1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to transit; amending requirements governing transit enforcement; 
1.3 	establishing a transit service intervention project; establishing a working group; 
1.4 	appropriating money;amending Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 609.855, 
1.5 	subdivision 3; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 473.
1.6 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.7 	Section 1. [473.4065] TRANSIT PASSENGER ACTIVITIES.
1.8 		Subdivision 1.Code of conduct. (a) The council must adopt a rider code of conduct for 
1.9 	transit passengers. The council must post a copy of the code of conduct in a prominent 
1.10 	location at each light rail transit station and each park-and-ride station.
1.11 	(b) The code of conduct must not prohibit sleeping in a manner that does not otherwise 
1.12 	violate conduct requirements.
1.13 		Subd. 2.Violations. A peace officer, as defined in section 626.84, subdivision 1, 
1.14 	paragraph (c), may order a person to depart a transit vehicle or transit facility for a violation 
1.15 	of the rider code of conduct established under subdivision 1.

1.16 	EFFECTIVE DATE; APPLICATION. This section is effective the day following 
1.17 	final enactment and applies in the counties of Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, 
1.18 	Scott, and Washington.

1.19 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 609.855, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
1.20 		Subd. 3.Prohibited activities; misdemeanor. (a) A person is guilty of a misdemeanor 
1.21 	who, while riding in a vehicle providing public transit service:
2.1 	(1) operates a radio, television, tape player, electronic musical instrument, or other 
2.2 	electronic device, other than a watch, which amplifies music, unless the sound emanates 
2.3 	only from earphones or headphones and except that vehicle operators may operate electronic 
2.4 	equipment for official business;
2.5 	(2) smokes or carries lighted smoking paraphernalia;
2.6 	(3) consumes food or beverages, except when authorized by the operator or other official 
2.7 	of the transit system;
2.8 	(4) throws or deposits litter; or
2.9 	(5) carries or is in control of an animal without the operator's consent.
2.10 	~~(b) A person is guilty of a violation of this subdivision only if the person continues to~~ 
2.11 	~~act in violation of this subdivision after being warned once by an authorized transit~~ 
2.12 	~~representative to stop the conduct.~~(b) A peace officer may order a person to depart a transit 
2.13 	vehicle or transit facility for a violation under paragraph (a).

2.14 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment and 
2.15 	applies to violations committed on or after that date.

2.16 	Sec. 3. TRANSIT SERVICE INTERVENTION PROJECT.
 2.17 		Subdivision 1.Definitions. (a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have 
2.18 	the meanings given.
2.19 	(b) "Council" means the Metropolitan Council established under Minnesota Statutes, 
2.20 	chapter 473.
2.21 	(c) "Intervention project" means the Transit Service Intervention Project established in 
2.22 	this section.
2.23 		Subd. 2.Establishment. A Transit Service Intervention Project is established to provide 
2.24 	coordinated, high-visibility interventions on light rail transit lines that provide for enhanced 
2.25 	social services outreach and engagement, code of conduct regulation, and law enforcement.
2.26 		Subd. 3.Project manager. By March 13, 2023, the governor must appoint a project 
2.27 	manager to implement the intervention project. The project manager must have managerial 
2.28 	experience in social services, transit service, or law enforcement.
2.29 		Subd. 4.Working group. (a) The project manager must establish a working group of 
2.30 	project partners that provides for coordination on the intervention project.
2.31 	(b) The working group consists of the following participants:
3.1 	(1) a representative from the Department of Human Services, appointed by the 
3.2 	commissioner of human services;
3.3 	(2) a representative from the Department of Public Safety, appointed by the commissioner 
3.4 	of public safety;
3.5 	(3) a representative from the Metropolitan Council, appointed by the chair of the council;
3.6 	(4) one representative from each county within which a light rail transit line operates, 
3.7 	appointed by the respective county board;
3.8 	(5) one representative from each city within which a light rail transit line operates, 
3.9 	appointed by the respective city council;
3.10 	(6) the executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness Minnesota, or a 
3.11 	designee; and
3.12 	(7) up to ....... representatives from community-based social service organizations as 
3.13 	designated by the governor.
3.14 	(c) By March 13, 2023, each appointing authority must make the appointments or 
3.15 	designations under paragraph (b).
3.16 		Subd. 5.Duties. (a) In collaboration with the working group under subdivision 4, the 
3.17 	project manager must:
3.18 	(1) establish social services intervention teams that consist of county-based social services 
3.19 	personnel and personnel from nonprofit organizations having mental health services or 
3.20 	support capacity to perform on-site social services engagement with (i) transit riders 
3.21 	experiencing homelessness, (ii) transit riders with substance use disorders or mental or 
3.22 	behavioral health disorders, or (iii) a combination;
3.23 	(2) establish coordinated intervention teams that consist of personnel under clause (1), 
3.24 	community service officers, and peace officers;
3.25 	(3) implement interventions in two phases as follows:
3.26 	(i) by April 3, 2023, and for a period of three weeks, deploy the social services 
3.27 	intervention teams on a mobile basis on light rail transit lines and facilities; and
3.28 	(ii) beginning at the conclusion of the period under item (i), and for a period of at least 
3.29 	nine weeks, deploy the coordinated intervention teams on a mobile basis on light rail transit 
3.30 	lines and facilities; and
4.1 	(4) evaluate impacts of the intervention teams related to social services outreach, code 
4.2 	of conduct violations, and rider experience.
4.3 	(b) Social services engagement under paragraph (a) includes but is not limited to outreach, 
4.4 	preliminary assessment and screening, information and resource sharing, referral or 
4.5 	connections to service providers, assistance in arranging for services, and precrisis response.
4.6 		Subd. 6.Administration; meetings. (a) The council must provide staff assistance and 
4.7 	administrative support for the project.
4.8 	(b) Members of the working group under subdivision 4 may be compensated as provided 
4.9 	by Minnesota Statutes, section 15.059, subdivision 3.
4.10 	(c) The task force is subject to the Minnesota Open Meeting Law under Minnesota 
4.11 	Statutes, chapter 13D.
4.12 		Subd. 7.Expiration. This section expires December 31, 2023.

4.13 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

4.14 	Sec. 4. APPROPRIATION; TRANSIT SERVICE INTERVENTION PROJECT.
 4.15 	$....... in fiscal year 2023 is appropriated from the general fund to the Metropolitan 
4.16 	Council for implementation of the duties of the Transit Service Intervention Project under 
4.17 	section 3, including but not limited to costs of a project manager and the intervention teams. 
4.18 	This is a onetime appropriation and is available until June 30, 2024.

4.19 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.