as introduced - 91st Legislature (2019 - 2020) Posted on 04/12/2019 10:39am
A bill for an act
relating to transportation; capital investment; appropriating money for Northstar
Commuter Rail extension to St. Cloud; requiring a report; authorizing the sale and
issuance of state bonds.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
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(a) $850,000
in fiscal year 2020 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of transportation
for assessment, analysis, and review of the project to extend Northstar Commuter Rail
service to the city of St. Cloud. This is a onetime appropriation.
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(b) $....... is appropriated from the bond proceeds fund to the commissioner of
transportation for predesign and design to extend Northstar Commuter Rail service to the
city of St. Cloud.
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(c) Any funds remaining following the uses specified in paragraph (b) are available for
one or more of the following: preliminary and final engineering; environmental analysis
and mitigation; land acquisition, including right-of-way and temporary or permanent
easements; and capital improvements to tracks, signals, and rail crossings.
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(d) Following any necessary project development, the commissioner must seek to
commence negotiations with BNSF Railway Company regarding Northstar Commuter Rail
service extension.
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(a) By October 1, 2020, the commissioner must submit a
report on the Northstar Commuter Rail extension project to the legislative committees with
jurisdiction over capital investment and transportation policy and finance. At a minimum,
the report must:
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(1) provide a status overview of the project;
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(2) identify a timeline with key remaining project development steps;
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(3) summarize stakeholder and project partner engagement activities;
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(4) review project finances, including cost estimates and anticipated sources and uses
of funds; and
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(5) provide recommendations for legislative changes, if any.
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(b) By October 1, 2021, the commissioner must submit a revised report with updates to
the information identified in paragraph (a).
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To provide the money appropriated in subdivision 1 from the bond
proceeds fund, the commissioner of management and budget shall sell and issue bonds of
the state in an amount up to $....... in the manner, upon the terms, and with the effect
prescribed by Minnesota Statutes, sections 16A.631 to 16A.675, and by the Minnesota
Constitution, article XI, sections 4 to 7.
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This section is effective the day following final enactment.
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