1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to transit; requiring the commissioner of transportation and the Metropolitan 
1.3 	Council to request approval to discontinue Northstar passenger rail operations; 
1.4 	requiring a report.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. REQUEST TO TERMINATE NORTHSTAR COMMUTER RAIL 
1.7 	OPERATIONS.
 1.8 		Subdivision 1.Definitions. (a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have  
1.9 	the meanings given.
1.10 	(b) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of transportation.
1.11 	(c) "Council" means the Metropolitan Council.
1.12 	(d) "FTA" means the Federal Transit Administration.
1.13 	(e) "Northstar" means the Northstar Commuter Rail line that provides rail passenger 
1.14 	service between downtown Minneapolis and Big Lake, including stops in Fridley, Coon 
1.15 	Rapids, Anoka, Ramsey, and Elk River.
1.16 		Subd. 2.Federal approval. Within 30 days of the enactment of this section, the council 
1.17 	and the commissioner must request approval from the FTA to discontinue Northstar 
1.18 	operations. As part of the request, the council and commissioner must specify that the state 
1.19 	will not reimburse the FTA or any other federal agency for federal funds spent on Northstar. 
1.20 	Within seven days of receiving a response to the request, the council and commissioner 
1.21 	must report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with 
1.22 	jurisdiction over transportation policy and finance on the outcome of the request. The report 
2.1 	must include a copy of the request submitted to the FTA and a copy of the FTA's response. 
2.2 	If the FTA grants the request, the commissioner and council must submit to the chairs and 
2.3 	ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over transportation 
2.4 	policy and finance a proposed plan to terminate Northstar operations. The plan must be 
2.5 	submitted within 90 days after the FTA grants the request.

2.6 	EFFECTIVE DATE; APPLICATION. This section is effective the day following 
2.7 	final enactment and applies in the counties of Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, 
2.8 	Scott, and Washington.