Rail corridor service analysis required for passenger rail service to Fargo and Kansas City, commissioner of transportation required to apply for federal passenger rail corridor identification and development programming, and money appropriated.

This bill requires Minnesota's commissioner of transportation to apply for federal funding to develop two new passenger rail routes: one from St. Paul to Fargo, North Dakota, and another from St. Paul to Kansas City, Missouri (with stops in Northfield, Albert Lea, and Des Moines, Iowa). It appropriates $1 million in fiscal year 2026 for planning, application costs, and state matching funds to secure federal grants for these routes. The funding covers activities like environmental analysis, cost estimates, and service development planning under the federal Corridor Identification and Development Program. The bill directly affects Minnesota's transportation agency and communities along the proposed rail corridors. The $1 million is a one-time allocation available until June 2028 for Minnesota's share of project costs.