Subdivision 1.  [AMOUNTS.] (a) The department shall be paid 
 26.30  the following fees: 
 26.31     (1) for filing an application for and the issuance of an 
 26.32  original certificate of title, the sum of $2; 
 26.33     (2) for each security interest when first noted upon a 
 26.34  certificate of title, including the concurrent notation of any 
 26.35  assignment thereof and its subsequent release or satisfaction, 
 26.36  the sum of $2, except that no fee is due for a security interest 
 27.1   filed by a public authority under section 168A.05, subdivision 
 27.2   8; 
 27.3      (3) for the transfer of the interest of an owner and the 
 27.4   issuance of a new certificate of title, the sum of $2; 
 27.5      (4) for each assignment of a security interest when first 
 27.6   noted on a certificate of title, unless noted concurrently with 
 27.7   the security interest, the sum of $1; 
 27.8      (5) for issuing a duplicate certificate of title, the sum 
 27.9   of $4.  
 27.10     (b) After June 30, 1994, in addition to each of the fees 
 27.11  required under paragraph (a), clauses (1) and (3), the 
 27.12  department shall be paid: 
 27.13     (1) from July 1, 1994, to June 30, 1997, $3.50; but then 
 27.14     (2) after June 30, 1997, $1.  
 27.15     The additional fee collected under this paragraph must be 
 27.16  deposited in the transportation services special revenue fund 
 27.17  and credited to the state patrol public safety motor vehicle 
 27.18  account established in section 299D.10 299A.70. 
 27.19     Sec. 26.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 169.06, 
 27.20  subdivision 4, is amended to read: 
 27.21     Subd. 4.  [OBEDIENCE TO AND REQUIRED TRAFFIC-CONTROL 
 27.22  DEVICES.] (a) The driver of any vehicle shall obey the 
 27.23  instructions of any official traffic-control device applicable 
 27.24  thereto placed in accordance with the provisions of this 
 27.25  chapter, unless otherwise directed by a traffic or police 
 27.26  officer, subject to the exceptions granted the driver of an 
 27.27  authorized emergency vehicle in this chapter.  
 27.28     (b) No provision of this chapter for which official 
 27.29  traffic-control devices are required shall be enforced against 
 27.30  an alleged violator if at the time and place of the alleged 
 27.31  violation an official device is not in proper position and 
 27.32  sufficiently legible to be seen by an ordinarily observant 
 27.33  person.  Whenever a particular section does not state that 
 27.34  official traffic-control devices are required, such section 
 27.35  shall be effective even though no devices are erected or in 
 27.36  place.  
 28.1      (c) Whenever official traffic-control devices are placed in 
 28.2   position approximately conforming to the requirements of this 
 28.3   chapter, such devices shall be presumed to have been so placed 
 28.4   by the official act or direction of lawful authority, unless the 
 28.5   contrary shall be established by competent evidence.  
 28.6      (d) Any official traffic-control device placed pursuant to 
 28.7   the provisions of this chapter and purporting to conform to the 
 28.8   lawful requirements pertaining to such devices shall be presumed 
 28.9   to comply with the requirements of this chapter, unless the 
 28.10  contrary shall be established by competent evidence.  
 28.11     (e) A flagger in a designated work zone may stop vehicles 
 28.12  and hold vehicles in place until it is safe for the vehicles to 
 28.13  proceed.  A person operating a motor vehicle that has been 
 28.14  stopped by a flagger in a designated work zone may proceed after 
 28.15  stopping only on instruction by the flag person. 
 28.16     Sec. 27.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 169.14, 
 28.17  subdivision 3, is amended to read: 
 28.18     Subd. 3.  [REDUCED SPEED REQUIRED.] (a) The driver of any 
 28.19  vehicle shall, consistent with the requirements, drive at an 
 28.20  appropriate reduced speed when: 
 28.21     (1) approaching and crossing an intersection or railway 
 28.22  grade crossing, when; 
 28.23     (2) approaching and going around a curve, when; 
 28.24     (3) approaching a hill crest, when; 
 28.25     (4) traveling upon any narrow or winding roadway, and when; 
 28.26  or 
 28.27     (5) special hazards exist with respect to pedestrians or 
 28.28  other traffic or by reason of weather or highway conditions.  
 28.29     (b) The driver of any vehicle shall ensure that the vehicle 
 28.30  is kept under control whenever approaching or passing an 
 28.31  authorized emergency vehicle stopped with emergency lights 
 28.32  flashing on the right-of-way of any street or highway.  The 
 28.33  exercise of control required for a driver to comply with this 
 28.34  paragraph is that control possible and necessary by the driver 
 28.35  to prevent injury to person or property and to avoid 
 28.36  interference with the performance of emergency duties by 
 29.1   emergency personnel.  
 29.2      (c) A person who violates paragraph (b) shall be assessed 
 29.3   an additional surcharge equal to two times the amount of the 
 29.4   fine imposed for the speed violation, but not less than $50.  
 29.5      Sec. 28.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 169.85, is 
 29.6   amended to read: 
 29.7      169.85 [WEIGHING; PENALTY.] 
 29.8      Subdivision 1.  [DRIVERS TO STOP FOR WEIGHING.] The driver 
 29.9   of a vehicle which has been lawfully stopped may be required by 
 29.10  a peace officer to submit the vehicle and load to a weighing by 
 29.11  means of portable or stationary scales, and the peace officer 
 29.12  may require that the vehicle be driven to the nearest available 
 29.13  scales if the distance to the scales is no further than five 
 29.14  miles, or if the distance from the point where the vehicle is 
 29.15  stopped to the vehicle's destination is not increased by more 
 29.16  than ten miles as a result of proceeding to the nearest 
 29.17  available scales.  Official traffic control devices as 
 29.18  authorized by section 169.06 may be used to direct the driver to 
 29.19  the nearest scale.  When a truck weight enforcement operation is 
 29.20  conducted by means of portable or stationary scales and signs 
 29.21  giving notice of the operation are posted within the highway 
 29.22  right-of-way and adjacent to the roadway within two miles of the 
 29.23  operation, the driver of a truck or combination of vehicles 
 29.24  registered for or weighing in excess of 12,000 pounds shall 
 29.25  proceed to the scale site and submit the vehicle to weighing and 
 29.26  inspection. 
 29.27     Subd. 2.  [UNLOADING.] Upon weighing a vehicle and load, as 
 29.28  provided in this section, an officer may require the driver to 
 29.29  stop the vehicle in a suitable place and remain standing until a 
 29.30  portion of the load is removed that is sufficient to reduce the 
 29.31  gross weight of the vehicle to the limit permitted under section 
 29.32  169.825.  A suitable place is a location where loading or 
 29.33  tampering with the load is not prohibited by federal, state, or 
 29.34  local law, rule or ordinance.  A driver may be required to 
 29.35  unload a vehicle only if the weighing officer determines that 
 29.36  (a) on routes subject to the provisions of section 169.825, the 
 30.1   weight on an axle exceeds the lawful gross weight prescribed by 
 30.2   section 169.825, by 2,000 pounds or more, or the weight on a 
 30.3   group of two or more consecutive axles in cases where the 
 30.4   distance between the centers of the first and last axles of the 
 30.5   group under consideration is ten feet or less exceeds the lawful 
 30.6   gross weight prescribed by section 169.825, by 4,000 pounds or 
 30.7   more; or (b) on routes designated by the commissioner in section 
 30.8   169.832, subdivision 11, the overall weight of the vehicle or 
 30.9   the weight on an axle or group of consecutive axles exceeds the 
 30.10  maximum lawful gross weights prescribed by section 169.825; or 
 30.11  (c) the weight is unlawful on an axle or group of consecutive 
 30.12  axles on a road restricted in accordance with section 169.87.  
 30.13  Material unloaded must be cared for by the owner or driver of 
 30.14  the vehicle at the risk of the owner or driver. 
 30.15     Subd. 3.  [VIOLATION.] A driver of a vehicle who (1) fails 
 30.16  or refuses to stop and submit the vehicle and load to a weighing 
 30.17  as required in this section, or who (2) fails or refuses, when 
 30.18  directed by an officer upon a weighing of the vehicle, to stop 
 30.19  the vehicle and otherwise comply with the provisions of this 
 30.20  section, or (3) fails to comply with an official traffic control 
 30.21  device as authorized by section 169.06 that directs the driver 
 30.22  to the nearest scale is guilty of a misdemeanor. 
 30.23     Subd. 4.  [ARREST.] A peace officer may arrest the driver 
 30.24  of a motor vehicle if the peace officer has probable cause to 
 30.25  believe that the driver has operated the vehicle in violation of 
 30.26  subdivision 3 within the past four hours. 
 30.27     Subd. 5.  [IDENTIFICATION OF DRIVER.] A person who owns or 
 30.28  leases a motor vehicle that a peace officer has probable cause 
 30.29  to believe has been operated in violation of subdivision 3 must 
 30.30  identify the driver of the motor vehicle upon request of the 
 30.31  peace officer.  Violation of this subdivision is a petty 
 30.32  misdemeanor. 
 30.33     Sec. 29.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 169.974, 
 30.34  subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
 30.35     Subd. 2.  [LICENSE REQUIREMENTS.] No person shall operate a 
 30.36  motorcycle on any street or highway without having a valid 
 31.1   standard driver's license with a two-wheeled vehicle endorsement 
 31.2   as provided by law.  No such two-wheeled vehicle endorsement 
 31.3   shall be issued unless the person applying therefor has in 
 31.4   possession a valid two-wheeled vehicle instruction permit as 
 31.5   provided herein, has passed a written examination and road test 
 31.6   administered by the department of public safety for such 
 31.7   endorsement, and, in the case of applicants under 18 years of 
 31.8   age, shall present a certificate or other evidence of having 
 31.9   successfully completed an approved two-wheeled vehicle driver's 
 31.10  safety course in this or another state, in accordance with rules 
 31.11  promulgated by the state board of education for courses offered 
 31.12  through the public schools, or rules promulgated by the 
 31.13  commissioner of public safety for courses offered by a private 
 31.14  or commercial school or institute.  The commissioner of public 
 31.15  safety may waive the road test for any applicant on determining 
 31.16  that the applicant possesses a valid license to operate a 
 31.17  two-wheeled vehicle issued by a jurisdiction that requires a 
 31.18  comparable road test for license issuance.  A two-wheeled 
 31.19  vehicle instruction permit shall be issued to any person over 16 
 31.20  years of age, who is in possession of a valid driver's license, 
 31.21  who is enrolled in an approved two-wheeled vehicle driver's 
 31.22  safety course, and who has passed a written examination for such 
 31.23  permit and has paid such fee as the commissioner of public 
 31.24  safety shall prescribe.  A two-wheeled vehicle instruction 
 31.25  permit shall be effective for 45 days one year, and may be 
 31.26  renewed under rules to be prescribed by the commissioner of 
 31.27  public safety. 
 31.28     No person who is operating by virtue of a two-wheeled 
 31.29  vehicle instruction permit shall: 
 31.30     (a) carry any passengers on the streets and highways of 
 31.31  this state on the motorcycle which the person is operating; 
 31.32     (b) drive the motorcycle at night time; 
 31.33     (c) drive the motorcycle on any highway marked by the 
 31.34  commissioner as an interstate highway pursuant to title 23 of 
 31.35  the United States Code; or 
 31.36     (d) drive the motorcycle without wearing protective 
 32.1   headgear that complies with standards established by the 
 32.2   commissioner of public safety. 
 32.3      Notwithstanding the provisions of this subdivision, the 
 32.4   commissioner of public safety may, however, issue a special 
 32.5   motorcycle permit, restricted or qualified in such manner as the 
 32.6   commissioner of public safety shall deem proper, to any person 
 32.7   demonstrating a need therefor and unable to qualify for a 
 32.8   standard driver's license. 
 32.9      Sec. 30.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 169.983, is 
 32.10  amended to read: 
 32.11     169.983 [SPEEDING VIOLATIONS; CREDIT CARD PAYMENT OF 
 32.12  FINES.] 
 32.13     The officer who issues a citation for a violation by a 
 32.14  person who does not reside in Minnesota of section 169.14 any 
 32.15  provision of this chapter designated as a petty misdemeanor 
 32.16  under section 169.89, subdivision 1, shall give the defendant 
 32.17  the option to plead guilty to the violation upon issuance of the 
 32.18  citation and to pay the fine to the issuing officer with a 
 32.19  credit card. 
 32.20     The commissioner of public safety shall adopt rules to 
 32.21  implement this section, including specifying the types of credit 
 32.22  cards that may be used. 
 32.23     Sec. 31.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 171.06, 
 32.24  subdivision 2a, is amended to read: 
 32.25     Subd. 2a.  [MOTORCYCLE ENDORSEMENT RENEWAL FEE 
 32.26  INCREASED.] (a) The fee for any duplicate drivers driver's 
 32.27  license which is obtained for the purpose of adding a 
 32.28  two-wheeled vehicle endorsement is increased by $16 included in 
 32.29  the examination fee for each first such duplicate license and 
 32.30  $13 for each renewal thereof.  The additional fee fees shall be 
 32.31  paid into the state treasury and credited as follows: 
 32.32     (1) $8.50 $11 of the additional fee for each combined 
 32.33  examination and first duplicate license fees, and $7 of the 
 32.34  additional fee for each renewal, must be credited to the 
 32.35  motorcycle safety fund which is hereby created; provided that 
 32.36  any fee receipts in excess of $750,000 in a fiscal year shall be 
 33.1   credited 90 percent to the trunk highway fund and ten percent to 
 33.2   the general fund, as provided in section 171.26. 
 33.3      (2) The remainder of the additional fee fees must be 
 33.4   credited to the general fund. 
 33.5      (b) All application forms prepared by the commissioner for 
 33.6   two-wheeled vehicle endorsements shall clearly contain the 
 33.7   information that of the total fee fees charged for the 
 33.8   endorsement, $7 is those fees listed in paragraph (a), clause 
 33.9   (1), are dedicated to the motorcycle safety fund. 
 33.10     Sec. 32.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 171.13, 
 33.11  subdivision 5, is amended to read: 
 33.12     Subd. 5.  [EXAMINATION FEE FOR VEHICLE ENDORSEMENT.] Any 
 33.13  person applying to secure a motorcycle, school bus, tank 
 33.14  vehicle, passenger, double-trailer or triple-trailer, or 
 33.15  hazardous materials vehicle endorsement on the person's driver's 
 33.16  license shall pay a $2.50 examination fee at the place of 
 33.17  application. 
 33.18     Sec. 33.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 171.13, is 
 33.19  amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
 33.20     Subd. 6.  [INITIAL MOTORCYCLE ENDORSEMENT FEES.] A person 
 33.21  applying for a motorcycle endorsement on a driver's license 
 33.22  shall pay at the place of application a total fee of $29, which 
 33.23  includes the examination fee, endorsement fee, and fee for a 
 33.24  duplicate driver's license.  Of this amount, $11 must be 
 33.25  credited as provided in section 171.06, subdivision 2a, 
 33.26  paragraph (a), clause (1), and the remainder must be credited to 
 33.27  the general fund. 
 33.28     Sec. 34.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 171.29, 
 33.29  subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
 33.30     Subd. 2.  [FEES, ALLOCATION.] (a) A person whose driver's 
 33.31  license has been revoked as provided in subdivision 1, except 
 33.32  under section 169.121 or 169.123, shall pay a $30 fee before the 
 33.33  driver's license is reinstated. 
 33.34     (b) A person whose driver's license has been revoked as 
 33.35  provided in subdivision 1 under section 169.121 or 169.123 shall 
 33.36  pay a $250 fee plus a $10 surcharge before the driver's license 
 34.1   is reinstated.  The $250 fee is to be credited as follows: 
 34.2      (1) Twenty percent shall be credited to the trunk highway 
 34.3   fund. 
 34.4      (2) Fifty-five percent shall be credited to the general 
 34.5   fund. 
 34.6      (3) Eight percent shall be credited to a separate account 
 34.7   to be known as the bureau of criminal apprehension account.  
 34.8   Money in this account may be appropriated to the commissioner of 
 34.9   public safety and the appropriated amount shall be apportioned 
 34.10  80 percent for laboratory costs and 20 percent for carrying out 
 34.11  the provisions of section 299C.065. 
 34.12     (4) Twelve percent shall be credited to a separate account 
 34.13  to be known as the alcohol-impaired driver education account.  
 34.14  Money in the account may be is appropriated as follows: 
 34.15     (i) The first $200,000 in a fiscal year is to the 
 34.16  commissioner of children, families, and learning for programs in 
 34.17  elementary and secondary schools. 
 34.18     (ii) The remainder credited in a fiscal year is 
 34.19  appropriated to the commissioner of transportation to be spent 
 34.20  as grants to the Minnesota highway safety center at St. Cloud 
 34.21  State University for programs relating to alcohol and highway 
 34.22  safety education in elementary and secondary schools. 
 34.23     (5) Five percent shall be credited to a separate account to 
 34.24  be known as the traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury 
 34.25  account.  $100,000 is annually appropriated from the account to 
 34.26  the commissioner of human services for traumatic brain injury 
 34.27  case management services.  The remaining money in the account is 
 34.28  annually appropriated to the commissioner of health to establish 
 34.29  and maintain the traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury 
 34.30  registry created in section 144.662 and to reimburse the 
 34.31  commissioner of economic security for the reasonable cost of 
 34.32  services provided under section 268A.03, clause (o). 
 34.33     (c) The $10 surcharge shall be credited to a separate 
 34.34  account to be known as the remote electronic alcohol monitoring 
 34.35  pilot program account.  Up to $250,000 is annually appropriated 
 34.36  from this account to the commissioner of corrections for a 
 35.1   remote electronic alcohol monitoring pilot program.  The 
 35.2   unencumbered balance remaining in the first year of the biennium 
 35.3   does not cancel but is available for the second year. 
 35.4      Sec. 35.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 173.13, 
 35.5   subdivision 4, is amended to read: 
 35.6      Subd. 4.  [FEES.] The annual fee for each such permit or 
 35.7   renewal thereof shall be as follows: 
 35.8      (1) If the advertising area of the advertising device does 
 35.9   not exceed 50 square feet, the fee shall be $25 $30. 
 35.10     (2) If the advertising area exceeds 50 square feet but does 
 35.11  not exceed 300 square feet, the fee shall be $50 $60. 
 35.12     (3) If the advertising area exceeds 300 square feet, the 
 35.13  fee shall be $100 $120. 
 35.14     (4) No fee shall be charged for a permit for official signs 
 35.15  and notices as they are defined in section 173.02, except that a 
 35.16  fee may be charged for a star city sign erected under section 
 35.17  173.085. 
 35.18     Sec. 36.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 174.03, is 
 35.19  amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
 35.20     Subd. 6a.  [ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF NONHIGHWAY ALTERNATIVES.] 
 35.21  If the commissioner considers congestion pricing, tolls, mileage 
 35.22  pricing, or public-private partnerships in order to meet the 
 35.23  transportation needs of commuters in the department's 
 35.24  metropolitan district between 2001 and 2020, the commissioner 
 35.25  shall, in cooperation with the metropolitan council and the 
 35.26  regional railroad authorities in the district, compare the 
 35.27  economics of these financing methods with the economics of 
 35.28  nonhighway alternatives for moving commuters.  The commissioner 
 35.29  shall analyze the economics as they relate to both individuals 
 35.30  and to the transportation system. 
 35.31     Sec. 37.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 299A.38, 
 35.32  subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
 35.33     Subd. 2.  [STATE AND LOCAL REIMBURSEMENT.] Peace officers 
 35.34  and heads of local law enforcement agencies who buy vests for 
 35.35  the use of peace officer employees may apply to the commissioner 
 35.36  for reimbursement of funds spent to buy vests.  On approving an 
 36.1   application for reimbursement, the commissioner shall pay the 
 36.2   applicant an amount equal to the lesser of one-half of the 
 36.3   vest's purchase price or $300, as adjusted according to 
 36.4   subdivision 2a.  The political subdivision that employs the 
 36.5   peace officer shall pay at least the lesser of one-half of the 
 36.6   vest's purchase price or $300, as adjusted according to 
 36.7   subdivision 2a.  The political subdivision may not deduct or pay 
 36.8   its share of the vest's cost from any clothing, maintenance, or 
 36.9   similar allowance otherwise provided to the peace officer by the 
 36.10  law enforcement agency. 
 36.11     Sec. 38.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 299A.38, is 
 36.12  amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
 36.13     Subd. 2a.  [ADJUSTMENT OF REIMBURSEMENT AMOUNT.] On October 
 36.14  1, 1997, the commissioner of public safety shall adjust the $300 
 36.15  reimbursement amounts specified in subdivision 2, and in each 
 36.16  subsequent year, on October 1, the commissioner shall adjust the 
 36.17  reimbursement amount applicable immediately preceding that 
 36.18  October 1 date.  The adjusted rate must reflect the annual 
 36.19  percentage change in the Consumer Price Index for all urban 
 36.20  consumers, published by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, 
 36.21  occurring in the one-year period ending on the preceding June 1. 
 36.22     Sec. 39.  [299A.70] [PUBLIC SAFETY MOTOR VEHICLE ACCOUNT.] 
 36.23     The public safety motor vehicle account is created in the 
 36.24  special revenue fund, consisting of the fees collected under 
 36.25  section 168A.29, subdivision 1, paragraph (b).  Money in the 
 36.26  account is annually appropriated to the commissioner for 
 36.27  purchasing and equipping department vehicles.  
 36.28     Sec. 40.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 299C.10, 
 36.29  subdivision 4, is amended to read: 
 36.30     Subd. 4.  [FEE FOR BACKGROUND CHECK; ACCOUNT; 
 36.31  APPROPRIATION.] The superintendent shall collect a fee in an 
 36.32  amount to cover the expense for each background check provided 
 36.33  for a purpose not directly related to the criminal justice 
 36.34  system or required by section 624.7131, 624.7132, or 624.714.  
 36.35  The proceeds of the fee must be deposited in a special account.  
 36.36  Until July 1, 1997, Money in the account is appropriated to the 
 37.1   commissioner to maintain and improve the quality of the criminal 
 37.2   record system in Minnesota. 
 37.3      Sec. 41.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 299C.46, is 
 37.4   amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
 37.5      Subd. 2a.  [NONCRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCY DEFINED.] For the 
 37.6   purposes of sections 299C.46 to 299C.49, "noncriminal justice 
 37.7   agency" means an agency of a state or an agency of a political 
 37.8   subdivision of a state charged with the responsibility of 
 37.9   performing checks of state databases connected to the criminal 
 37.10  justice data communication network. 
 37.11     Sec. 42.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 299C.46, 
 37.12  subdivision 3, is amended to read: 
 37.13     Subd. 3.  [AUTHORIZED USE, FEE.] (a) The criminal justice 
 37.14  data communications network shall be used exclusively by:  
 37.15     (1) criminal justice agencies in connection with the 
 37.16  performance of duties required by law; 
 37.17     (2) agencies investigating federal security clearances of 
 37.18  individuals for assignment or retention in federal employment 
 37.19  with duties related to national security, as required by Public 
 37.20  Law Number 99-1691; and 
 37.21     (3) other agencies to the extent necessary to provide for 
 37.22  protection of the public or property in an emergency or disaster 
 37.23  situation.; and 
 37.24     (4) noncriminal justice agencies statutorily mandated, by 
 37.25  state or national law, to conduct checks into state databases 
 37.26  prior to disbursing licenses or providing benefits. 
 37.27     (b) The commissioner of public safety shall establish a 
 37.28  monthly network access charge to be paid by each participating 
 37.29  criminal justice agency.  The network access charge shall be a 
 37.30  standard fee established for each terminal, computer, or other 
 37.31  equipment directly addressable by the criminal justice data 
 37.32  communications network, as follows:  January 1, 1984 to December 
 37.33  31, 1984, $40 connect fee per month; January 1, 1985 and 
 37.34  thereafter, $50 connect fee per month.  
 37.35     (c) The commissioner of public safety is authorized to 
 37.36  arrange for the connection of the data communications network 
 38.1   with the criminal justice information system of the federal 
 38.2   government, any adjacent state, or Canada. 
 38.3      Sec. 43.  [299D.11] [STATE PATROL; VEHICLE LIGHTING.] 
 38.4      Any motor vehicle of the state patrol that is purchased 
 38.5   after July 1, 1997, and used primarily in the enforcement of 
 38.6   highway traffic regulations must have all flashing lights 
 38.7   authorized under section 169.64, other than turn signals and 
 38.8   flashing hazard lights, mounted on the top of the vehicle.  This 
 38.9   section does not apply to specially marked patrol vehicles 
 38.10  described in section 169.98, subdivision 2. 
 38.11     Sec. 44.  [360.0151] [AIR SERVICE MARKETING PROGRAM.] 
 38.12     Subdivision 1.  [PROGRAM ESTABLISHED.] The commissioner of 
 38.13  transportation shall establish an air service marketing program 
 38.14  to encourage the preservation and expansion of scheduled 
 38.15  passenger air carrier service to greater Minnesota.  The 
 38.16  commissioner may spend funds appropriated from the state 
 38.17  airports fund for (1) air service marketing grants and (2) 
 38.18  conducting statewide studies to determine the feasibility of air 
 38.19  service initiatives.  The commissioner may develop a single, 
 38.20  recognizable statewide marketing program to increase visibility 
 38.21  of and ridership at airports with scheduled air carrier service. 
 38.22     Subd. 2.  [GRANTS AUTHORIZED.] (a) The commissioner may 
 38.23  make air service marketing grants to political subdivisions that 
 38.24  own and operate airports designated by order of the commissioner 
 38.25  as key airports.  The commissioner shall make a project 
 38.26  agreement with each political subdivision receiving a grant 
 38.27  under this section that provides for: 
 38.28     (1) a detailed description of the project for which the 
 38.29  grant is provided; 
 38.30     (2) a schedule of the project; and 
 38.31     (3) the division of costs of the project between the state 
 38.32  and the recipient. 
 38.33     (b) Payments by the commissioner under a project agreement 
 38.34  may only be made to reimburse local costs already incurred. 
 38.35     Subd. 3.  [USES OF GRANT.] (a) Costs for the following 
 38.36  activities related to commercial passenger air service at the 
 39.1   recipient's airport are eligible for reimbursement under this 
 39.2   section:  
 39.3      (1) advertising of service; 
 39.4      (2) public relations activities intended to educate the 
 39.5   public on the value of the airport and its commercial passenger 
 39.6   air service; 
 39.7      (3) marketing studies; or 
 39.8      (4) service improvement activities such as route analysis, 
 39.9   service studies, and other activities intended to preserve or 
 39.10  increase service from an existing or new-entry air carrier. 
 39.11     (b) A grant under this section may not be used for: 
 39.12     (1) an activity that promotes an airport within the service 
 39.13  area of another airport; 
 39.14     (2) a promotional activity that features one specific air 
 39.15  carrier at an airport when more than one air carrier serves the 
 39.16  airport; 
 39.17     (3) administrative costs associated with the marketing 
 39.18  program or with the routine operation of the airport; or 
 39.19     (4) payments to air carriers as fare subsidies, service 
 39.20  subsidies, or seat guarantees. 
 39.21     Sec. 45.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 457A.04, 
 39.22  subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
 39.23     Subd. 2.  [COSTS.] An assistance agreement must specify 
 39.24  those project costs which may be paid in whole or in part with 
 39.25  assistance from the commissioner.  Assistance agreements may 
 39.26  provide that only the following costs may be so paid: 
 39.27     (1) final engineering costs on a commercial navigation 
 39.28  facility project; 
 39.29     (2) capital improvements to a commercial navigation 
 39.30  facility; and 
 39.31     (3) costs of dredging necessary to open a new commercial 
 39.32  navigation facility project, to provide access to on-shore 
 39.33  facilities from existing channels, to provide for fleeting 
 39.34  operations, and for disposal of dredged material. 
 39.35     The following costs may not be paid with assistance from 
 39.36  the commissioner: 
 40.1      (1) the applicant's administrative, insurance, and legal 
 40.2   costs; 
 40.3      (2) costs of acquiring project permits; 
 40.4      (3) costs of preparing environmental documents, feasibility 
 40.5   studies, or project designs; 
 40.6      (4) interest on money borrowed by the applicant or charged 
 40.7   to the applicant for late payment of project costs; 
 40.8      (5) any costs related to the routine maintenance, repair, 
 40.9   or operation of a commercial navigation facility; and 
 40.10     (6) costs of dredging to maintain an existing channel; and 
 40.11     (7) costs for a project that involves only dredging. 
 40.12     Sec. 46.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 473.408, 
 40.13  subdivision 7, is amended to read: 
 40.14     Subd. 7.  [EMPLOYEE PLAN DISCOUNT PASSES.] The council may 
 40.15  offer monthly passes for regular route bus service for sale to 
 40.16  employers at a special discount subject to the provisions of 
 40.17  this subdivision.  An employer may be eligible to purchase 
 40.18  passes at a special discount if the employer agrees to establish 
 40.19  a payroll deduction plan as a means for its employees to 
 40.20  purchase the passes at a price at or below the amount charged by 
 40.21  the council.  The special discount on passes sold pursuant to 
 40.22  this subdivision shall be determined by the council. 
 40.23     Sec. 47.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 473.446, 
 40.24  subdivision 1a, is amended to read: 
 40.25     Subd. 1a.  [TAXATION WITHIN TRANSIT AREA.] For the purposes 
 40.26  of sections 473.405 to 473.449, and the metropolitan transit 
 40.27  system, the metropolitan council shall levy upon all taxable 
 40.28  property within the metropolitan transit area but outside of the 
 40.29  metropolitan transit taxing district, defined in subdivision 2, 
 40.30  a transit tax, which shall be equal to ten percent of the sum of 
 40.31  the levies provided in subdivision 1, clauses (a) to (c).  The 
 40.32  proceeds of this tax shall be used only for paratransit services 
 40.33  or ride sharing programs designed to serve persons located 
 40.34  within the transit area but outside of the transit taxing 
 40.35  district.  
 40.36     The regional transit board shall annually determine which 
 41.1   cities and towns qualify for the 0.510 or 0.765 tax capacity 
 41.2   rate reduction and certify this list to the county auditor on or 
 41.3   before September 15.  No changes shall be made to the list after 
 41.4   September 15 of the same levy year. 
 41.5      Sec. 48.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
 41.6      (a) Any provision making an appropriation for fiscal year 
 41.7   1997 is effective the day following final enactment.  
 41.8      (b) Sections 9, 11, 40, and 44 are effective the day 
 41.9   following final enactment.  Sections 10, 16, 20, 21, 34, and 45 
 41.10  are effective July 1, 1997.  Section 27 is effective August 1, 
 41.11  1997, and applies to violations occurring on and after that 
 41.12  date.  Section 18 is effective July 1, 1998.