Subd. 1. Appointment.

The department shall be supervised and controlled by the commissioner of transportation, who shall be appointed by the governor and serve under the provisions of section 15.06.

Subd. 1a. Mission; efficiency; legislative report, recommendations.

It is part of the department's mission that within the department's resources the commissioner shall endeavor to:

1. (1) prevent the waste or unnecessary spending of public money;
2. (2) use innovative fiscal and human resource practices to manage the state's resources and operate the department as efficiently as possible;
3. (3) coordinate the department's activities wherever appropriate with the activities of other governmental agencies;
4. (4) use technology where appropriate to increase agency productivity, improve customer service, increase public access to information about government, and increase public participation in the business of government;
5. (5) utilize constructive and cooperative labor-management practices to the extent otherwise required by chapters 43A and 179A;
6. (6) report to the legislature on the performance of agency operations and the accomplishment of agency goals in the agency's biennial budget according to section 16A.10, subdivision 1; and
7. (7) recommend to the legislature appropriate changes in law necessary to carry out the mission and improve the performance of the department.

Subd. 2. Unclassified positions.

The commissioner may establish four positions in the unclassified service at the deputy and assistant commissioner, assistant to commissioner or personal secretary levels. No more than two of these positions shall be at the deputy commissioner level.

Subd. 3. Departmental organization.

The commissioner shall organize the department in a manner recognizing the administrative and staffing needs of all modes of transportation within the commissioner's jurisdiction, and shall employ personnel as the commissioner deems necessary to discharge the functions of the department. The commissioner shall adopt an affirmative action plan for the department in order to insure that department hiring encourages the selection of members of groups of persons who because of unfair or unlawful discriminatory practices have in the past been denied equal employment opportunity. This plan need not be promulgated as a rule, but it shall be approved by the commissioner of employee relations. The plan shall provide that the affected groups of persons shall constitute at least the same proportional number of employees in the department as they constitute in the total employment in state government; provided that this limitation shall expire in respect to an affected group when the commissioner of employee relations certifies that members of that affected group are employed in the department in the same proportion as they constitute in the total employment in state government.

Subd. 4. Appearance on public transportation matters.

The commissioner may appear as a party on behalf of the public in any proceeding or matter before the interstate commerce commission, the civil aeronautics board or any other agency or instrumentality of government which regulates public services or rates relating to transportation or other matters related to the powers and responsibilities of the commissioner as prescribed by law. The commissioner shall appear as a party on behalf of the public in proceedings before the transportation regulation board as provided by law on matters which directly relate to the powers and duties of the commissioner or which substantially affect the statewide transportation plan. On all other transportation matters the commissioner may appear before the transportation regulation board.

Subd. 5. Cooperation.

To facilitate the development of a unified and coordinated intrastate and interstate transportation system:

1. (a) The commissioner shall maintain close liaison, coordination and cooperation with the private sectors of transportation, the upper great lakes seaway development commission corporation, and any multistate organization involved in transportation issues affecting the state;
2. (b) The commissioner shall participate in the planning, regulation and development of the port authorities of the state; and
3. (c) The commissioner or the commissioner's designee shall be a nonvoting, ex officio member of the metropolitan airports commission, as organized and established under sections 473.601 to 473.679.

Subd. 6. Agreements, receipts, appropriation.

To facilitate the implementation of intergovernmental efficiencies, effectiveness, and cooperation, and to promote and encourage economic and technological development in transportation matters within and between governmental and nongovernmental entities:

1. (a) The commissioner may enter into agreements with other governmental or nongovernmental entities for research and experimentation; for sharing facilities, equipment, staff, data, or other means of providing transportation-related services; or for other cooperative programs that promote efficiencies in providing governmental services or that further development of innovation in transportation for the benefit of the citizens of Minnesota.
2. (b) In addition to funds otherwise appropriated by the legislature, the commissioner may accept and spend funds received under any agreement authorized in paragraph (a) for the purposes set forth in that paragraph, subject to a report of receipts to the commissioner of finance at the end of each fiscal year and, if receipts from the agreements exceed $100,000 in a fiscal year, the commissioner shall also notify the governor and the committee on finance of the senate and the committee on ways and means of the house of representatives.
3. (c) Funds received under this subdivision must be deposited in the special revenue fund and are appropriated to the commissioner for the purposes set forth in this subdivision.