1.1                          A bill for an act
  1.2             relating to capital improvements; authorizing 
  1.3             $83,500,000 in state transportation bonds for local 
  1.4             bridge replacement, rehabilitation, and repair; 
  1.5             appropriating money. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  [ISSUANCE OF STATE TRANSPORTATION BONDS.] 
  1.8      On request of the commissioner of transportation, the 
  1.9   commissioner of finance shall issue and sell Minnesota state 
  1.10  transportation bonds for the purposes provided in Minnesota 
  1.11  Statutes, section 174.51, subdivision 1, in the aggregate 
  1.12  principal amount of $83,500,000 in the manner and on the 
  1.13  conditions prescribed in Minnesota Statutes, section 174.51, and 
  1.14  in the Minnesota Constitution, article XI.  The proceeds of the 
  1.15  bonds must be deposited in the Minnesota state transportation 
  1.16  fund for expenditure in accordance with sections 2 and 3 and 
  1.17  with Minnesota Statutes, section 174.50. 
  1.18     Sec. 2.  [APPROPRIATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF PROCEEDS.] 
  1.19     $83,500,000, or so much thereof as the commissioner of 
  1.20  transportation determines is needed, is appropriated from the 
  1.21  state transportation fund to the commissioner of transportation. 
  1.22  The commissioner shall spend this appropriation as grants to 
  1.23  political subdivisions for the replacement, rehabilitation, and 
  1.24  repair of key bridges on the state transportation system.  The 
  1.25  commissioner shall make these grants in accordance with and for 
  2.1   the purposes of Minnesota Statutes, section 174.50.  Of this 
  2.2   appropriation, $13,500,000 is for the Sauk Rapids bridge project 
  2.3   connecting Stearns County State-Aid Highway No. 1 with First 
  2.4   Street South in Sauk Rapids. 
  2.5      Sec. 3.  [POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS; USE OF GRANTS.] 
  2.6      Political subdivisions may use grants under section 2 for 
  2.7   the replacement, rehabilitation, or repair of bridges, including 
  2.8   but not limited to: 
  2.9      (1) matching federal grants for bridge replacement, 
  2.10  rehabilitation, or repair; 
  2.11     (2) paying the costs of abandoning an existing bridge that 
  2.12  is deficient and in need of replacement, but where no 
  2.13  replacement will be made; 
  2.14     (3) paying the costs of constructing a road or street that 
  2.15  would facilitate the abandonment of an existing bridge 
  2.16  determined by the commissioner of transportation to be 
  2.17  deficient, if the commissioner determines that construction of 
  2.18  the road or street is more cost-efficient than replacing the 
  2.19  existing bridge; and 
  2.20     (4) paying costs authorized by Minnesota Statutes, section 
  2.21  174.50, subdivision 6a. 
  2.22     Sec. 4.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  2.23     Sections 1 to 3 are effective July 1, 2004.