1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to public safety; clarifying tax exemptions 
  1.3             for implements of husbandry; increasing speed limit 
  1.4             for towing heavy farm trailers not equipped with 
  1.5             brakes; amending Minnesota Statutes 1996, sections 
  1.6             168.012, subdivision 2; 168A.01, subdivision 8; 
  1.7             169.01, subdivision 55; 169.145; 169.522, subdivision 
  1.8             1; and 169.801, subdivision 1. 
  1.9   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.10     Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 168.012, 
  1.11  subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
  1.12     Subd. 2.  [FARM VEHICLES.] Implements of husbandry, as 
  1.13  defined in section 168A.01, subdivision 8, and tractors used 
  1.14  solely for agricultural purposes or tractors, together with 
  1.15  trailers or wagons thereto attached, occasionally hauling 
  1.16  agricultural products or necessary commodities used on the farm 
  1.17  from said farm to and from the usual market place of the owner, 
  1.18  tractors for drawing threshing machinery and implements of 
  1.19  husbandry temporarily moved upon the highway, shall not be taxed 
  1.20  as motor vehicles using the public streets and highways and 
  1.21  shall be exempt from the provisions of this chapter.  
  1.22     Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 168A.01, 
  1.23  subdivision 8, is amended to read: 
  1.24     Subd. 8.  [IMPLEMENT OF HUSBANDRY.] (a) "Implement of 
  1.25  husbandry" means every vehicle, including a farm tractor and 
  1.26  farm wagon, designed and or adapted exclusively for 
  1.27  agricultural, horticultural, or livestock raising operations or 
  2.1   for lifting or carrying an implement of husbandry and in either 
  2.2   case not subject to registration if used upon the highways. 
  2.3      (b) A towed vehicle meeting the description in paragraph 
  2.4   (a) is an implement of husbandry without regard to whether the 
  2.5   vehicle is towed by an implement of husbandry or by a registered 
  2.6   motor vehicle. 
  2.7      (c) A self-propelled motor vehicle used in livestock 
  2.8   raising operations is an implement of husbandry only if it is: 
  2.9      (1) owned by and in control of a farmer; 
  2.10     (2) operated at speeds not exceeding 30 miles per hour; and 
  2.11     (3) displays the slow-moving vehicle emblem described in 
  2.12  section 169.522. 
  2.13     Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 169.01, 
  2.14  subdivision 55, is amended to read: 
  2.15     Subd. 55.  [IMPLEMENT OF HUSBANDRY.] (a) "Implement of 
  2.16  husbandry" means every vehicle, including a farm tractor and 
  2.17  farm wagon, designed or adapted exclusively for agricultural, 
  2.18  horticultural, or livestock-raising operations or for lifting or 
  2.19  carrying an implement of husbandry. 
  2.20     (b) A towed vehicle meeting the description in paragraph 
  2.21  (a) is an implement of husbandry without regard to whether the 
  2.22  vehicle is towed by an implement of husbandry or by a registered 
  2.23  motor vehicle has the meaning given in section 168A.01, 
  2.24  subdivision 8. 
  2.25     Sec. 4.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 169.145, is 
  2.26  amended to read: 
  2.27     169.145 [IMPLEMENTS OF HUSBANDRY; SPEED; BRAKES.] 
  2.28     No person may: 
  2.29     (1) drive or tow an implement of husbandry that exceeds 
  2.30  6,000 pounds registered gross weight or gross vehicle weight and 
  2.31  is not equipped with brakes; or 
  2.32     (2) tow a vehicle registered as a farm trailer that exceeds 
  2.33  6,000 pounds registered gross weight or gross vehicle weight and 
  2.34  is not equipped with brakes and exceeding 6,000 pounds, at a 
  2.35  speed in excess of 25 30 miles per hour.  
  2.36     Sec. 5.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 169.522, 
  3.1   subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
  3.2      Subdivision 1.  [DISPLAYING EMBLEM; RULES.] (a) All 
  3.3   animal-drawn vehicles, motorized golf carts when operated on 
  3.4   designated roadways pursuant to section 169.045, implements of 
  3.5   husbandry, and other machinery, including all road construction 
  3.6   machinery, which are designed for operation at a speed of 25 30 
  3.7   miles per hour or less shall display a triangular slow-moving 
  3.8   vehicle emblem, except (1) when being used in actual 
  3.9   construction and maintenance work and traveling within the 
  3.10  limits of a construction area which is marked in accordance with 
  3.11  requirements of the manual of uniform traffic control devices, 
  3.12  as set forth in section 169.06, or (2) for a towed implement of 
  3.13  husbandry that is empty and that is not self-propelled, in which 
  3.14  case it may be towed at lawful speeds greater than 25 30 miles 
  3.15  per hour without removing the slow-moving vehicle emblem.  The 
  3.16  emblem shall consist of a fluorescent yellow-orange triangle 
  3.17  with a dark red reflective border and be mounted so as to be 
  3.18  visible from a distance of not less than 600 feet to the rear.  
  3.19  When a primary power unit towing an implement of husbandry or 
  3.20  other machinery displays a slow-moving vehicle emblem visible 
  3.21  from a distance of 600 feet to the rear, it shall not be 
  3.22  necessary to display a similar emblem on the secondary unit.  
  3.23  After January 1, 1975, all slow-moving vehicle emblems sold in 
  3.24  this state shall be so designed that when properly mounted they 
  3.25  are visible from a distance of not less than 600 feet to the 
  3.26  rear when directly in front of lawful lower beam of head lamps 
  3.27  on a motor vehicle.  The commissioner of public safety shall 
  3.28  adopt standards and specifications for the design and position 
  3.29  of mounting the slow-moving vehicle emblem.  Such standards and 
  3.30  specifications shall be adopted by rule in accordance with the 
  3.31  administrative procedure act.  A violation of this section shall 
  3.32  not be admissible evidence in any civil cause of action arising 
  3.33  prior to January 1, 1970. 
  3.34     (b) An alternate slow-moving vehicle emblem consisting of a 
  3.35  dull black triangle with a white reflective border may be used 
  3.36  after obtaining a permit from the commissioner under rules of 
  4.1   the commissioner.  A person with a permit to use an alternate 
  4.2   slow-moving vehicle emblem must: 
  4.3      (1) carry in the vehicle a regular slow-moving vehicle 
  4.4   emblem and display the emblem when operating a vehicle between 
  4.5   sunset and sunrise, and at any other time when visibility is 
  4.6   impaired by weather, smoke, fog, or other conditions; and 
  4.7      (2) permanently affix to the rear of the slow-moving 
  4.8   vehicle at least 72 square inches of reflective tape that 
  4.9   reflects the color red. 
  4.10     Sec. 6.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 169.801, 
  4.11  subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
  4.12     Subdivision 1.  [EXEMPTION FROM SIZE, WEIGHT, LOAD 
  4.13  PROVISIONS.] Except as provided in this section and section 
  4.14  169.82, the provisions of sections 169.80 to 169.88 that govern 
  4.15  size, weight, and load do not apply to: 
  4.16     (1) a horse-drawn wagon while carrying a load of loose 
  4.17  straw or hay; 
  4.18     (2) a specialized vehicle resembling a low-slung trailer 
  4.19  having a short bed or platform, while transporting one or more 
  4.20  implements of husbandry; or 
  4.21     (3) an implement of husbandry while being driven or towed 
  4.22  at a speed of not more than 25 30 miles per hour; provided that 
  4.23  this exemption applies to an implement of husbandry owned, 
  4.24  leased, or under the control of a farmer or implement dealer 
  4.25  only while the implement of husbandry is being operated on 
  4.26  noninterstate roads or highways within 75 miles of any 
  4.27  farmland or implement dealership:  (i) owned, leased, or 
  4.28  operated by the farmer or implement dealer and (ii) on which the 
  4.29  farmer or implement dealer regularly uses, sells, or leases the 
  4.30  implement of husbandry. 
  4.31     Sec. 7.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  4.32     Sections 1 to 6 are effective the day following final 
  4.33  enactment.