HF1167 would prohibit the Minnesota Department of Transportation and the Metropolitan Council from spending any money on the Northern Lights Express (NLX) passenger rail project, including funds for study, planning, engineering, design, land acquisition, construction, grants to other entities, and even federal money used for that purpose. The bill defines the NLX project as the proposed high-speed passenger rail line between Minneapolis and Duluth.
The bill also cancels the remaining uncommitted balance of a prior fiscal year 2024 appropriation for the Minneapolis-Duluth intercity passenger rail project, estimated at $194.4 million, and directs the commissioner of transportation to transfer an equal amount from the general fund to the trunk highway fund in fiscal year 2025. The prohibition takes effect the day after final enactment, and the Metropolitan Council restriction applies in the seven-county metropolitan area.
Impact
If enacted, the bill would halt state involvement in the Northern Lights Express project by barring expenditures from both MnDOT and the Metropolitan Council and by canceling the project’s remaining appropriation. It would also redirect an amount equal to the canceled funds from the general fund to the trunk highway fund, effectively shifting resources away from passenger rail development and toward highway funding. The bill would affect state transportation finance law and the use of previously appropriated rail funds.
Sentiment
No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no direct evidence of debate or formal support/opposition in the materials supplied. Based on the bill text, the measure appears strongly opposed to the NLX project and aligned with a policy preference for stopping rail spending and reallocating funds to highways. The absence of recorded discussion makes the broader legislative sentiment unclear beyond the bill’s clear anti-project purpose.
Contention
The central point of contention is whether Minnesota should continue investing in the Northern Lights Express passenger rail project or terminate it entirely. Supporters of the bill would likely argue that the project should not receive further state or federal spending and that the money should be redirected to the trunk highway fund. Opponents would likely object to canceling a large prior appropriation, ending planning and development work, and blocking both state and federal dollars for a proposed Minneapolis-Duluth rail corridor.