1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to transportation; requiring route to be 
  1.3             identified before spending appropriations to study 
  1.4             light rail transit and commuter rail; amending 
  1.5             Minnesota Statutes 2000, sections 174.35; 174.88, 
  1.6             subdivision 2; and 473.399, by adding a subdivision. 
  1.7   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.8      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 174.35, is 
  1.9   amended to read: 
  1.10     174.35 [LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT.] 
  1.11     The commissioner of transportation may exercise the powers 
  1.12  granted in this chapter and chapter 473, as necessary, to plan, 
  1.13  design, acquire, construct, and equip light rail transit 
  1.14  facilities in the metropolitan area as defined in section 
  1.15  473.121, subdivision 2.  The commissioner shall not spend state 
  1.16  funds to study light rail transit unless the funds are 
  1.17  appropriated in legislation that identifies the proposed route 
  1.18  to be studied. 
  1.19     Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 174.88, 
  1.20  subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
  1.21     Subd. 2.  [EXPENDITURE OF STATE FUNDS.] The commissioner 
  1.22  shall not spend any state funds for construction or equipment of 
  1.23  commuter rail facilities unless the funds have been appropriated 
  1.24  by law specifically for those purposes.  The commissioner shall 
  1.25  not spend state funds to study commuter rail unless the funds 
  1.26  are appropriated in legislation that identifies the proposed 
  2.1   route to be studied. 
  2.2      Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 473.399, is 
  2.3   amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
  2.4      Subd. 4.  [EXPENDITURE OF STATE FUNDS.] No state funds may 
  2.5   be expended by the metropolitan council to study light rail 
  2.6   transit or commuter rail unless the funds are appropriated in 
  2.7   legislation that identifies the proposed route to be studied.