1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to transportation; modifying special permit for hauling forest products;
1.3 	amending Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 169.8261.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 169.8261, is amended to read:
1.6 	169.8261 GROSS WEIGHT LIMITATIONS; FOREST PRODUCTS SPECIAL 
1.7 	PERMIT.
1.8 		Subdivision 1.Exemption Definition. (a) For purposes of this section, "raw or unfinished 
1.9 	forest products" include wood chips, paper, pulp, oriented strand board, laminated strand 
1.10 	lumber, hardboard, treated lumber, untreated lumber, or barrel staves.
1.11 	(b) In compliance with this section, a person may operate a vehicle or combination of 
1.12 	vehicles to haul raw or unfinished forest products by the most direct route to the nearest 
1.13 	paved highway on any highway with gross weights permitted under sections 169.823 to 
1.14 	169.829.
1.15 		Subd. 1a.Six-axle vehicle permit. (a) A road authority may issue an annual permit 
1.16 	authorizing a vehicle or combination of vehicles with a total of six or more axles to haul 
1.17 	raw or unfinished forest products by the most direct route to the nearest paved highway on 
1.18 	any highway with gross weights permitted under sections 169.823 to 169.829 and be operated 
1.19 	with a gross vehicle weight of up to:
1.20 	(1) 90,000 pounds; and
1.21 	(2) 99,000 pounds during the period set by the commissioner under section 169.826, 
1.22 	subdivision 1.
2.1 	(b) A vehicle or combination of vehicles with a permit under this subdivision must not 
2.2 	be operated on an interstate highway, except as provided under United States Code, title 
2.3 	23, section 127(q), for operation on the specified segment of marked Interstate Highway 
2.4 	35.
2.5 		Subd. 1b.Six-axle and over-width vehicle permit. (a) A road authority may issue an 
2.6 	annual permit authorizing a vehicle or combination of vehicles with a total of six or more 
2.7 	axles to haul raw or unfinished forest products by the most direct route to the nearest paved 
2.8 	highway on any highway with gross weights permitted under sections 169.823 to 169.829
2.9 	and be operated with:
2.10 	(1) a gross vehicle weight of up to:
2.11 	(i) 90,000 pounds; and
2.12 	(ii) 99,000 pounds during the period set by the commissioner under section 169.826, 
2.13 	subdivision 1; and
2.14 	(2) a total outside width of the vehicle or the load that does not exceed 114 inches.
2.15 	(b) In addition to the conditions in subdivision 2, a vehicle or combination of vehicles 
2.16 	operated with a permit under this subdivision must:
2.17 	(1) display red or orange flags, 18 inches square, as markers at the front and rear and on 
2.18 	both sides of the load; and
2.19 	(2) not be operated on any road in a metropolitan county, as defined in section 473.121, 
2.20 	subdivision 4.
2.21 	(c) A vehicle or combination of vehicles with a permit under this subdivision may only 
2.22 	be operated on an interstate highway:
2.23 	(1) as provided under United States Code, title 23, section 127(q), for operation on the 
2.24 	specified segment of marked Interstate Highway 35; or
2.25 	(2) if the gross vehicle weight does not exceed 80,000 pounds.
2.26 		Subd. 2.Conditions. (a) A vehicle or combination of vehicles described in subdivision 
2.27 	1 operated under this section must:
2.28 	(1) comply with seasonal load restrictions in effect between the dates set by the 
2.29 	commissioner under section 169.87, subdivision 2;
2.30 	(2) comply with bridge load limits posted under section 169.84;
2.31 	(3) be equipped and operated with six or more axles and brakes on all wheels;
3.1 	(4) not exceed 90,000 pounds gross vehicle weight, or 99,000 pounds gross vehicle 
3.2 	weight during the time when seasonal increases are authorized under section 169.826;
3.3 	(5) not be operated on interstate highways;
3.4 	(6) obtain an annual permit from the commissioner of transportation;
3.5 	(4) be operated under a permit issued by each road authority having jurisdiction over a 
3.6 	road on which the vehicle is operated, if required;
3.7 	(7) (5) obey all road and bridge postings, including those pertaining to lane or roadway 
3.8 	width; and
3.9 	(8) (6) not exceed 20,000 pounds gross weight on any single axle.
3.10 	(b) A vehicle operated under this section may exceed the legal axle weight limits listed 
3.11 	in section 169.824 by not more than 12.5 percent; except that, the weight limits may be 
3.12 	exceeded by not more than 23.75 percent during the time when seasonal increases are 
3.13 	authorized under section 169.826, subdivision 1.
3.14 	(c) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), clause (5), a vehicle or combination of vehicles 
3.15 	hauling raw or unfinished forest products may operate on the segment of marked Interstate 
3.16 	Highway 35 provided under United States Code, title 23, section 127(q)(2)(D).
3.17 		Subd. 3.Expiration date. Upon request of the permit applicant, the expiration date for 
3.18 	a permit issued under this section must be the same as the expiration date of the permitted 
3.19 	vehicle's registration.

3.20 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective August 1, 2023.