The bill establishes the Transit Rider Investment Program (TRIP) in Minnesota, aimed at enhancing public transit safety and improving rider behavior. It requires the Metropolitan Council to develop a rider code of conduct, implement safety measures such as security cameras and public address systems at light rail stations, and publish monthly ridership and quarterly crime statistics. The bill also introduces administrative citations for fare evasion, with fines ranging from $35 to $100, and outlines the responsibilities and training for TRIP personnel who will monitor passenger activity and assist those in need of social services. Additionally, it mandates the administration of opiate antagonists by TRIP personnel and sets up civil penalties for violations of the rider code of conduct.

Moreover, the bill creates an alternative resolution procedure for first-time offenders of specific violations, unless they can prove financial hardship, and requires the Metropolitan Council to submit an annual report on transit safety and rider experience. It reclassifies certain fare evasion and prohibited activity violations as petty misdemeanors and misdemeanors, and introduces a Transit Service Intervention Project to enhance outreach and law enforcement on light rail lines. The bill allocates funds to the Metropolitan Council for TRIP implementation and appropriates $2,000,000 from the general fund for fiscal year 2023 to support grants for organizations involved in the intervention project, with the funding available until June 30, 2024. Most provisions of the bill will take effect on July 1, 2023.

Statutes affected:
Introduction: 473.407, 609.855
1st Engrossment: 151.37, 357.021, 609.855
1st Engrossment: 151.37, 357.021, 609.855