Senate transportation committee advances omnibus bill with package of amendments, sends SF2082 to finance

The Minnesota Senate Transportation Committee on April 10 approved a series of amendments to the omnibus transportation bill, Senate File 2082, and recommended the measure be referred to the Senate Finance Committee.

Committee Chair Senator Dibble convened the markup in Room 1100 of the Minnesota Senate Building and presided as members offered and voted on amendments covering memorial highway designations, project reauthorizations, airport grants, vehicle-permit technical fixes, pavement policy, and other provisions.

The amendments approved included a memorial highway designation for Officer Jason Brent Meyer (A-12); technical extensions of previously authorized highway project funding for U.S. Highway 8 in Chisago County (A-22 and A-36); an increase in the electric-vehicle registration surcharge with proceeds directed to the Highway User Tax Distribution Fund (A-39); and a $150,000 appropriation from the Airport Development and Assistance Fund to move an automated weather station at the McGregor Isidore Iverson Airport (A-13). Senator Jasinski described the A-12 amendment as honoring "Officer Meyer," who "was killed in a single-car crash while responding to a call for assistance," and asked members to approve the language.

Several technical and policy amendments also passed. The committee approved a temporary-permit extension that increases nonresident temporary vehicle permits from 31 to 60 days (A-9), a change to dealer-plate rules that permits a 14-day dealer plate while vehicles are repaired (A-11), and a requirement that MnDOT report an asset sustainability ratio (ASR) each fiscal year to track pavement preservation funding (A-24). Senator Howell described the ASR reporting amendment as providing "an easy chart to look at to see if our payment ratios are going in the right direction." The committee also approved a $10 million "resilient pavement" allocation (A-37) to allow MnDOT to consider higher-design-life pavement where appropriate.

On airports…