Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Minnesota House Bill HF85 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1.1 A bill for an act
2	2	1.2 relating to transportation; establishing performance requirements and conditional
3	3	1.3 termination of the Northstar Commuter Rail line.
4	4	1.4BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
5	5	1.5 Section 1. NORTHSTAR COMMUTER RAIL; PERFORMANCE AND
6	6	1.6TERMINATION.
7	7	1.7 Subdivision 1.Definitions.(a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have
8	8	1.8the meanings given.
9	9	1.9 (b) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of transportation.
10	10	1.10 (c) "Council" means the Metropolitan Council.
11	11	1.11 (d) "Northstar" means the Northstar Commuter Rail line that is operated by the council
12	12	1.12to provide rail passenger service between downtown Minneapolis and Big Lake, and includes
13	13	1.13any subsequent rail project or service that operates wholly or primarily in the same corridor.
14	14	1.14 Subd. 2.Performance requirements.Northstar is subject to termination as provided
15	15	1.15under this section if:
16	16	1.16 (1) total ridership is less than 450,000 in any six-month period, beginning with the period
17	17	1.17that starts on June 1, 2025;
18	18	1.18 (2) total annual ridership is less than 900,000, as measured for each period that starts on
19	19	1.19June 1 and ends on May 31 in the following year, beginning with the period that starts on
20	20	1.20June 1, 2025; or
21	21	1Section 1.
22	22	REVISOR KRB/DG 25-0058511/18/24
23	23	State of Minnesota
24	24	This Document can be made available
25	25	in alternative formats upon request
26	26	HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
27	27	H. F. No. 85
28	28	NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
29	29	Authored by Koznick01/22/2025
30	30	The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Transportation Finance and Policy 2.1 (3) the farebox recovery ratio is less than 40 percent in any calendar year, beginning
31	31	2.2with calendar year 2026.
32	32	2.3 Subd. 3.Federal waiver.If any of the performance requirements specified in subdivision
33	33	2.42 are not met, the council must immediately seek a federal waiver or similar release of all
34	34	2.5obligations for payment to the United States Department of Transportation related to the
35	35	2.6termination of Northstar.
36	36	2.7 Subd. 4.Contingent termination.If any of the performance requirements specified in
37	37	2.8subdivision 2 are not met:
38	38	2.9 (1) the council must decommission and permanently terminate all services related to
39	39	2.10Northstar, including stopping all passenger service, closing all stations, and ending law
40	40	2.11enforcement services provided by the Metro Transit Police Department along the route;
41	41	2.12 (2) the commissioner and the council must terminate all memorandums of understanding,
42	42	2.13joint powers agreements, contracts, or any other agreement entered into with any public or
43	43	2.14private entity pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, sections 174.82 and 473.4057, for the planning,
44	44	2.15development, construction, operation, or maintenance of Northstar to the fullest extent
45	45	2.16permissible without a breach under the agreements;
46	46	2.17 (3) pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, section 473.4057, subdivision 5, the commissioner
47	47	2.18must immediately terminate any lease, license, assignment, right of access, or other agreement
48	48	2.19provided to the council to develop, operate, and maintain Northstar;
49	49	2.20 (4) the council must convey ownership in any real or personal property related to
50	50	2.21Northstar that was previously owned and conveyed by the commissioner or Department of
51	51	2.22Transportation under Minnesota Statutes, section 473.4057, subdivision 5, back to the
52	52	2.23commissioner; and
53	53	2.24 (5) the council and the commissioner must sell or otherwise dispose of all assets related
54	54	2.25to Northstar, including but not limited to equipment, supplies, materials, rolling stock,
55	55	2.26facilities, improvements, personal property, and real property, which must be conducted
56	56	2.27pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, section 16B.2975.
57	57	2.28 Subd. 5.Deposit of funds.The commissioner and the council must deposit any revenue
58	58	2.29received under subdivision 4 in the general fund.
59	59	2.30 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment and
60	60	2.31applies in the counties of Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, and Washington.
61	61	2Section 1.
62	62	REVISOR KRB/DG 25-0058511/18/24