Dedicated funds expenditures task force
Task Force Co-Chairs
- Rep. John Petersburg, GOP
- Sen. Scott Dibble, DFL
Task force members
- Former Commissioner Margaret Anderson Kelliher, MnDOT
- Executive Budget Coordinator Casey Mock, Minnesota Management and Budget
- Chief Financial Officer Shawn Kremer, Department of Public Safety
- Government Affairs Director Angelica Klebsch, Office of Attorney General
- Sen. Scott Newman, GOP
- Sen. Julia Coleman, GOP
- Sen. Ann Johnson Stewart, DFL
- Rep. Marion O'Neill, GOP
- Rep. Frank Hornstein, DFL
- Rep. Steve Elkins, DFL
Laws 2021, 1st Special Session, Chapter 5, Article 4, Section 146
Dedicated funds expenditures task force
Subdivision 1. Definitions.
- (a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the meanings given.
- (b) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of transportation.
- (c) "Each department" means every department that spends highway user tax distribution or trunk highway funds.
- (d) "Task force" means the dedicated funds expenditures task force established in this section.
Subd. 2. Task force established.
A dedicated funds expenditures task force is established to review and make recommendations regarding the permissible uses of expenditures from the trunk highway fund and the highway user tax distribution fund.
Subd. 3. Membership.
- (a) The task force consists of the following members:
- (1) four senators, with two appointed by the senate majority leader and two appointed by the senate minority leader;
- (2) four members of the house of representatives, with two appointed by the speaker of the house and two appointed by the house minority leader;
- (3) the commissioner of transportation or a designee who is an employee in the Department of Transportation;
- (4) the commissioner of public safety or a designee who is an employee in the Department of Public Safety;
- (5) the commissioner of management and budget or a designee who is an employee in the Department of Management and Budget; and
- (6) the attorney general or a designee.
- (b) The appointing authorities under paragraph (a) must make the appointments by July 31, 2021.
- (c) At its first meeting, the task force must elect a chair or co-chairs by a majority vote of those members present.
Subd. 4. Duties.
At a minimum, the task force must:
- (1) examine each department's practices in managing and tracking trunk highway fund and highway user tax distribution fund expenditures;
- (2) develop findings regarding the permissibility of trunk highway fund and highway user tax distribution fund expenditures, which must include specific review of each of the following uses or activities:
- (i) the creation, construction, expansion, or maintenance of bikeways;
- (ii) expenditures for cybersecurity;
- (iii) use of trunk highway funds by the Department of Transportation for: administrative costs of the targeted group business program; making grants to metropolitan planning organizations outside of the metropolitan area; and making grants to regional development commissions, joint powers boards, or to department district offices to identify critical concerns, problems, and issues;
- (iv) administration and related services for the Department of Public Safety, the commissioner's office, fiscal services, human resources, communications, and technology services; and
- (v) the following entities within the Department of Transportation: site development unit; labor compliance efforts in the Office of Construction and Innovative Contracting; Modal Planning and Program Management Division; Statewide Radio Communications within the department's State Aid Division; Workforce and Agency Services Division; Office of Financial Management; human resources; commissioner's staff offices; Office of Audit; Office of Chief Counsel; Office of Civil Rights; communications and public engagement; Office of Equity and Diversity; Government Affairs Office; and Office of Freight and Commercial Vehicle Operations;
- (3) evaluate trunk highway fund and highway user tax distribution fund spending in each department to determine whether the spending is a highway purpose and identify whether each specific use is a permissible or impermissible use of the funds;
- (4) evaluate and make recommendations on how the commissioner of management and budget should conduct a detailed review of the use of trunk highway funds or highway user tax distribution funds prior to disbursing the funds to the agency to ensure the use complies with statutory and budget requirements; and
- (5) make recommendations for changes in trunk highway and highway user tax distribution fund expenditures, including to policies, procedures, and appropriations.
Subd. 5. Meetings.
- (a) By September 1, 2021, the commissioner must convene the first meeting of the task force.
- (b) The task force is subject to the Minnesota Open Meeting Law under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 13D.
Subd. 6. Administration.
Upon request of the task force, the commissioner must provide administrative services, technical support, and information for the task force.
Subd. 7. Legislative report.
By February 15, 2022, the task force must submit a report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the house of representatives Ways and Means Committee, the senate Finance Committee, and each legislative committee with jurisdiction over any use of trunk highway funds or highway user tax distribution funds. At a minimum, the report must:
- (1) summarize the activities of the task force;
- (2) identify any analysis and findings;
- (3) provide recommendations adopted by the task force; and
- (4) include any draft legislation amending Minnesota Statutes, sections 161.20, subdivision 3, and 161.045, and chapter 16A; or any other statutes that is necessary to implement the recommendations.
Subd. 8. Expiration.
The task force expires the day following submission of the report under subdivision 7.
Effective date
This section is effective the day following final enactment.
