1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to the metropolitan council; eliminating or 
  1.3             modifying requirements that are obsolete, unnecessary, 
  1.4             or inefficient; authorizing the use of facsimile or 
  1.5             digital signatures; amending Minnesota Statutes 1998, 
  1.6             sections 473.129, by adding a subdivision; 473.13, 
  1.7             subdivision 1; 473.254, subdivision 1; and 473.704, 
  1.8             subdivision 19; repealing Minnesota Statutes 1998, 
  1.9             sections 473.1623, subdivisions 3 and 6; and 473.23, 
  1.10            subdivision 1; Minnesota Rules, chapter 5900. 
  1.11  BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.12     Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 473.129, is 
  1.13  amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
  1.14     Subd. 11.  [FACSIMILE OR DIGITAL SIGNATURES.] Under 
  1.15  guidelines approved by the council, facsimile signatures, 
  1.16  electronic approvals, or digital signatures may be used by the 
  1.17  council in carrying out its duties and responsibilities.  A 
  1.18  facsimile signature, electronic approval, or digital signature, 
  1.19  when used in accordance with the council's guidelines, is as 
  1.20  effective as an original signature. 
  1.21     Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 473.13, 
  1.22  subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
  1.23     Subdivision 1.  [BUDGET.] (a) On or before December 20 of 
  1.24  each year the council, after the public hearing required in 
  1.25  section 275.065, shall adopt a final budget covering its 
  1.26  anticipated receipts and disbursements for the ensuing year and 
  1.27  shall decide upon the total amount necessary to be raised from 
  1.28  ad valorem tax levies to meet its budget.  The budget shall 
  2.1   state in detail the expenditures for each program to be 
  2.2   undertaken, including the expenses for salaries, consultant 
  2.3   services, overhead, travel, printing, and other items.  The 
  2.4   budget shall state in detail the capital expenditures of the 
  2.5   council for the budget year, based on a five-year capital 
  2.6   program adopted by the council and transmitted to the 
  2.7   legislature.  After adoption of the budget and no later than 
  2.8   five working days after December 20, the council shall certify 
  2.9   to the auditor of each metropolitan county the share of the tax 
  2.10  to be levied within that county, which must be an amount bearing 
  2.11  the same proportion to the total levy agreed on by the council 
  2.12  as the net tax capacity of the county bears to the net tax 
  2.13  capacity of the metropolitan area.  The maximum amount of any 
  2.14  levy made for the purpose of this chapter may not exceed the 
  2.15  limits set by the statute authorizing the levy. 
  2.16     (b) Each even-numbered year the council shall prepare for 
  2.17  its transit programs a financial plan for the succeeding three 
  2.18  calendar years, in half-year segments.  The financial plan must 
  2.19  contain the elements specified in section 473.1623, subdivision 
  2.20  3.  The financial plan must contain schedules of user charges 
  2.21  and any changes in user charges planned or anticipated by the 
  2.22  council during the period of the plan.  The financial plan must 
  2.23  contain a proposed request for state financial assistance for 
  2.24  the succeeding biennium. 
  2.25     (c) In addition, the budget must show for each year: 
  2.26     (1) the estimated operating revenues from all sources 
  2.27  including funds on hand at the beginning of the year, and 
  2.28  estimated expenditures for costs of operation, administration, 
  2.29  maintenance, and debt service; 
  2.30     (2) capital improvement funds estimated to be on hand at 
  2.31  the beginning of the year and estimated to be received during 
  2.32  the year from all sources and estimated cost of capital 
  2.33  improvements to be paid out or expended during the year, all in 
  2.34  such detail and form as the council may prescribe; and 
  2.35     (3) the estimated source and use of pass-through funds. 
  2.36     Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 473.254, 
  3.1   subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
  3.2      Subdivision 1.  [PARTICIPATION.] (a) By November 15 of each 
  3.3   year, A municipality may elect to participate in the local 
  3.4   housing incentive account program.  If a municipality does not 
  3.5   elect to participate for the year, it is not subject to this 
  3.6   section.  If the election to participate occurs by November 15 
  3.7   of any year, it is effective commencing the next calendar year; 
  3.8   otherwise it is effective commencing the next succeeding 
  3.9   calendar year.  An election to participate in the program is 
  3.10  effective until revoked in accordance with paragraph (b).  A 
  3.11  municipality is subject to this section only in those calendar 
  3.12  years for which its election to participate in the program is 
  3.13  effective.  For purposes of this section, municipality means a 
  3.14  municipality electing to participate in the local housing 
  3.15  incentive account program for the calendar year in question, 
  3.16  unless the context indicates otherwise. 
  3.17     (b) A municipality may revoke its election to participate 
  3.18  in the local housing incentive account program.  If the 
  3.19  revocation occurs by November 15 of any year, it is effective 
  3.20  commencing the next calendar year; otherwise it is effective 
  3.21  commencing the next succeeding calendar year.  After revoking 
  3.22  its election to participate in the program, a municipality may 
  3.23  again elect to participate in the program in accordance with 
  3.24  paragraph (a). 
  3.25     (c) A municipality that elects to participate may receive 
  3.26  grants or loans from the tax base revitalization account, 
  3.27  livable communities demonstration account, or the local housing 
  3.28  incentive account.  A municipality that does not participate is 
  3.29  not eligible to receive a grant under sections 116J.551 to 
  3.30  116J.557.  The council, when making discretionary funding 
  3.31  decisions, shall give consideration to a municipality's 
  3.32  participation in the local housing incentives program.  
  3.33     Sec. 4.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 473.704, 
  3.34  subdivision 19, is amended to read: 
  3.35     Subd. 19.  [FINANCIAL REPORT.] The commission, by December 
  3.36  15 of each even-numbered year, shall prepare and submit to the 
  4.1   legislature a financial report that contains the information 
  4.2   required by Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 473.1623, 
  4.3   subdivision 3, in a format consistent with the consolidated 
  4.4   financial report required by that subdivision. 
  4.5      Sec. 5.  [REPEALER.] 
  4.6      Minnesota Statutes 1998, sections 473.1623, subdivisions 3 
  4.7   and 6; and 473.23, subdivision 1, are repealed.  Minnesota 
  4.8   Rules, parts 5900.0100; 5900.0200; 5900.0300; 5900.0400; 
  4.9   5900.0400; 5900.0500; 5900.0600; 5900.0700; 5900.0800; 
  4.10  5900.0900; 5900.1000; 5900.1100; 5900.1200; 5900.1300; 
  4.11  5900.1400; 5900.1500; 5900.1600; 5900.1700; 5900.1800; 
  4.12  5900.1900; 5900.2000; 5900.2100; 5900.2200; 5900.2300; 
  4.13  5900.2400; 5900.2500; 5900.2600; 5900.2700; 5900.2800; 
  4.14  5900.2900; 5900.3000; 5900.3100; 5900.3200; 5900.3300; 
  4.15  5900.3400; 5900.3500; 5900.3600; 5900.3700; 5900.3800; 
  4.16  5900.3900; 5900.4000; 5900.4100; 5900.4200; 5900.4300; 
  4.17  5900.4400; 5900.4500; 5900.4600; 5900.4700; 5900.4800; 
  4.18  5900.4900; 5900.5000; 5900.5100; 5900.5200; 5900.5300; 
  4.19  5900.5400; 5900.5500; 5900.5600; 5900.5700; 5900.5800; 
  4.20  5900.5900; 5900.6000; 5900.6100; 5900.6200; 5900.6300; 
  4.21  5900.6400; 5900.6500; 5900.6800; 5900.6900; 5900.7000; 
  4.22  5900.7100; 5900.7200; 5900.7300; 5900.7400; and 5900.7500, are 
  4.23  repealed. 
  4.24     Sec. 6.  [APPLICATION.] 
  4.25     Sections 1 to 5 apply in the counties of Anoka, Carver, 
  4.26  Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, and Washington. 
  4.27     Sec. 7.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  4.28     This act is effective on the day following final enactment.