HF 15

as introduced - 84th Legislature, 2005 1st Special Session (2005 - 2005) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to highways; expanding allowable usage of
high-occupancy vehicle lanes; amending Minnesota
Statutes 2004, section 160.93, subdivision 4, by
adding a subdivision.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 160.93,
subdivision 4, is amended to read:

Subd. 4.

Prohibition.

new text begin Except as provided in subdivision
5, new text end no person may operate a single-occupant vehicle in a
designated high-occupancy vehicle lane except in compliance with
new text begin this section and new text end the requirements of the commissioner. A person
who violates this subdivision is guilty of a petty misdemeanor
and is subject to sections 169.89, subdivisions 1, 2, and 4, and
169.891 and any other provision of chapter 169 applicable to the
commission of a petty misdemeanor traffic offense.

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 160.93, is
amended by adding a subdivision to read:

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Vehicles allowed to use high-occupancy lanes.
new text end

new text begin Subject to any necessary waiver by the appropriate federal
authority, the commissioner of transportation shall by order
permit the use without fee, in freeway lanes within the
metropolitan area that on the effective date of this act were
reserved exclusively for high-occupancy vehicles or fee-paying
vehicles, of the following vehicles without regard to the number
of occupants:
new text end

new text begin (1) taxis licensed by a political subdivision;
new text end

new text begin (2) limousines bearing license plates issued under section
168.128;
new text end

new text begin (3) buses outwardly equipped and readily identifiable as
school buses or Head Start buses;
new text end

new text begin (4) passenger vehicles with a capacity of ten or more
persons including the driver; and
new text end

new text begin (5) any other passenger vehicles operated by motor carriers
of passengers as defined in section 221.011, subdivision 48.
new text end