1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to motor vehicles; allowing special 
  1.3             motorcycle license plates for Vietnam veterans; 
  1.4             imposing conditions on issuance of driver's licenses 
  1.5             to persons under age 18; amending Minnesota Statutes 
  1.6             1994, sections 168.123, subdivisions 1 and 4; and 
  1.7             171.05, by adding a subdivision; Minnesota Statutes 
  1.8             1995 Supplement, section 171.04, subdivision 1. 
  1.9   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.10     Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 168.123, 
  1.11  subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
  1.12     Subdivision 1.  [GENERAL REQUIREMENTS; FEES.] (a) On 
  1.13  payment of a fee of $10 for each set of two plates, or for a 
  1.14  single plate in the case of a motorcycle plate, payment of the 
  1.15  registration tax required by law, and compliance with other laws 
  1.16  relating to the registration and licensing of a passenger 
  1.17  automobile, pickup truck, van, self-propelled recreational 
  1.18  equipment, or motorcycle, as applicable, the registrar shall 
  1.19  issue:  
  1.20     (1) special license plates to an applicant who served in 
  1.21  the active military service in a branch of the armed forces of 
  1.22  the United States or of a nation or society allied with the 
  1.23  United States in conducting a foreign war, was discharged under 
  1.24  honorable conditions, and is an owner or joint owner of a motor 
  1.25  vehicle included within the definition of a passenger automobile 
  1.26  or which is, pickup truck, van, or self-propelled recreational 
  1.27  equipment, on payment of a fee of $10 for each set of two 
  2.1   plates, payment of the registration tax required by law, and 
  2.2   compliance with other laws relating to registration and 
  2.3   licensing of motor vehicles and drivers; or 
  2.4      (2) a special motorcycle license plate as described in 
  2.5   subdivision 2, paragraph (a), to an applicant who is a Vietnam 
  2.6   veteran who served after July 1, 1961, and before July 1, 1978, 
  2.7   and who served in the active military service in a branch of the 
  2.8   armed forces of the United States in conducting a foreign war, 
  2.9   was discharged under honorable conditions, and is an owner or 
  2.10  joint owner of a motorcycle.  Plates issued under this clause 
  2.11  must be the same size as standard motorcycle license plates.  
  2.12     (b) The additional fee of $10 is payable for each set of 
  2.13  plates, is payable only when the plates are issued, and is not 
  2.14  payable in a year in which tabs or stickers are issued instead 
  2.15  of number plates.  An applicant must not be issued more than two 
  2.16  sets of plates for vehicles listed in paragraph (a) and owned or 
  2.17  jointly owned by the applicant. 
  2.18     (c) The veteran shall have a certified copy of the 
  2.19  veteran's discharge papers, indicating character of discharge, 
  2.20  at the time of application.  If an applicant served in the 
  2.21  active military service in a branch of the armed forces of a 
  2.22  nation or society allied with the United States in conducting a 
  2.23  foreign war and is unable to obtain a record of that service and 
  2.24  discharge status, the commissioner of veterans affairs may 
  2.25  certify the applicant as qualified for the veterans' license 
  2.26  plates provided under this section. 
  2.27     Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 168.123, 
  2.28  subdivision 4, is amended to read: 
  2.29     Subd. 4.  [PLATE TRANSFERS.] (a) On payment of a fee of $5, 
  2.30  plates issued under this section subdivision 1, paragraph (a), 
  2.31  clause (1), may be transferred to another motor 
  2.32  vehicle passenger automobile, pickup truck, van, or 
  2.33  self-propelled recreational equipment owned or jointly owned by 
  2.34  the person to whom the plates were issued.  
  2.35     (b) On payment of a fee of $5, a plate issued under 
  2.36  subdivision 1, paragraph (a), clause (2), may be transferred to 
  3.1   another motorcycle owned or jointly owned by the person to whom 
  3.2   the plate was issued. 
  3.3      Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 1995 Supplement, section 
  3.4   171.04, subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
  3.5      Subdivision 1.  [PERSONS NOT ELIGIBLE.] The department 
  3.6   shall not issue a driver's license hereunder: 
  3.7      (1) To any person who is under the age of 16 years; to any 
  3.8   person under 18 years unless such person shall have successfully 
  3.9   completed a course in driver education, including both classroom 
  3.10  and behind-the-wheel instruction, approved by the state board of 
  3.11  education for courses offered through the public schools, or, in 
  3.12  the case of a course offered by a private, commercial driver 
  3.13  education school or institute, by the department of public 
  3.14  safety; except when such person has completed a course of driver 
  3.15  education in another state or has a previously issued valid 
  3.16  license from another state or country; nor to any person under 
  3.17  18 years unless the application of license is approved by either 
  3.18  parent when both reside in the same household as the minor 
  3.19  applicant, otherwise the parent or spouse of the parent having 
  3.20  custody or with whom the minor is living in the event there is 
  3.21  no court order for custody, or guardian having the custody of 
  3.22  such minor, or in the event a person under the age of 18 has no 
  3.23  living father, mother or guardian, the license shall not be 
  3.24  issued to such person unless the application therefor is 
  3.25  approved by the person's employer.  Driver education courses 
  3.26  offered in any public school shall be open for enrollment to 
  3.27  persons between the ages of 15 and 18 years residing in the 
  3.28  school district or attending school therein.  Any public school 
  3.29  offering driver education courses may charge an enrollment fee 
  3.30  for the driver education course which shall not exceed the 
  3.31  actual cost thereof to the public school and the school 
  3.32  district.  The approval required herein shall contain a 
  3.33  verification of the age of the applicant; 
  3.34     (2) To any person who is under the age of 18 years unless 
  3.35  the person has applied for, been issued, and possessed the 
  3.36  appropriate instruction permit for a minimum of six months; 
  4.1      (3) To any person whose license has been suspended during 
  4.2   the period of suspension except that a suspended license may be 
  4.3   reinstated during the period of suspension upon the licensee 
  4.4   furnishing proof of financial responsibility in the same manner 
  4.5   as provided in the Minnesota no-fault automobile insurance act; 
  4.6      (3) (4) To any person whose license has been revoked except 
  4.7   upon furnishing proof of financial responsibility in the same 
  4.8   manner as provided in the Minnesota no-fault automobile 
  4.9   insurance act and if otherwise qualified; 
  4.10     (4) (5) To any person who is a drug dependent person as 
  4.11  defined in section 254A.02, subdivision 5; 
  4.12     (5) (6) To any person who has been adjudged legally 
  4.13  incompetent by reason of mental illness, mental deficiency, or 
  4.14  inebriation, and has not been restored to capacity, unless the 
  4.15  department is satisfied that such person is competent to operate 
  4.16  a motor vehicle with safety to persons or property; 
  4.17     (6) (7) To any person who is required by this chapter to 
  4.18  take an examination, unless such person shall have successfully 
  4.19  passed such examination; 
  4.20     (7) (8) To any person who is required under the provisions 
  4.21  of the Minnesota no-fault automobile insurance act of this state 
  4.22  to deposit proof of financial responsibility and who has not 
  4.23  deposited such proof; 
  4.24     (8) (9) To any person when the commissioner has good cause 
  4.25  to believe that the operation of a motor vehicle on the highways 
  4.26  by such person would be inimical to public safety or welfare; 
  4.27     (9) (10) To any person when, in the opinion of the 
  4.28  commissioner, such person is afflicted with or suffering from 
  4.29  such physical or mental disability or disease as will affect 
  4.30  such person in a manner to prevent the person from exercising 
  4.31  reasonable and ordinary control over a motor vehicle while 
  4.32  operating the same upon the highways; nor to a person who is 
  4.33  unable to read and understand official signs regulating, 
  4.34  warning, and directing traffic; 
  4.35     (10) (11) To a child for whom a court has ordered denial of 
  4.36  driving privileges under section 260.191, subdivision 1, or 
  5.1   260.195, subdivision 3a, until the period of denial is 
  5.2   completed; or 
  5.3      (11) (12) To any person whose license has been canceled, 
  5.4   during the period of cancellation. 
  5.5      Sec. 4.  Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 171.05, is 
  5.6   amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
  5.7      Subd. 2a.  [PERMIT FOR SIX MONTHS.] An applicant who has 
  5.8   applied for and received an instruction permit pursuant to 
  5.9   subdivision 2 must possess the instruction permit for not less 
  5.10  than six months before qualifying for a driver's license.