Senate Counsel, Research
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Alexis C. Stangl
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State of Minnesota
 
 
 
 
 
H.F. No. 3 - Transportation Finance Omnibus – Article 3 Policy Provisions (First Special Session - 2017)
 
Author: Senator Scott J. Newman
 
Prepared By: Alexis C. Stangl, Senate Counsel (651/296-4397)
 
Date: May 24, 2017



 

Article 3. Transportation Policy and Finance.

Section 1. Cash sale price. Eliminates a provision setting a $75 maximum document fee that motor vehicle dealers can charge as part of vehicle sales, which is inserted and increased in a subsequent section.

Sec. 2. Bicycle trail program. Department of Natural Resources statute on the bicycle trail program is amended to correspond to changes made later in this article.

Sec. 3. Public service corporation exceptions. Provides that taking of real property for construction or expansion of a light rail transit or bus rapid transit is subject to eminent domain provisions for other specified forms of compensation. Provides for light rail transit and bus rapid transit appraisal fee awards. This section is effective from January 1, 2017.

Sec. 4. Bikeway. Defines “bikeway.”

Sec. 5. Roadway; bicycle lane; bicycle route; bicycle path. Makes a technical change.

Sec. 6. Shared use path. Defines “shared use path.”

Sec. 7. Trunk highway appeal process. Establishes an appeal process to contest denial or revocation of a trunk highway access permit.

Sec. 8. Bikeways; powers and duties; design guidelines. The commissioner has the authority to plan, design, establish, and maintain bikeways on the right-of-way of trunk highways and provides related requirements.

Sec. 9. Cooperation among agencies and governments. Allows the commissioner to cooperate and enter into agreements with tribal governments regarding bikeway design guidelines.

Sec. 10. Design-build bridges for nonmotorized vehicles. Makes conforming changes.

Sec. 11. State bicycle route; definition. Defines “state bicycle route.”

Sec. 12. State bicycle routes. Requires the commissioner of transportation to identify state bicycle routes on existing right-of-way and trails, in cooperation with named entities.

Sec. 13. Connections with other bikeways. Makes conforming changes.

Sec. 14. Cooperation with other entities. Authorizes the commissioner of transportation to enter into agreements and contracts with tribal governments in order to fulfill duties relating to state bicycle routes.

Sec. 15. Funding. Makes conforming changes.

Sec. 16 Mississippi River trail. Moves the description of the Mississippi River Trail bikeway to a different section of the same statute.

Sec. 17. Highway sponsorship program. Authorizes the commissioner to establish a highway sponsorship program to allow businesses, civic groups, or individuals to voluntarily assist in improving and maintaining trunk highway property, roadside monuments, and historic sights.

Sec. 18. Trunk highway emergency relief account. Eliminates a biennial MnDOT report on payments made from and deposits made to the trunk highway emergency relief account.

Sec. 19. Flexible highway account; turnback accounts. Amends the formula for allocating a portion of funds in the flexible highway account to use a percentage instead of using a calculation of revenues. Requires the department, as part of each biennial budget submission, to specify the turnback projects likely to be funded and the associated costs.

Sec. 20. Project eligibility. Establishes eligibility requirements for the Corridors of Commerce program in statute. The commissioner of transportation is prohibited from adding additional criteria.

Sec. 21. Project selection process; criteria. The commissioner of transportation must establish a project selection process for the Corridors of Commerce program. The commissioner must use the statutory criteria and cannot add any criteria in evaluating projects. The list of evaluated projects, along with the score for each project, must be made public.

Sec. 22. Legislative report; evaluation. Amends the required legislative report on Corridors of Commerce to include additional details.

Sec. 23. Route No. 259. Makes a conforming change as part of a county turnback.

Sec. 24. Senator Jim Metzen Memorial Highway. U.S. Highway 52 in Dakota County is designated as the "Senator Jim Metzen Memorial Highway."

Sec. 25. Location and design of highway. Updates the section of statute on location and design of highways with the new term “bikeway.”

Sec. 26. Rules; eligibility. Eliminates a MnDOT bid preference eligibility sunset after eight years that applies to veteran-owned small businesses as well as small targeted group businesses, so that there is no longer a time limit for eligible entities.

Sec. 27. Spending on trunk highway system. Requires MnDOT to track local government spending for trunk highway system work.

Sec. 28. Conveyance to highest bidder in certain cases. Amends an excess trunk highway land conveyance process used in some situations, by authorizing MnDOT to offer sale of land to the abutting landowners based on appraised market value instead of through bidding or auction procedures.

Sec. 29. Services of licensed real estate broker. Amends a provision on MnDOT use of a real estate broker to sell lands, so that brokers are authorized once lands are withdrawn from sale.

Sec. 30. Unsold lands. Amends the excess trunk highway land conveyance process when real estate property remains unsold after an offer to the highest bidder, to permit MnDOT to make offers to anyone willing to pay at least the minimum public sale bid amount. Requires real estate that is for sale to be listed on an unsold property inventory.

Sec. 31. Passenger automobile; hearse. Prevents an increase in total vehicle registration taxes due to the surcharge on electric vehicles being established for motor vehicles previously registered in Minnesota, regardless of prior ownership. This section is effective the day following final enactment and applies to taxes payable for registration periods starting on or after January 1, 2018.

Sec. 32. Electric vehicle. Imposes a $75 surcharge on electric vehicles as part of annual motor vehicle registration, with the revenue deposited in the highway user tax distribution fund. This section is effective the day following final enactment and applies to taxes payable for registration periods starting on or after January 1, 2018.

Sec. 33. Disability plates; application. Adds motorized bicycles (commonly known as mopeds) as a type of vehicle for which a person can apply for disability plates. This section is effective January 1, 2018.

Sec. 34. Plate design; furnished by commissioner. Provides for a single disability plate on motorized bicycles. This section is effective January 1, 2018.

Sec. 35. Plate transfer. Makes a conforming change. This section is effective January 1, 2018.

Sec. 36. Retired Law enforcement special plates. Creates a new special plate for retired law enforcement. Sets eligibility and provides for plate design and transfers. The new plate would go into effect January 1, 2018.

Sec. 37. “Start Seeing Motorcycles” special plates. Creates a new special “Start Seeing Motorcycles” plate. Sets eligibility and provides for plate design and transfers. The new plate would go into effect January 1, 2018.

Sec. 38. Documentary fee. Sets a maximum document fee motor vehicle dealers can charge as part of vehicle sales. The maximum fee is increased from $75 to $100 for July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2020; thereafter the maximum fee is $125.

Sec. 39. Deputy registrars. Permits deputy registrars to store motor vehicle transaction records electronically after 60 days have passed, subject to a federal policy on secure storage and Department of Public Safety requirements as well as creation of an audit trail. Makes deputy registrars responsible for associated costs.

Sec. 40. Application, issuance, form, bond, and notice. Permits deputy registrars to issue a duplicate certificate of title for a motor vehicle (which adds to the current authority to receive duplicate title applications). Directs the Department of Public Safety to allow duplicate title issuance by deputies, starting August 1, 2018. Makes technical changes.

Sec. 41. Transfer-on-death title to motor vehicle. Allows a transfer-on-death (TOD) beneficiary designation to be entered on a motor vehicle certificate of title. This designation is subject to the rights of creditors. Provides for designation of the beneficiary. A beneficiary has no interest in the vehicle until after death of the owner.

Sec. 42. Manufactured home affixed to real property. Modifies the process for titling a manufactured home when it is affixed to real property.

Sec. 43. Manufactured home unaffixed from realty. Modifies the process for titling a manufactured home when it is not affixed to real property.

Sec. 44. Manufactured homes; ownership at issue. Establishes a system for resolving situations where the ownership of a manufactured home is at issue.

Sec. 45. All-electric vehicle. Defines an “all-electric vehicle.”

Sec. 46. Head Start bus. Excludes Type III vehicles as a type of Head Start bus. Narrows a restriction that Head Start buses be painted a color that is not the standard school bus yellow.

Sec. 47. Neighborhood electric vehicle. Adds three-wheeled vehicles to the definition of neighborhood electric vehicles.

Sec. 48. St. Louis County Road 128. Lowers the speed limit from 45 to 40 miles per hour on St. Louis County Road 128 in Eagles Nest Township. This section is effective the day following final enactment and applies once the new speed limit is posted.

Sec. 49. Driving left of roadway center; exception. Creates an exception from a limitation on passing in no-passing zones, which is provided for passing bicycles under some circumstances. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 50. Laned highway. Permits a school bus using its equipped stop-arm and eight-way lights system to stop in a bikeway in order to load and unload students.

Sec. 51. Operation. A person may operate a three-wheeled neighborhood electric vehicle without a two-wheeled vehicle endorsement.

Sec. 52. Scope of privilege. Makes a conforming change. This section is effective on January 1, 2018.

Sec. 53. Identifying certificate. Makes a conforming change. This section is effective on January 1, 2018.

Sec. 54. White strobe lamp on certain buses transporting children. Eliminates mounting location and usage requirements for flashing strobe lamps on school buses and Head Start buses.

Sec. 55. Use of stop-signal arm. Sets conditions for when a school bus driver can stop to load or unload students in a designated right-turn lane.

Sec. 56. Violations by drivers; penalties. Increases the minimum fine from $300 to $500 for failure to stop for a school bus that has activated its stop system (flashing red lights and a stop-arm) and for passing a school bus on the right when its warning light system is activated. This section is effective on August 1, 2017 and applies to violations on or after that date.

Sec. 57. Rules. Eliminates a requirement that administrative rules on school bus operation must be included in contracts with private bus operators.

Sec. 58. National standards adopted. Amends school bus vehicle and equipment standards developed by a national standards organization, so that the most recent standards are used.

Sec. 59. Applicability. Makes the most recent school bus vehicle and equipment standards, along with most of the other bus equipment mandate changes being made, effective for buses manufactured after August 1 of the year following the year in which the standards are adopted.

Sec. 60. Certification. Amends demonstration of school bus certification as meeting vehicle and equipment standards, so that it is required on request of the Department of Public Safety.

Sec. 61. Floor construction. Amends and expands requirements for plywood covering on metal floors of school buses.

Sec. 62. Insulation. Eliminates some floor insulation requirements, which is substantially re-created in another section in this article on floor construction.

Sec. 63. Windows. Amends tinting and thermal glass requirements for windows at some locations on the bus.

Sec. 64. Video or mobile surveillance systems. Expands the permitted width of some retrofitted video surveillance cameras, to be 3½ inches instead of three inches.

Sec. 65. Strobe lamp. Eliminates mounting location and usage requirements for flashing strobe lamps on school buses and Head Start buses.

Sec. 66. Limitations; misdemeanor. Makes a technical change to move an existing weight limit exemption for fire apparatus to a new subdivision. This section is effective the day following enactment.

Sec. 67. Certain emergency vehicles. Establishes motor vehicle weight limit exemptions for law enforcement special response vehicles and ambulances. This section is effective the day following enactment.

Sec. 68. Special tire-hauling permit. Establishes a special oversize permit for hauling tires in northeast Minnesota.

Sec. 69. Restrictions. Makes a conforming cross-reference.

Sec. 70. Permit fee; appropriation. Sets the fee for the special tire-hauling permit at $850 annually.

Sec. 71. Requirements; restrictions. Allows commercial vehicles hauling fluid milk under a six- or a seven-axle overweight vehicle permit issued by MnDOT to be operated on the Interstate system, as permitted under federal law.

Sec. 72. Road construction materials special permit. Authorizes a special permit to exceed motor vehicle weight limits in order to haul road construction materials on six- and seven-axle vehicles. Specifies permit fees, authorizes operation on all road systems under the permit, sets conditions, and allocates permit revenue. This section is effective January 1, 2018.

Sec. 73. Exception for type III vehicle drivers. Amends regulations governing operating a type III vehicle for pupil transportation without a commercial driver’s license, to require employer notification immediately following notice of a loss of driving privilege.

Sec. 74. Two-wheeled vehicle endorsement fee. Increases the portion of fee revenue going to the motorcycle safety fund from two-wheeled vehicle endorsements on driver’s licenses.

Sec. 75. Application. Permits driver’s license agents to store motor vehicle transaction records electronically after 60 days, subject to a federal policy on secure storage and Department of Public Safety requirements as well as creation of an audit trail. Makes the agents responsible for associated costs.

Sec. 76. Certain convictions not recorded. Amends a provision that keeps some speeding convictions from appearing on a person’s driving record, so that the exemption does not apply to commercial learner’s permit holders.

Sec. 77. Abandoned and discontinued. Defines a term for the chapter on outdoor advertising next to trunk highways.

Sec. 78. Conforming. Defines a term for the chapter on outdoor advertising next to trunk highways.

Sec. 79. Commercial or industrial activity. Modifies the types of business activity that are not included as “commercial or industrial activity” in unzoned commercial or industrial areas, so that the activity category excludes vehicle-mounted advertising, businesses that no longer exist or are not operating, and businesses that are for installation of outdoor advertising. This has the effect of preventing, in some situations, local zoning and local permits regulating advertising for the excluded business activity categories.

Sec. 80. Nonconforming. Defines a term for the chapter on outdoor advertising next to trunk highways.

Sec. 81. Off-premise. Defines a term for the chapter on outdoor advertising next to trunk highways.

Sec. 82. Scenic area. Modifies a definition of scenic area to include federally designated scenic byways.

Sec. 83. Scenic byways. Defines a term for the chapter on outdoor advertising next to trunk highways.

Sec. 84. Authority. Amends the topics that MnDOT is directed to address in administrative rules related to outdoor advertising, to (1) permit rulemaking on legal nonconforming signs, and (2) eliminate required rulemaking on permits and permit renewals for installing advertising devices in scenic areas.

Sec. 85. Forms; content. Modifies a requirement on outdoor advertising permit applications. Clarifies that a permit is necessary for accessing land under state jurisdiction to maintain advertising devices.

Sec. 86. Seed sign exemption. Establishes an exemption from the general restriction on advertising devices next to trunk highways, so that crop varietal and seed corn signs are permitted under specified circumstances.

Sec. 87. Violations; removal. Explicitly authorizes MnDOT to remove advertising devices that violate the general restriction on advertising devices next to trunk highways.

Sec. 88. Removal of advertising device for noncompliance. Updates noncompliant advertising device removal authority, places liability for removal costs on the part of the advertising device owner, amends notice procedures, and sets a temporary storage requirement.

Sec. 89. Changeable electronic variable message signs. Establishes regulations governing changeable electronic message signs, including prohibiting full motion or moving images, limiting message transition frequency, and regulating sign brightness levels.

Sec. 90. Stationary structure. Prohibits advertising devices that are mobile or mounted with wheels.

Sec. 91. Permanent business. Requires businesses in unzoned commercial and industrial areas to be in existence for at least three months before an advertising device permit can be issued.

Sec. 92. Outdoor advertising devices; removal; maintenance. Governs maintenance and removal of advertising devices that are next to the National Highway System. Authorizes MnDOT to remove destroyed or abandoned advertising devices. Limits advertising device owners to maintenance as opposed to more substantial alterations or repairs to the device.

Sec. 93. Revision of statewide multimodal transportation plan. Lengthens the revision cycle for the Statewide Multimodal Transportation Plan to be every five years instead of every four.

Sec. 94. Statewide highway investment plan. Amends the revision cycle for the Minnesota State Highway Investment Plan to be within one year of each revision to the Statewide Multimodal Transportation Plan, rather than in conjunction with a revision to that plan. Makes technical changes.

Sec. 95. Active transportation program. Requires the commissioner of transportation to establish an active transportation program to provide grants to local governments and tax exempt organizations to support bicycling, pedestrian activities, and other forms of nonmotorized transportation. The program is not funded in this bill.

Sec. 96. Certification and disbursal for project of political subdivision. Makes technical and clarifying changes.

Sec. 97. Bridge costs in smaller cities. Makes technical and clarifying changes.

Sec. 98. Fracture-critical bridges. Makes technical and clarifying changes.

Sec. 99. Major local bridges. Establishes a process for the commissioner to make grants to fund bridge projects of more than $7,000,000.

Sec. 100. Bridge grant program; rulemaking. Sets a $7 million project cost limit for MnDOT to provide bridge project grants under the Local Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation program administered by MnDOT. Allows grants for higher-cost projects under some circumstances.

Sec. 101. Department of Transportation efficiencies. Directs MnDOT to implement agency efficiencies that amount to at least 15 percent of the increased trunk highway fund appropriations in the budget. Specifies that resulting funds are for trunk highway construction and maintenance.

Sec. 102. Availability of information. Requires the information on major highway projects specified in the legislative report to also be available on the department’s website.

Sec. 103. Snow and ice control; appropriation. Creates a contingent statutory appropriation of up to 50 percent of the unappropriated balance in the trunk highway fund, for snow and ice expenditures when costs of this activity exceed 110 percent of the biennial expenditure level set by MnDOT. Requires legislative reporting.

Sec. 104. Metropolitan area transit investment. Expands the required information for a legislative report on transit in the Twin Cities metropolitan area to make it more comprehensive, adds new definitions and amends existing definitions, modifies report due dates, and changes the lead agency to be the Metropolitan Council. This section is effective the day following final enactment, with the expanded information to be included starting with the October 15, 2018 report.

Sec. 105. Exemptions for pipeline welding trucks. Creates an exemption from motor carrier regulations for pipeline welding trucks, drivers, and employers. (Under a federal definition, these are pickup trucks that weigh 15,000 pounds or less, are owned by a welder, and are equipped with a pipeline construction or maintenance welding rig.) The exemption covers various regulatory provisions for intrastate commerce.

Sec. 106. Rail service improvement account; appropriation. Permits MnDOT administrative costs to come out of the Minnesota rail service improvement (MRSI) account. Moves the account to the transportation priorities fund. Makes technical changes.

Sec. 107. Grants. Broadens grantmaking authority under the MRSI program to provide for improvements that support economic development. Eliminates reference to a federal program that no longer exists.

Sec. 108. Estates subject to claims. Adds transfer-on-death titles or deeds to the list of assets to be considered as a part of the decedent’s estate to determine medical assistance claims by the state.

Sec. 109. Motor vehicle lease sales tax revenue. Removes the $32 million general fund set aside from revenues from the sales tax on motor vehicle leases, and distributes total tax revenues as follows: 38 percent to the county state-aid highway fund; 38 percent to the greater Minnesota transit account; 13 percent to the Minnesota state transportation fund for the local bridge program; and 11 percent to the highway user distribution fund. Technical formatting changes are made. The portion of revenue from the motor vehicle lease sales tax that comes from the legacy constitutional amendment is allocated in accordance with the constitutional distribution. This section is effective the day following final enactment and applies beginning with the revenue transfer recognized in fiscal year 2018.

Sec. 110. Deposit of revenues. Dedicates the total revenues from two rental vehicle taxes to the highway user tax distribution fund: the rental motor vehicle tax (9.2 percent tax rate); and the revenue from the general sales tax due to motor vehicle lease or rental for not more than 28 days of motor vehicles (6.5 percent tax rate). The commissioner of revenue must estimate the amount of the revenues from this tax based on the amount of revenue collected from the 9.2 percent rental motor vehicle tax. Further, a specified amount is dedicated from the general sales tax revenue collected on the sale of motor vehicle repair and replacement parts to the highway user tax distribution fund. This section is effective July 1, 2017.

Sec. 111. Termination of taxes; use of remaining funds. Permits funds allocated to counties—if provided as part of a dissolution of the Counties Transit Improvement Board (CTIB)—to be used for transportation purposes that includes roads (as authorized under the statewide authority for a county transportation sales tax).

Sec. 112. Sale, sells, selling, purchase, purchased, or acquired. Allows a motor vehicle titled as transfer-on-death to transfer to a beneficiary without paying the sales tax.

Sec. 113. Training program. Modifies a salary provision for State Patrol trainees so that the salary must be at least 70 percent of the basic salary for State Patrol troopers, which replaces the current law cap of 70 percent.

Sec. 114. Application. Transit funding limitations for regional railroad authorities apply whether or not a transportation sales and use tax (imposed by CTIB) is in effect. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 115. Definition. Amends definition of “project” for provisions on regional railroad authority transit funding limitations, to include both the initial construction and extension of a light rail transit or commuter rail line.

Sec. 116. Metropolitan area or area. Defines “metropolitan area” to exclude Cannon falls, which has the effect of keeping the city out of the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Council. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 117. Financial assistance; base allocation. Makes technical and conforming changes.

Sec. 118. Financial assistance; regional allocation. Directs the Metropolitan Council to allocate a minimum 0.35 percent of revenue from the motor vehicle sales tax (MVST) to suburban transit providers (opt-outs), which over and above the current formula-based amount. Requires the council to create a regional allocation process to distribute the funds.

Sec. 119. Limitations on certain debt obligations. Prevents the Metropolitan Council from using certificates of participation that are backed by MVST revenue for light rail projects. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 120. Operating costs. Requires the state to pay 50 percent of light rail transit net operating costs (after federal and fare revenues are used) for the blue and green light rail lines as they exist on the day of enactment. Net operating costs for Southwest Light Rail must be paid from nonstate sources. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 121. Right-of-way use; contracts; liability. Establishes liability limits and insurance requirements for freight railroads and Southwest Light Rail operating in a shared corridor.

Sec. 122. Within 60 days; report. In hearing a disagreement over the content of a system statement, an administrative law judge may consider the reasonableness of the metropolitan system plans. This section is effective January 1, 2019.

Sec. 123. Motor vehicle parts sales taxes estimation. Directs the Department of Revenue to report on an estimate of general sales tax revenue that is attributable to the sale and purchase of motor vehicle repair and replacement parts, including tires, accessories, affixed equipment, and fluids. The report is due by January 15, 2019.

Sec. 124. Transportation project selection process. Requires the commissioner of transportation to adopt and implement a policy on project selection for both the standard selection process and special selection processes, such as corridors of commerce. The policy must include the specified information and must be consistent with criteria established in statute. The commissioner must submit a report on the policy to the legislature.

Sec. 125. Corridors of Commerce project eligibility. Identifies a segment of U.S. Highway 212, from Chaska to Montevideo, as eligible to be evaluated in the next round of project selection in the Corridors of Commerce program. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 126. Oak Grove; comprehensive plan. Designates the southeast area of the city of Oak Grove as “rural residential” for the purposes of the city’s comprehensive plan update and requires the Metropolitan Council to conform its plans and the system statement for the city to this designation. This section is effective upon filing of local approval with the secretary of state.

Sec. 127. Driver’s license agent in New Brighton. Expands the driver’s license agent authority for the city of New Brighton, so that its office at city hall can provide the full range of driver licensing services in addition to the current limited service offerings.

Sec. 128. Electronic storage standards. Directs the Department of Public Safety to develop standards by August 1, 2017, on secure electronic storage of data as well as paper destruction procedures for deputy registrars and driver’s license agents. The authority to develop or modify the standards expires August 1, 2018. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 129. Rule change on school bus operation. Directs the Department of Public Safety to amend its administrative rules on school bus operation to align with the statutory changes made regarding school bus stops. The rulemaking is under a streamlined process of the good cause exemption. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 130. Conveyance for historical purposes; McKinstry surplus lands. Permits MnDOT to convey to the Minnesota Historical Society, without payment, portions of McKinstry Mounds and McKinstry Village land in Koochiching County.

Sec. 131. Department of Transportation loan conversion. Converts a loan to the Minnesota Valley Regional Rail Authority to a grant. Future payments on the loan are cancelled. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 132. Marked Interstate Highway 35 weigh station; moratorium. The commissioner is prohibited from constructing a permanent weigh station for southbound traffic on I-35 near the I-35W/I-35E split in the northern Twin Cities metropolitan area. The commissioners of public safety and transportation must monitor crashes at the location. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 133. Highway construction costs and cost inflation study. Requires the commissioner of transportation to contract for a study of highway construction costs, inflation, and cost estimating. The commissioner must also report to the legislature on a comparison of estimated versus actual costs of projects. The report is due February 15, 2018.

Sec. 134. Vibration susceptibility study on Calhoun Isles property. Requires the Metropolitan Council to develop and implement a project-eligible plan to prevent vibration impacts to the Calhoun Isles property.

Sec. 135. Report on dedicated fund expenditures. Directs MnDOT and the Department of Public Safety to produce an updated legislative report on expenditures and transfers out of the trunk highway fund and the highway user tax distribution fund, which is due by February 15, 2018.

Sec. 136. Active transportation program recommendations. By October 1, 2017, the Advisory Committee on Nonmotorized Transportation must develop and submit recommendations to the commissioner of transportation regarding the project evaluation and selection process for the active transportation program being established earlier in this article. The Committee must consult with specified entities. In its next annual report, the Committee must include a summary of its recommendations. This report must be submitted to the legislature.

Sec. 137. Report by Commissioner of Transportation on MnPASS lanes and tolling. Requires the commissioner of transportation to report to the legislature on using MnPASS lanes and tolling to reduce congestion and raise revenue. The report must be submitted on or before January 2, 2018. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 138. Report by Commissioner of Transportation on turnbacks. By February 15, 2018, the commissioner of transportation must report to the legislature on turnback projects completed in the past five years and anticipated projects for the next two years. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 139. Working group for intersection in Wilkin County; report. Requires the commissioner of transportation to report to the legislature, by January 1, 2018, on project options to address the concerns of the intersection of Highway 55 and Wilkin County Road 19. The commissioner must establish a working group to determine the preferred project option. The working group must identify project options by December 15, 2017, with a goal of project completion by December 31, 2019. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 140. Metro Mobility Enhancement Task Force. Establishes a Metro Mobility Task Force to identify options and methods to increase program effectiveness and efficiency, minimize program costs and improve service including through potential partnerships with taxi service providers and transportation network companies. (A transportation network company is a ridesharing service like Uber or Lyft.) By February 15, 2018, the task force must submit a report to the legislature that summarizes its work and findings. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

Sec. 141. Legislative Route No. 123 removed. Provides county turnback of Trunk Highway 112 (running from Le Sueur to Le Center) following agreement between MnDOT and Le Sueur County.

Sec. 142. Legislative Route No. 225 removed. Provides a county turnback of Trunk Highway 225 (running from Ponsford to Trunk Highway 34 near Osage in Becker County) following agreement between MnDOT and Becker County.

Sec. 143. Revisor’s instruction. Changes codification of a transit legislative report, to move it to the chapter of statutes that governs the Metropolitan Council.

Sec. 144. Repealer.

Paragraph (a) repeals statutes relating to bicycle and other nonmotorized transportation.

Paragraph (b) repeals a redundant trunk highway designation.

Paragraph (c) repeals the Stillwater lift bridge account report and the railroad yard lighting report done by MnDOT.

Paragraph (d) repeals a provision relating to school bus electrical systems.

Paragraph (e) repeals rules relating to signs in in scenic areas.

Paragraph (f) repeals rules relating to bicycle and other nonmotorized transportation.

 
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