Minnesota Session Laws - 1992, Regular Session

  

                         Laws of Minnesota 1992 

                        CHAPTER 390-H.F.No. 2375 
           An act relating to metropolitan government; providing 
          a name for the transportation accessibility advisory 
          committee; amending Minnesota Statutes 1990, section 
          473.386, subdivisions 2 and 3. 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
    Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1990, section 473.386, 
subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
    Subd. 2.  [SERVICE CONTRACTS; MANAGEMENT; TRANSPORTATION 
ACCESSIBILITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE.] 
    (a) The board shall contract for services necessary for the 
provision of special transportation.  All transportation service 
must be provided under a contract between the board and the 
provider which specifies the service to be provided, the 
standards that must be met, and the rates for operating and 
providing special transportation services.  
    (b) The board shall establish management policies for the 
service but shall contract with a service administrator for 
day-to-day administration and management of the service.  The 
contract must delegate to the service administrator clear 
authority to administer and manage the delivery of the service 
pursuant to board management policies and must establish 
performance and compliance standards for the service 
administrator. 
    (c) The board shall ensure that the service administrator 
establishes a system for registering and expeditiously 
responding to complaints by users, informing users of how to 
register complaints, and requiring providers to report on 
incidents that impair the safety and well-being of users or the 
quality of the service.  The board shall annually report to the 
commissioner of transportation and the legislature on complaints 
and provider reports, the response of the service administrator, 
and steps taken by the board and the service administrator to 
identify causes and provide remedies to recurring problems. 
    (d) Within 90 days following August 1, 1987, the board 
shall hold a public hearing on standards for provider 
eligibility, selection, performance, compliance, and evaluation; 
the terms of provider contracts and the contract with the 
service administrator and related contract management policies 
and procedures of the board; fare policies; service areas, 
hours, standards, and procedures; and similar matters relating 
to implementation of the service.  Each year before renewing 
contracts with providers and the service administrator, the 
board shall provide an opportunity for the transportation 
accessibility advisory committee, users, and other interested 
persons to testify before the board concerning providers, 
contract terms, and other matters relating to board policies and 
procedures for implementing the service. 
    (e) The board shall establish an a transportation 
accessibility advisory committee.  The transportation 
accessibility advisory committee must include elderly and 
handicapped persons, other users of special transportation 
service, representatives of persons contracting to provide 
special transportation services, and representatives of 
appropriate agencies for elderly and handicapped persons to 
advise the board on management policies for the service.  At 
least half the transportation accessibility advisory committee 
members must be disabled or elderly persons or the 
representatives of disabled or elderly persons.  Two of the 
appointments to the transportation accessibility advisory 
committee shall be made by the council on disability in 
consultation with the chair of the regional transit board. 
    Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1990, section 473.386, 
subdivision 3, is amended to read: 
    Subd. 3.  [DUTIES OF BOARD.] In implementing the special 
transportation service, the board shall:  
     (a) encourage participation in the service by public, 
private, and private nonprofit providers of special 
transportation currently receiving capital or operating 
assistance from a public agency; 
     (b) contract with public, private, and private nonprofit 
providers that have demonstrated their ability to effectively 
provide service at a reasonable cost; 
     (c) encourage individuals using special transportation to 
use the type of service most appropriate to their particular 
needs; 
    (d) ensure that all persons providing special 
transportation service receive equitable treatment in the 
allocation of the ridership; 
    (e) encourage shared rides to the greatest extent 
practicable; 
    (f) encourage public agencies that provide transportation 
to eligible individuals as a component of human services and 
educational programs to coordinate with this service and to 
allow reimbursement for transportation provided through the 
service at rates that reflect the public cost of providing that 
transportation; 
    (g) establish criteria to be used in determining individual 
eligibility for special transportation services; 
    (h) consult with the transportation accessibility advisory 
committee in a timely manner before changes are made in the 
provision of special transportation services, including, but not 
limited to, changes in policies affecting the matters subject to 
hearing under subdivision 2; 
    (i) provide for effective administration and enforcement of 
board policies and standards; and 
    (j) annually evaluate providers of special transportation 
service to ensure compliance with the standards established for 
the program. 
    Sec. 3.  [APPLICATION.] 
     This act applies to the counties of Anoka, Carver, Dakota, 
Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, and Washington. 
    Presented to the governor March 31, 1992 
    Signed by the governor April 2, 1992, 2:17 p.m.