HF14

Purpose

Impose a temporary stop on spending by the Metropolitan Council for developing light rail transit capital projects. The goal is to pause activities such as planning, analysis, and construction work on these projects until further notice.

Main provisions

• Prohibition on expenditures: The Metropolitan Council may not spend funds for project development activities on light rail transit capital projects. This includes planning analysis, predesign, design engineering, environmental analysis, land acquisition, and construction.
• Exceptions:
  • The prohibition does not apply to the Southwest light rail transit Green Line Extension project.
  • The prohibition does not apply to payments to contractors for work performed before the section’s effective date.
• Expiration: The prohibition expires on the date the Southwest light rail transit Green Line Extension project begins revenue operation.
• Notification requirement: The Metropolitan Council must report the date of expiration to the Revisor of Statutes and to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over transportation policy and finance.

Significance and impact

• Creates a temporary halt on funding for most light rail project development unless the project is the Southwest LRT Green Line Extension.
• Could delay non-Southwest light rail projects and their planning, analyses, land acquisition, and construction activities.
• Establishes a clear end date tied to when the Southwest LRT Green Line Extension starts generating revenue.
• Adds a reporting requirement to legislative leadership and the Revisor of Statutes to announce the expiration date.

Changes to existing law

• Establishes a new temporary moratorium on funds for light rail project development activities.
• Establishes a specific exception for the Southwest LRT Green Line Extension and for payments to contractors for work already performed.
• Introduces an expiration mechanism linked to the commencement of revenue service for the Southwest LRT Green Line Extension.
• Adds a mandatory notification clause to inform the legislature and the Revisor of Statutes of the expiration date.

Practical implications

• The Metropolitan Council must pause most work on light rail project development unless the project is the Southwest extension or already-paid contractor work.
• Non-Southwest light rail projects may face delays in planning, environmental analysis, land acquisition, and construction activities.
• Clear trigger date: revenue operation for the Southwest LRT Green Line Extension marks the end of the moratorium.

Relevant terms

temporary moratorium; light rail transit; capital projects; project development activities; planning analysis; predesign; design engineering; environmental analysis; land acquisition; construction; Southwest light rail transit Green Line Extension; revenue operation; Metropolitan Council; revisor of statutes; chairs; ranking minority members; legislative committees; transportation policy; finance; payments to contractors; effective date.

Relevant Terms - temporary moratorium - light rail transit - capital projects - project development activities - planning analysis - predesign - design engineering - environmental analysis - land acquisition - construction - Southwest light rail transit Green Line Extension - revenue operation - Metropolitan Council - revisor of statutes - chairs - ranking minority members - legislative committees - transportation policy - finance - payments to contractors - effective date