1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to highways; expanding allowable usage of
1.3 	high-occupancy vehicle lanes; amending Minnesota
1.4 	Statutes 2004, section 160.93, subdivision 4, by
1.5 	adding a subdivision.
1.6 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.7 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 160.93,
1.8 	subdivision 4, is amended to read:
1.9 		Subd. 4.Prohibition. Except as provided in subdivision
1.10 	5,no person may operate a single-occupant vehicle in a
1.11 	designated high-occupancy vehicle lane except in compliance with
1.12 	this section and the requirements of the commissioner.  A person
1.13 	who violates this subdivision is guilty of a petty misdemeanor
1.14 	and is subject to sections 169.89, subdivisions 1, 2, and 4, and
1.15 	169.891 and any other provision of chapter 169 applicable to the
1.16 	commission of a petty misdemeanor traffic offense.

1.17 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 160.93, is
1.18 	amended by adding a subdivision to read:
1.19 		Subd. 5.Vehicles allowed to use high-occupancy lanes.
 1.20 	Subject to any necessary waiver by the appropriate federal
1.21 	authority, the commissioner of transportation shall by order
1.22 	permit the use without fee, in freeway lanes within the
1.23 	metropolitan area that on the effective date of this act were
1.24 	reserved exclusively for high-occupancy vehicles or fee-paying
1.25 	vehicles, of the following vehicles without regard to the number
2.1 	of occupants:
2.2 	(1) taxis licensed by a political subdivision;
2.3 	(2) limousines bearing license plates issued under section
2.4 	168.128;
2.5 	(3) buses outwardly equipped and readily identifiable as
2.6 	school buses or Head Start buses;
2.7 	(4) passenger vehicles with a capacity of ten or more
2.8 	persons including the driver; and 
2.9 	(5) any other passenger vehicles operated by motor carriers
2.10 	of passengers as defined in section 221.011, subdivision 48.