1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to transportation; increasing motor fuel 
  1.3             taxes; appropriating money for transportation and 
  1.4             transit purposes; amending Minnesota Statutes 1996, 
  1.5             sections 296.02, subdivision 1b; and 296.025, 
  1.6             subdivision 1b. 
  1.7   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.8      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 296.02, 
  1.9   subdivision 1b, is amended to read: 
  1.10     Subd. 1b.  [RATES IMPOSED.] The gasoline excise tax is 
  1.11  imposed at the following rates: 
  1.12     (1) E85 is taxed at the rate of 14.2 17 cents per gallon; 
  1.13     (2) M85 is taxed at the rate of 11.4 13.7 cents per gallon; 
  1.14  and 
  1.15     (3) all other gasoline is taxed at the rate of 20 24 cents 
  1.16  per gallon.  
  1.17     Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 296.025, 
  1.18  subdivision 1b, is amended to read: 
  1.19     Subd. 1b.  [TAX RATES.] The special fuel excise tax is 
  1.20  imposed at the following rates: 
  1.21     (1) Liquefied petroleum gas or propane is taxed at the rate 
  1.22  of 15 18 cents per gallon. 
  1.23     (2) Liquefied natural gas is taxed at the rate of 12 14.4 
  1.24  cents per gallon. 
  1.25     (3) Compressed natural gas is taxed at the rate of $1.739 
  1.26  $2.087 per thousand cubic feet; or 20 24 cents per gasoline 
  2.1   equivalent, as defined by the National Conference on Weights and 
  2.2   Measures, which is 5.66 pounds of natural gas. 
  2.3      (4) All other special fuel is taxed at the same rate as the 
  2.4   gasoline excise tax. 
  2.5      Sec. 3.  [TRANSPORTATION AND TRANSIT APPROPRIATIONS.] 
  2.6      Subdivision 1.  [TRUNK HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION.] $30,000,000 
  2.7   for fiscal year 1998 and $45,000,000 for fiscal year 1999 is 
  2.8   appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of 
  2.9   transportation for state road construction. 
  2.10     Subd. 2.  [TRANSPORTATION REVOLVING LOAN FUND.] $15,000,000 
  2.11  for fiscal year 1998 and $15,000,000 for fiscal year 1999 is 
  2.12  appropriated from the general fund and transferred to a 
  2.13  transportation revolving loan fund, hereby created in the state 
  2.14  treasury to qualify for federal transportation financing 
  2.15  assistance, to be disbursed as money to provide loans and 
  2.16  matching money for public or private transportation or transit 
  2.17  projects eligible for financing or aid under any federal act or 
  2.18  program, as determined by the commissioner of transportation. 
  2.19     Subd. 3.  [LOCAL BRIDGES; APPROPRIATION.] $6,000,000 is 
  2.20  appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of 
  2.21  transportation to be disbursed as grants to political 
  2.22  subdivisions for the repair, rehabilitation, and replacement of 
  2.23  local deficient bridges.  This appropriation is available until 
  2.24  spent.  The commissioner shall spend this appropriation in the 
  2.25  same manner as the appropriation under Laws 1996, chapter 463, 
  2.26  section 19, subdivision 4.  Grants under this section are 
  2.27  subject to Minnesota Statutes, section 174.50. 
  2.28     Subd. 4.  [COUNTY TURNBACK ACCOUNT.] $13,000,000 for fiscal 
  2.29  year 1998 and $13,000,000 for fiscal year 1999 is appropriated 
  2.30  from the general fund for transfer to the county turnback 
  2.31  account to be disbursed by the commissioner of transportation to 
  2.32  counties for the repair and restoration of former trunk highways 
  2.33  pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, section 161.082, subdivisions 1 
  2.34  and 2. 
  2.35     Subd. 5.  [MUNICIPAL TURNBACK ACCOUNT.] $1,500,000 for 
  2.36  fiscal year 1998 and $1,500,000 for fiscal year 1999 is 
  3.1   appropriated from the general fund and transferred to the 
  3.2   municipal turnback account to be disbursed by the commissioner 
  3.3   of transportation to municipalities for the repair and 
  3.4   restoration of former trunk highways pursuant to Minnesota 
  3.5   Statutes, section 161.083. 
  3.6      Subd. 6.  [GREATER MINNESOTA TRANSIT; CAPITAL 
  3.7   IMPROVEMENTS.] $3,500,000 for fiscal year 1998 and $3,500,000 
  3.8   for fiscal year 1999 is appropriated from the general fund to 
  3.9   the commissioner of transportation to disburse as grants for 
  3.10  capital improvements to transit systems eligible under Minnesota 
  3.11  Statutes, sections 174.21 to 174.27. 
  3.12     Subd. 7.  [METROPOLITAN COUNCIL TRANSIT; CAPITAL 
  3.13  IMPROVEMENTS.] $14,000,000 for fiscal year 1998 and $14,000,000 
  3.14  for fiscal year 1999 is appropriated from the general fund to 
  3.15  the metropolitan council for capital improvements to the 
  3.16  metropolitan transit system. 
  3.17     Sec. 4.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  3.18     Sections 1 and 2 are effective July 1, 1999, and apply to 
  3.19  gasoline in distributor storage on and after that date.