1.1                          A bill for an act
  1.2             relating to transportation; expanding definition of 
  1.3             small vehicle passenger service to include certain 
  1.4             transportation provided in wheelchair-accessible 
  1.5             vehicles; imposing restrictions on transfer of former 
  1.6             metro mobility vehicles by the metropolitan council; 
  1.7             amending Minnesota Statutes 2000, sections 221.011, 
  1.8             subdivision 49; 473.386, by adding a subdivision. 
  1.9   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.10     Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 221.011, 
  1.11  subdivision 49, is amended to read: 
  1.12     Subd. 49.  [SMALL VEHICLE PASSENGER SERVICE.] (a) "Small 
  1.13  vehicle passenger service" means a service provided by a person 
  1.14  engaged in the for-hire transportation of passengers in a 
  1.15  vehicle designed to transport seven or fewer persons, including 
  1.16  the driver. 
  1.17     (b) In the metropolitan area as defined in section 473.121, 
  1.18  subdivision 2, "small vehicle passenger service" also includes 
  1.19  for-hire transportation of persons who are certified by the 
  1.20  metropolitan council to use special transportation service 
  1.21  provided under section 473.386, in a vehicle designed to 
  1.22  transport not more than 15 persons including the driver, that is 
  1.23  equipped with a wheelchair lift and at least three wheelchair 
  1.24  securement positions. 
  1.25     Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 473.386, is 
  1.26  amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
  1.27     Subd. 8.  [TRANSFER OF VEHICLES.] The metropolitan council 
  2.1   may transfer to a special transportation service provider or a 
  2.2   provider of taxi services the title to a vehicle formerly used 
  2.3   to provide special transportation service under this section.  
  2.4   If the council transfers title to a provider of taxi services, 
  2.5   it may do so only to a provider of taxi services that is 
  2.6   licensed by a city whose taxi licensing ordinance requires (1) 
  2.7   criminal background checks and annual driving record checks for 
  2.8   drivers, and (2) inspection of vehicles at least annually. 
  2.9      Sec. 3.  [APPLICATION.] 
  2.10     Sections 1 and 2 apply in the counties of Anoka, Carver, 
  2.11  Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, and Washington.