Minnesota legislators are scrambling to broker a deal to enhance safety on public transit after recent high-profile attacks and growing complaints about crime on buses and light-rail trains.
The safety provisions being considered at the Capitol would create a new line of defense — transit agents who would check passenger fares and assist police in maintaining order on public transportation. It's a strategy that has been used in other cities nationwide, including San Francisco and Seattle.
The proposals come after a KSTP-TV anchor was injured in what was described as a random attack Tuesday at the Nicollet Mall light-rail station. And earlier this month, a woman was kicked in the head at a Green Line station in St. Paul, an assault that led to criminal charges against three teens.
Legislators have also proposed changing the way fare evaders are fined and prosecuted. Now, failure to pay a fare could result in a $180 fine, similar to drunken driving, assault and theft. But of the 1,500 citations issued by Metro Transit police for fare evasion last year, only 45 people actually paid the fine — mostly because local prosecutors often decline to pursue cases over an unpaid $2 ticket, preferring instead to focus on more serious crimes.
New proposals scheduled for consideration at the Capitol Thursday would make fare evasion an administrative citation, similar to a traffic ticket, with fines beginning at $35 and capped at $100.
But the debate got bogged down with various amendments to a House transportation policy bill, which was ultimately tabled for now.
With the legislative session closing on Monday, lawmakers still hope they can come to an agreement on transit safety.
"We are prioritizing areas where we can reach agreement with the Senate and get critical work done for Minnesotans — including transportation investments and transit safety," said House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler, DFL-Golden Valley, in a news release.
