SF 2695

1st Engrossment - 85th Legislature (2007 - 2008) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to transportation; requiring transit implementation plan to meet
80 percent of transit needs in greater Minnesota by 2015; requiring annual
assessment of ADA paratransit ridership needs in metropolitan area; requiring
annual transit report; amending Minnesota Statutes 2006, sections 174.24, by
adding a subdivision; 473.1465, by adding a subdivision; proposing coding for
new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 174.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 174.24, is amended by adding a
subdivision to read:

new text begin Subd. 1a. new text end

new text begin Transit service needs implementation plan. new text end

new text begin The commissioner shall
develop and implement a transit service needs implementation plan that contains a goal of
meeting at least 80 percent of unmet transit service needs in greater Minnesota by July 1,
2015, and meeting at least 90 percent of unmet transit service needs in greater Minnesota
by July 1, 2025. The plan must include, but is not limited to, the following: an analysis of
ridership and transit service needs throughout greater Minnesota; a calculation of unmet
needs; an assessment of the level and type of service required to meet unmet needs; an
analysis of costs and revenue options; and, a plan to reduce unmet transit service needs as
specified in this subdivision. The plan must specifically address special transportation
service ridership and needs. The commissioner may amend the plan as necessary, and
may use all or part of the 2001 greater Minnesota public transportation plan created by the
Minnesota Department of Transportation.
new text end new text begin new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end

Sec. 2.

new text begin [174.247] ANNUAL TRANSIT REPORT.
new text end

new text begin (a) By February 15 annually, the commissioner shall submit a report to the legislature
on transit services outside the metropolitan area. The Metropolitan Council and any
public transit system receiving assistance under section 174.24 shall provide assistance
in creating the report, as requested by the commissioner.
new text end

new text begin (b) The report must include, at a minimum, the following:
new text end

new text begin (1) a descriptive overview of public transit in Minnesota;
new text end

new text begin (2) a descriptive summary of funding sources and assistance programs;
new text end

new text begin (3) a summary of each public transit system receiving assistance under section
174.24;
new text end

new text begin (4) data that identifies use of volunteers in providing transit service;
new text end

new text begin (5) financial data that identifies operating and capital costs, and funding sources,
for each public transit system and for each transit system classification under section
174.24, subdivision 3b;
new text end

new text begin (6) a summary of progress with the transit service needs implementation plan under
section 174.24, subdivision 1a, including identification of any adjustments made to the
plan; and
new text end

new text begin (7) a calculation of the amounts of surplus or insufficient funds available for (i)
paying the state share of transit operating costs under section 174.24, subdivision 3b, and
(ii) following the transit service needs implementation plan.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective August 1, 2009.
new text end

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 473.1465, is amended by adding a subdivision
to read:

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Special transportation service assessment. new text end

new text begin As part of its annual update to
the performance evaluation report under section 473.13, subdivision 1a, the Metropolitan
Council shall include an assessment of progress towards meeting transit goals for people
with disabilities. The assessment must include, but is not limited to, the following:
new text end

new text begin (1) a description of proposed program enhancements;
new text end

new text begin (2) an assessment of progress;
new text end

new text begin (3) identification of the estimated total number of potential and actual riders who are
disabled;
new text end

new text begin (4) an assessment of the level and type of service required to meet unmet ridership
needs; and
new text end

new text begin (5) an analysis of costs and revenue options, including a calculation of the amounts
of surplus or insufficient funds available for achieving paratransit needs.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end

Sec. 4. new text begin CREATION OF REPORT AND ASSESSMENT.
new text end

new text begin The Department of Transportation and the Metropolitan Council shall create the
reports and assessments required in this act within current appropriation levels.
new text end