1.1                          A bill for an act
  1.2             relating to local and state government; providing for 
  1.3             emergency expenditures related to the continuing 
  1.4             severe weather conditions and their aftermath; 
  1.5             appropriating money. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  [APPROPRIATION FOR 1997 SEVERE WEATHER 
  1.8   AFFECTING PUBLIC SAFETY.] 
  1.9      A special 1997 severe weather contingent appropriation is 
  1.10  authorized.  Reimbursement to counties, cities, and towns under 
  1.11  this section must be coordinated in so far as possible, and 
  1.12  subject to immediate public safety concerns, with emergency 
  1.13  federal funding for the same or similar purposes.  The 
  1.14  commissioner of public safety, through the division of emergency 
  1.15  management, in cooperation with the commissioner of 
  1.16  transportation, shall devise a formula or criteria for 
  1.17  distribution of funds for 1996 snowplowing, which will compare 
  1.18  snowplowing expenditures of the local unit of government for 
  1.19  1993, 1994, and 1995 against 1996 snowplowing expenditures.  To 
  1.20  receive reimbursement of 1996 snowplowing expenditures or to 
  1.21  match federal disaster assistance, a county, city, or town must 
  1.22  request the aid and provide relevant information to the division 
  1.23  of emergency management which shall review the request, 
  1.24  determine the appropriate amount of the reimbursement or match, 
  1.25  and distribute funds accordingly. 
  2.1      Sec. 2.  [APPROPRIATIONS.] 
  2.2      Subdivision 1.  [SEVERE WEATHER COSTS.] $20,000,000 in 
  2.3   fiscal year 1997 is appropriated from the general fund to the 
  2.4   commissioner of public safety to be spent as provided in section 
  2.5   1, except that the commissioner may use necessary funds for 
  2.6   administration of this program.  Of the $20,000,000, up to 
  2.7   $5,000,000 shall be available as needed to match federal 
  2.8   disaster assistance related to 1997 snowfall, $2,000,000 shall 
  2.9   be held in reserve until needed to match federal disaster 
  2.10  assistance associated with 1997 flooding or related emergencies 
  2.11  which affect public safety, and the remainder shall be used for 
  2.12  reimbursement of 1996 snowplowing expenses incurred by any 
  2.13  county, city, or town in the state that complies with section 1 
  2.14  and meets the distribution criteria devised by the commissioners 
  2.15  of transportation and public safety.  On June 30, 1997, any 
  2.16  unexpended portion of the $5,000,000 available to match federal 
  2.17  disaster assistance related to 1997 snowfall shall revert to the 
  2.18  general fund. 
  2.19     Subd. 2.  [HIGHWAY SNOW AND ICE CONTROL; SPRING 
  2.20  MAINTENANCE.] $16,000,000 in fiscal year 1997 is appropriated 
  2.21  from the trunk highway fund to the commissioner of 
  2.22  transportation for highway snow and ice control and spring 
  2.23  maintenance. 
  2.24     Subd. 3.  [STATE PATROL OVERTIME COSTS.] $95,000 in fiscal 
  2.25  year 1997 is appropriated from the trunk highway fund to the 
  2.26  commissioner of public safety to offset extraordinary 
  2.27  expenditures for overtime costs for the state patrol during 
  2.28  winter storms. 
  2.29     Sec. 3.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  2.30     Sections 1 and 2 are effective the day after their final 
  2.31  enactment.