Purpose of the Bill

The purpose of this bill is to increase local government involvement in the approval and planning stages of commuter and intercity rail projects in Minnesota. It emphasizes the necessity for cities, counties, and towns to have a say in rail projects that affect their areas.

Main Provisions

• Local Government Approval: Before planning or constructing any commuter or intercity rail projects, the Commissioner of Transportation must obtain approval from each local government (cities, counties, or towns) where the project is to be located. This can either be through a formal resolution by the local government's governing body or a majority vote in a general election.

• Duties of the Commissioner of Transportation: The commissioner is responsible for all aspects of commuter rail services, including planning, development, construction, operation, and maintenance. Agreements can be made with various public or private entities to facilitate these responsibilities.

• Commuter Rail System Plan: Any commuter rail system plan must receive approval from local governments and metropolitan planning organizations before final designs can proceed. The final designs must align with the approved rail plan.

• Public Hearings and Local Input: Before preparing final design plans, the commissioner is required to hold public hearings on the proposed designs. Local governments are also given the opportunity to review and comment on plans, and if they disapprove, they must specify the amendments necessary for lifting their objections.

• Modifications Based on Feedback: The commissioner must consider local government comments and may need to modify the advanced corridor plans accordingly before proceeding. Metropolitan planning organizations must also review and approve the plans to ensure consistency with development guides.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Previously, the commissioner could advance rail projects without explicit approval from all affected local governments.
• This bill mandates active local government participation and approval, introducing a mechanism for local entities to approve or reject rail project plans before any advancement.
• It structures a formalized feedback loop where local comments and suggested amendments must be considered and incorporated into project plans before moving forward.

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Relevant Terms: Local approval, commuter rail, intercity rail, Commissioner of Transportation, public hearings, advanced corridor plan, local government, metropolitan planning organizations.