1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to transportation; including passenger rail costs within the meaning 
1.3 	of public transit assistance; appropriating money for high-speed rail between 
1.4 	Duluth and St. Paul;amending Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 16A.88.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 16A.88, is amended to read:
1.7 	16A.88 TRANSIT ASSISTANCE FUND.
1.8 		Subdivision 1.Transit assistance fund established. A transit assistance fund is 
1.9 	established within the state treasury. The fund receives money distributed under section 
1.10 	297B.09, subdivision 1, and other money as specified by law. Money in the fund must 
1.11 	be allocated to the greater Minnesota transit account under subdivision 1a and the 
1.12 	metropolitan area transit account under subdivision 2 in the manner specified in section 
1.13 	297B.09, subdivision 1, and must be used solely for transit purposes under the Minnesota 
1.14 	Constitution, article XIV, section 13. Costs of planning, design, engineering, construction, 
1.15 	and operation of high-speed passenger rail are included within the meaning of "transit 
1.16 	purposes" and "public transit assistance."
1.17 		Subd. 1a.Greater Minnesota transit account. The greater Minnesota transit 
1.18 	account is established within the transit assistance fund in the state treasury. Money in 
1.19 	the account is annually appropriated to the commissioner of transportation for assistance 
1.20 	to transit systems outside the metropolitan area under section 174.24, and for grants 
1.21 	to regional railroad authorities to develop and operate high-speed passenger rail, as 
1.22 	appropriated by law. The commissioner may use up to $408,000 in fiscal year 2008 and 
1.23 	$416,000 in fiscal year 2009 and thereafter for administration of the transit program. The 
2.1 	commissioner shall use the account for transit operations as provided in section 174.24
2.2 	~~and~~, related program administration, and high-speed passenger rail. 
2.3 		Subd. 2.Metropolitan area transit account. The metropolitan area transit account 
2.4 	is established within the transit assistance fund in the state treasury. All money in the 
2.5 	account remaining after deducting all specific appropriations from the account is annually 
2.6 	appropriated to the Metropolitan Council for the funding of transit systems within the 
2.7 	metropolitan area under sections 473.384, 473.386, 473.387, 473.388, and 473.405 to 
2.8 	473.449, and for grants to regional railroad authorities to develop and operate high-speed 
2.9 	passenger rail, as appropriated by law.

2.10 	Sec. 2. PASSENGER RAIL.
 2.11 	The commissioner of transportation shall conduct major investment studies and 
2.12 	develop engineering documents for a dedicated rail line connecting the cities of Duluth 
2.13 	and St. Paul. The rail line must be designed and constructed to allow the operation of an 
2.14 	advanced high-speed rail system capable of speeds in excess of 358 miles per hour.

2.15 	Sec. 3. GREATER MINNESOTA TRANSIT ACCOUNT.
 2.16 	The commissioner of transportation shall use up to $....... from the greater Minnesota 
2.17 	transit account in the transit assistance fund to carry out the direction in section 2.

2.18 	Sec. 4. METROPOLITAN AREA TRANSIT ACCOUNT.
 2.19 	$....... is appropriated to the commissioner of transportation from the metropolitan 
2.20 	area transit account in the transit assistance fund to carry out the direction in section 2. 
2.21 	This appropriation must be deducted from the account before money in the account is paid 
2.22 	to the Metropolitan Council under Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.88, subdivision 2.