1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to transportation; establishing certain requirements governing Metro 
1.3 	Mobility; governing training, driver licensing, and personal cellular phone use; 
1.4 	requiring a review of wheelchair securement;amending Minnesota Statutes 2016, 
1.5 	section 473.386, by adding subdivisions.
1.6 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.7 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 473.386, is amended by adding a subdivision 
1.8 	to read:
1.9 		Subd. 6a.Operating standards; safety training program. (a) The council must establish 
1.10 	a safety training program for operators of special transportation service under this section. 
1.11 	At a minimum, the training program must cover policies and procedures, including but not 
1.12 	limited to wheelchair securement, lift operation safety, driving best practices, and mandatory 
1.13 	incident reporting, that ensure the safety of special transportation service users.
1.14 	(b) The safety program must include a refresher course. The refresher course must be 
1.15 	completed at least once every three years from the most recent date a training program or 
1.16 	previous refresher course was completed.
1.17 	(c) A person must not operate a vehicle under this section until after successful completion 
1.18 	of the training program or refresher course, as applicable.

1.19 	EFFECTIVE DATE; APPLICATION. Paragraphs (a) and (b) are effective the day 
1.20 	following final enactment. Paragraph (c) is effective August 1, 2018. This section applies 
1.21 	in the counties of Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, and Washington.

2.1 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 473.386, is amended by adding a subdivision to 
2.2 	read:
2.3 		Subd. 6b.Operating standards; driver's license. In order to operate a vehicle under 
2.4 	this section, a person must possess a valid class A, B, or C driver's license issued under 
2.5 	chapter 171.

2.6 	EFFECTIVE DATE; APPLICATION. This section is effective August 1, 2018, and 
2.7 	applies in the counties of Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, and Washington.

2.8 	Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 473.386, is amended by adding a subdivision to 
2.9 	read:
2.10 		Subd. 9.Personal cellular phone use prohibition. A person is prohibited from operating 
2.11 	a vehicle under this section while communicating over or otherwise operating a cellular 
2.12 	phone, as defined in section 169.011, subdivision 15, for personal reasons when the vehicle 
2.13 	is in motion or a part of traffic. This subdivision applies whether the cellular phone is used 
2.14 	in a handheld or hands-free manner.

2.15 	EFFECTIVE DATE; APPLICATION. This section is effective August 1, 2017, and 
2.16 	applies in the counties of Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, and Washington.

2.17 	Sec. 4. WHEELCHAIR SECUREMENT REVIEW.
 2.18 	(a) By December 1, 2017, the commissioner of public safety must conduct a review of 
2.19 	wheelchair securement equipment on all vehicles operated under Minnesota Statutes, section 
2.20 	473.386. Vehicles inspected within three months of the date of enactment of this section 
2.21 	do not need to be inspected under this section. At a minimum, the review must (1) identify 
2.22 	compliance with the requirements under Minnesota Statutes, sections 299A.11 to 299A.18; 
2.23 	and (2) analyze the necessity and feasibility of adding additional securement devices.
2.24 	(b) Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, sections 299A.11 to 299A.18, and any 
2.25 	administrative rules adopted under Minnesota Statutes, section 299A.18, the commissioner 
2.26 	may order the use of additional wheelchair securement devices after the review under this 
2.27 	section is completed.

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