1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to transportation; requiring the commissioner of transportation to consult, 
1.3 	develop, adopt, and publicize best practices to improve objectivity and transparency 
1.4 	in project selection processes; requiring a report.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. TRANSPORTATION PROJECT SELECTION PROCESS.
 1.7 		Subdivision 1.Adoption of best practices. (a) The commissioner of transportation, 
1.8 	after consultation with the Federal Highway Administration, metropolitan planning 
1.9 	organizations, regional development commissions, area transportation partnerships, local 
1.10 	governments, the Metropolitan Council, and transportation stakeholders, must develop, 
1.11 	adopt, and implement best practices for project evaluation and selection to apply to the 
1.12 	standard project process and to special programs, such as corridors of commerce. The 
1.13 	commissioner must adopt and begin implementing the best practices no later than January 
1.14 	1, 2018, and may update the best practices as appropriate. The commissioner must publicize 
1.15 	the best practices and updates on the department's Web site and through other effective 
1.16 	means selected by the commissioner.
1.17 	(b) The best practices adopted under this section must:
1.18 	(1) describe each selection process and identification of ranking criteria and weight of 
1.19 	each criterion with respect to any selection process;
1.20 	(2) identify and apply all relevant criteria contained in enacted Minnesota or federal law, 
1.21 	or added by the commissioner;
1.22 	(3) identify for stakeholders and general public the candidate project selected under each 
1.23 	selection process and every project considered that was not selected;
2.1 	(4) involve area transportation partnerships and other local authorities, as appropriate, 
2.2 	in the process of scoring and ranking candidate projects under consideration; and
2.3 	(5) publicize scoring, ranking, and decision outcomes concerning each candidate project, 
2.4 	including the projects that were considered but not selected.
2.5 		Subd. 2.Report to legislature. By March 1, 2018, the commissioner must report to the 
2.6 	chairs and ranking minority members of the senate and house of representatives committees 
2.7 	having jurisdiction over transportation policy and finance concerning the adopted best 
2.8 	practices and how these best practices are anticipated to improve the consistency, objectivity, 
2.9 	and transparency of the selection process. The report must include information on input 
2.10 	from members of the public and the organizations identified in subdivision 1.

2.11 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.