The bill amends Minnesota Statutes to clarify the designation of responsible authorities for light rail transit projects. Specifically, it removes the exclusive options of either the Council or a county board, allowing for a more flexible designation that includes both entities. The amendments to section 473.3993, subdivision 4, and section 473.3994, subdivision 1a, establish that the governor must designate either the Council or a county board of a metropolitan county as the responsible authority for constructing and equipping light rail transit facilities. Additionally, if a facility is entirely located within a single metropolitan area county, the county board of that county must be designated as the responsible entity.

The bill also introduces an effective date clause, stating that the new provisions will take effect the day following final enactment and will apply to projects that enter into full funding grant agreements on or after that date. This ensures that the updated designations and responsibilities are implemented promptly for future light rail transit projects in the metropolitan area.

Statutes affected:
Introduction: 473.3993, 473.3994