HF 1527

2nd Engrossment - 82nd Legislature (2001 - 2002) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

  1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to public safety; modifying definition of 
  1.3             passenger automobile to include certain vans; 
  1.4             modifying provisions governing registration of 
  1.5             recreational vehicles; providing grounds for 
  1.6             cancellation of motor vehicle dealer license; 
  1.7             modifying definition of utility trailer as it relates 
  1.8             to motor vehicle dealers; providing for uncontested 
  1.9             vehicle sale cancellation; allowing traffic accidents 
  1.10            to be reported electronically; authorizing 
  1.11            nonidentifying traffic accident data to be made 
  1.12            public; providing for display and issuance of permits 
  1.13            for vehicle registration plates; providing for special 
  1.14            "choose life" license plates; removing requirement 
  1.15            that signature on driver's license or permit be in 
  1.16            ink; increasing monetary amount for satisfaction of 
  1.17            judgment resulting from traffic accident; modifying 
  1.18            driver instruction requirements; expanding ability of 
  1.19            department of public safety to capture advertising 
  1.20            revenue; making conforming, technical, and clarifying 
  1.21            changes and removing unnecessary language; amending 
  1.22            Minnesota Statutes 2000, sections 168.011, subdivision 
  1.23            7; 168.09, subdivisions 3, 7; 168.27, subdivisions 
  1.24            12a, 20; 168.31, subdivision 1; 169.09, subdivisions 
  1.25            8, 9, 10, 13; 169.79; 171.07, subdivision 1; 171.183, 
  1.26            subdivision 1; 171.39; 299A.01, subdivision 1b; 
  1.27            proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, 
  1.28            chapters 168; 168A. 
  1.29  BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.30     Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 168.011, 
  1.31  subdivision 7, is amended to read: 
  1.32     Subd. 7.  [PASSENGER AUTOMOBILE.] "Passenger automobile" 
  1.33  means any motor vehicle designed and used for the carrying of 
  1.34  not more than 15 persons including the driver.  "Passenger 
  1.35  automobile" does not include motorcycles, motor scooters, and 
  1.36  buses described in subdivision 9, paragraph (a), clause (2).  
  1.37  For purposes of taxation only, "passenger automobile" includes 
  2.1   pickup trucks and vans, other than including those vans designed 
  2.2   to carry passengers with a manufacturer's nominal rated carrying 
  2.3   capacity of one ton, but does not include commuter vans as 
  2.4   defined in section 168.126. 
  2.5      Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 168.09, 
  2.6   subdivision 3, is amended to read: 
  2.7      Subd. 3.  [PRORATABLE VEHICLES; OTHER VEHICLES.] (a) Plates 
  2.8   or other insignia issued for a motor vehicle registered under 
  2.9   the provisions of section 168.187 for a calendar year shall be 
  2.10  displayed on the motor vehicle not later than 12:01 a.m. on 
  2.11  March 2 of the year unless extended by the registrar for the 
  2.12  period of time required for the issuance of the new plates or 
  2.13  insignia.  The commissioner of public safety shall register all 
  2.14  motor vehicles registered under section 168.187 for a period of 
  2.15  14 months for the registration year 1994 to implement the 
  2.16  provisions of this subdivision.  The registration year for 
  2.17  vehicles registered under section 168.187 as provided in this 
  2.18  section shall be from March 1 to the last day of February for 
  2.19  1995 and succeeding years.  
  2.20     (b) Plates or other insignia issued for a self-propelled 
  2.21  motor vehicle registered for over 27,000 pounds except a motor 
  2.22  vehicle registered under the provision of sections 168.017 and 
  2.23  168.187 shall be displayed on the vehicle not later than 12:01 
  2.24  a.m. on March 2 of the year, nor earlier than 12:01 a.m. on 
  2.25  February 15 of the year, unless otherwise extended by the 
  2.26  registrar for the period of time required for the issuance of 
  2.27  the new plates or insignia.  
  2.28     (c) Plates or other insignia issued for a self-propelled 
  2.29  vehicle registered for 27,000 pounds or less and all other motor 
  2.30  vehicles except those registered under the provisions of section 
  2.31  168.017 or 168.187 shall be displayed not later than 12:01 a.m. 
  2.32  on March 2 of the year, and not earlier than January 1 of the 
  2.33  year unless otherwise extended by the registrar for the period 
  2.34  of time required for the issuance of the new plates or insignia. 
  2.35  The registration year for all vehicles as provided in this 
  2.36  paragraph and paragraph (b) shall be from March 1 to the last 
  3.1   day of February for 1979 and succeeding years. 
  3.2      (d) Notwithstanding paragraphs (b) and (c), plates issued 
  3.3   for a recreational vehicle shall be displayed not later than 
  3.4   12:01 a.m. on the second day of a month designated by the 
  3.5   registrar by order.  The registration year for a recreational 
  3.6   vehicle is from the first day of the month designated by the 
  3.7   registrar under this paragraph to the last day of the eleventh 
  3.8   month following that month. 
  3.9      Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 168.09, 
  3.10  subdivision 7, is amended to read: 
  3.11     Subd. 7.  [DISPLAY OF TEMPORARY PERMIT; SPECIAL PLATES.] 
  3.12  (a) A vehicle that displays a special plate issued under section 
  3.13  168.021; 168.12, subdivision 2, 2a, 2b, 2c, or 2d; 168.123; 
  3.14  168.124; 168.125; 168.126; 168.128; or 168.129 may display a 
  3.15  temporary permit in conjunction with expired registration if: 
  3.16     (1) the current registration tax and all other fees have 
  3.17  been paid in full; and 
  3.18     (2) the plate requires replacement under section 168.12, 
  3.19  subdivision 1, paragraph (b), clause (3). 
  3.20     (b) A vehicle that is registered under section 168.10 may 
  3.21  display a temporary permit in conjunction with expired 
  3.22  registration, with or without a registration license plate, if: 
  3.23     (1) the license plates have been applied for and the 
  3.24  registration tax has been paid in full, as provided for in 
  3.25  section 168.10; and 
  3.26     (2) the vehicle is used solely as a collector vehicle while 
  3.27  displaying the temporary permit and not used for general 
  3.28  transportation purposes. 
  3.29     (b) (c) The permit is valid for a period of 60 days.  The 
  3.30  permit must be in a form prescribed by the commissioner of 
  3.31  public safety and whenever practicable must be posted upon the 
  3.32  driver's side of the rear window on the inside of the vehicle.  
  3.33  The permit is valid only for the vehicle for which it was issued 
  3.34  to allow a reasonable time for the new license plates to be 
  3.35  manufactured and delivered to the applicant. 
  3.36     Sec. 4.  [168.1299] [SPECIAL "CHOOSE LIFE" PLATES; 
  4.1   ACCOUNT.] 
  4.2      Subdivision 1.  [GENERAL REQUIREMENTS AND PROCEDURES.] (a) 
  4.3   The registrar shall issue special "choose life" license plates 
  4.4   to an applicant who: 
  4.5      (1) is an owner or joint owner of a passenger automobile, 
  4.6   pickup truck, or van; 
  4.7      (2) pays a fee of $10 to cover the costs of handling and 
  4.8   manufacturing the plates; 
  4.9      (3) pays the registration tax required under section 
  4.10  168.013; 
  4.11     (4) pays the fees required under this chapter; 
  4.12     (5) pays a minimum contribution of $25 annually to the 
  4.13  special account created in subdivision 6; and 
  4.14     (6) complies with laws and rules governing registration and 
  4.15  licensing of vehicles and drivers. 
  4.16     (b) The "choose life" license plate application form must 
  4.17  clearly indicate that the contribution specified under paragraph 
  4.18  (a), clause (5), is a minimum annual contribution to receive the 
  4.19  license plates and that the applicant may make an additional 
  4.20  contribution to the account. 
  4.21     Subd. 2.  [DESIGN.] The registrar shall approve the design 
  4.22  of the special plates featuring a brightly colored, crayon-like 
  4.23  drawing image of two children, a school bus yellow background, 
  4.24  and the words "choose life."  The design, which must be used, is 
  4.25  available from Choose Life, Inc., located in Florida. 
  4.26     Subd. 3.  [NO REFUND.] Contributions under this section are 
  4.27  not refundable. 
  4.28     Subd. 4.  [PLATE TRANSFERS.] Notwithstanding section 
  4.29  168.12, subdivision 1, on payment of a transfer fee of $5, 
  4.30  plates issued under this section may be transferred to another 
  4.31  passenger automobile, pickup truck, or van owned or jointly 
  4.32  owned by the person to whom the special plates were issued. 
  4.33     Subd. 5.  [FEES CREDITED.] The fees collected under this 
  4.34  section, not including the contributions collected under 
  4.35  subdivision 1, paragraph (a), clause (5), must be deposited in 
  4.36  the state treasury and credited to the highway user tax 
  5.1   distribution fund. 
  5.2      Subd. 6.  [ADOPTION SUPPORT ACCOUNT.] (a) Contributions 
  5.3   under subdivision 1, paragraph (a), clause (5), must be paid to 
  5.4   the registrar of motor vehicles and credited to a special 
  5.5   account known as the adoption support account, which is 
  5.6   established in the general fund.  Money in the account is 
  5.7   annually appropriated to the counties in proportion to the 
  5.8   number of "choose life" license plates issued in each county as 
  5.9   shown by the registrar's record under subdivision 7. 
  5.10     (b) Each county receiving funds under this subdivision 
  5.11  shall distribute the funds to nongovernmental, nonprofit 
  5.12  agencies whose services are limited to counseling and meeting 
  5.13  the physical needs of pregnant women who are committed to 
  5.14  placing their children for adoption.  Funds may not be 
  5.15  distributed to any agency that is directly or indirectly 
  5.16  involved in or associated with abortion activities, including 
  5.17  (1) counseling for or referrals to abortion clinics; (2) 
  5.18  providing medical abortion-related procedures; or (3) 
  5.19  pro-abortion advertising.  Funds may not be distributed to any 
  5.20  agency that charges women for services received. 
  5.21     (c) An agency that receives funds under this subdivision 
  5.22  must use at least 70 percent of those funds to (1) provide for 
  5.23  the material needs of pregnant women who are committed to 
  5.24  placing their children for adoption, including clothing, 
  5.25  housing, medical care, food, utilities, and transportation; or 
  5.26  (2) provide for the needs of infants awaiting placement with 
  5.27  adoptive parents. 
  5.28     (d) An agency that receives funds under this subdivision 
  5.29  shall spend any funds remaining after expenditures for the 
  5.30  purposes of paragraph (c) for adoption counseling, training, or 
  5.31  advertising, but not for administrative expenses, legal 
  5.32  expenses, or capital expenditures. 
  5.33     (e) An agency that receives funds under this subdivision 
  5.34  shall submit an annual audit, prepared by a certified public 
  5.35  accountant, to the county.  The county may conduct a 
  5.36  consolidated audit in lieu of the annual audit.  Unused funds 
  6.1   that exceed ten percent of the funds received by an agency in a 
  6.2   fiscal year must be returned to the county, and the county shall 
  6.3   distribute these funds to other qualified agencies. 
  6.4      Subd. 7.  [RECORD.] The registrar of motor vehicles shall 
  6.5   maintain a record of the number of license plates issued in each 
  6.6   county in order to determine the amount of money in the adoption 
  6.7   support account available to each county. 
  6.8      [EFFECTIVE DATE.] This section is effective July 1, 2001. 
  6.9      Sec. 5.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 168.27, 
  6.10  subdivision 12a, is amended to read: 
  6.11     Subd. 12a.  [GROUNDS FOR CANCELLATION WITHOUT HEARING; 
  6.12  NOTICE REQUIRED.] (a) A license may be canceled by the registrar 
  6.13  after notice to the dealer, upon satisfactory proof that the 
  6.14  dealer:  (1) has failed to provide or maintain the required 
  6.15  surety bond, or that the dealer; (2) has failed to provide or 
  6.16  maintain the insurance required under chapter 65B; or (3) is no 
  6.17  longer operating at the dealer's licensed location. 
  6.18     (b) Surety companies and insurers providing required 
  6.19  coverages shall promptly notify the registrar upon canceling any 
  6.20  surety bond or required insurance.  The registrar shall notify 
  6.21  the dealer of the reason or reasons for cancellation before the 
  6.22  cancellation occurs. 
  6.23     Sec. 6.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 168.27, 
  6.24  subdivision 20, is amended to read: 
  6.25     Subd. 20.  [APPLICATION TO SALE OF OTHER VEHICLES.] (a) 
  6.26  This section shall does not apply: 
  6.27     (1) to any person, copartnership, or corporation engaged in 
  6.28  the business of selling vehicles designed to operate exclusively 
  6.29  over snow, motor scooters, motorized wheelchairs, utility 
  6.30  trailers, farm wagons, farm trailers, or farm tractors or other 
  6.31  farm implements, whether self-propelled or not, and even 
  6.32  though such wagons, trailers, tractors or implements a vehicle 
  6.33  listed in this clause may be equipped with a trailer hitch,; or 
  6.34     (2) to any person licensed as a real estate broker or 
  6.35  salesperson pursuant to chapter 82, who engages in the business 
  6.36  of selling, or who offers to sell, or who solicits or advertises 
  7.1   the sale of manufactured homes affixed to land, unless such. 
  7.2      (b) However, this section does apply to a person, 
  7.3   copartnership, or corporation shall described in paragraph (a) 
  7.4   who is also be engaged in the business of selling other motor 
  7.5   vehicles or manufactured homes within the provisions of this 
  7.6   section. 
  7.7      (b) (c) As used in this subdivision the term "utility 
  7.8   trailer" has the following meaning:, "utility trailer" means a 
  7.9   motorless vehicle, other than a boat trailer or snowmobile 
  7.10  trailer, equipped with one or two wheels and, having a carrying 
  7.11  capacity of 2000 gross vehicle weight of 4,000 pounds or less, 
  7.12  and used for carrying property on its own structure while being 
  7.13  drawn by a motor vehicle. 
  7.14     Sec. 7.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 168.31, 
  7.15  subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
  7.16     Subdivision 1.  [WHEN DUE AND PAYABLE.] (a) The tax 
  7.17  required under this chapter to be paid upon a motor vehicle for 
  7.18  each calendar year becomes due when the vehicle first uses the 
  7.19  public streets or highways in the state, and upon January 1 each 
  7.20  year thereafter, except those vehicles which are taxed under 
  7.21  section 168.017 and vehicles registered under 168.09, 
  7.22  subdivision 3.  Taxes due upon January 1 become payable upon 
  7.23  November 15 preceding the calendar year for which they are 
  7.24  assessed. 
  7.25     (b) The tax required to register vehicles for the 
  7.26  registration year March 1 to the last day of February is due on 
  7.27  March 1 and payable January 1 preceding. 
  7.28     (c) The tax required to register vehicles under the 
  7.29  provisions of section 168.017 and recreational vehicles taxed 
  7.30  under section 168.013, subdivision 1g, is due the first day of 
  7.31  the month commencing the 12-month registration period and 
  7.32  payable during the 45 days preceding the due date.  
  7.33     (d) Nothing in this section shall preclude prepayment. 
  7.34     Sec. 8.  [168A.101] [CANCELLATION OF MOTOR VEHICLE SALE.] 
  7.35     Subdivision 1.  [REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION.] If the parties 
  7.36  cancel a purchase of a motor vehicle after the transfer of 
  8.1   interest, they must submit within 90 days of the original 
  8.2   purchase date the following items: 
  8.3      (1) the outstanding certificate of title with proper 
  8.4   assignment; and 
  8.5      (2) an affidavit correcting ownership signed by the parties.
  8.6      Subd. 2.  [REFUNDS.] A party may be eligible for a refund 
  8.7   of taxes and fees only if the items indicated in subdivision 1 
  8.8   are submitted within the 90-day time frame unless otherwise 
  8.9   provided by law. 
  8.10     Sec. 9.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 169.09, 
  8.11  subdivision 8, is amended to read: 
  8.12     Subd. 8.  [OFFICER TO REPORT ACCIDENT TO COMMISSIONER.] 
  8.13  Every A law enforcement officer who, in the regular course of 
  8.14  duty, investigates a motor vehicle accident of which report must 
  8.15  be made as required in that must be reported under this section, 
  8.16  either at the time of and at the scene of the accident or 
  8.17  thereafter by interviewing participants or witnesses, shall, 
  8.18  within ten days after the date of such the accident, forward a 
  8.19  an electronic or written report of such the accident to the 
  8.20  commissioner of public safety. 
  8.21     Sec. 10.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 169.09, 
  8.22  subdivision 9, is amended to read: 
  8.23     Subd. 9.  [ACCIDENT REPORT FORMS.] The department of public 
  8.24  safety shall prepare, and electronic or written forms for 
  8.25  accident reports required under this section.  Upon request, the 
  8.26  department shall supply the forms to police departments, 
  8.27  coroners, sheriffs, garages, and other suitable agencies or 
  8.28  individuals, forms for accident reports required hereunder,.  
  8.29  The forms must be appropriate with respect to the persons 
  8.30  required to make such the reports and the purposes to be 
  8.31  served.  The electronic or written reports report forms to be 
  8.32  made completed by persons involved in accidents and by 
  8.33  investigating officers shall must call for sufficiently detailed 
  8.34  information to disclose with reference to a traffic accident the 
  8.35  causes, conditions then existing, and the persons and vehicles 
  8.36  involved. 
  9.1      Sec. 11.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 169.09, 
  9.2   subdivision 10, is amended to read: 
  9.3      Subd. 10.  [USE OF FORM REQUIRED.] Every A required 
  9.4   accident report required to be made in writing shall must be 
  9.5   made on the an appropriate form approved by the department of 
  9.6   public safety and contain all of the information 
  9.7   required therein unless not available. 
  9.8      Sec. 12.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 169.09, 
  9.9   subdivision 13, is amended to read: 
  9.10     Subd. 13.  [REPORTS CONFIDENTIAL; EVIDENCE, FEE, PENALTY, 
  9.11  APPROPRIATION.] (a) All Electronic and written reports and 
  9.12  supplemental reports required under this section shall be are 
  9.13  for the use of the commissioner of public safety and other 
  9.14  appropriate state, federal, county, and municipal governmental 
  9.15  agencies for accident analysis purposes, except: 
  9.16     (1) the commissioner of public safety or any law 
  9.17  enforcement agency shall, upon written request of any person 
  9.18  involved in an accident or upon written request of the 
  9.19  representative of the person's estate, surviving spouse, or one 
  9.20  or more surviving next of kin, or a trustee appointed pursuant 
  9.21  to section 573.02, disclose to the requester, the requester's 
  9.22  legal counsel, or a representative of the requester's insurer 
  9.23  the report required under subdivision 8; 
  9.24     (2) the commissioner of public safety shall, upon written 
  9.25  request, provide the driver filing a report under subdivision 7 
  9.26  with a copy of the report filed by the driver; 
  9.27     (3) the commissioner of public safety may verify with 
  9.28  insurance companies vehicle insurance information to enforce 
  9.29  sections 65B.48, 169.792, 169.793, 169.796, and 169.797; 
  9.30     (4) the commissioner of public safety shall provide the 
  9.31  commissioner of transportation the information obtained for each 
  9.32  traffic accident involving a commercial motor vehicle, for 
  9.33  purposes of administering commercial vehicle safety regulations; 
  9.34  and 
  9.35     (5) the commissioner of public safety may give to the 
  9.36  United States Department of Transportation commercial vehicle 
 10.1   accident information in connection with federal grant programs 
 10.2   relating to safety. 
 10.3      (b) Accident reports and data contained in the reports 
 10.4   shall are not be discoverable under any provision of law or rule 
 10.5   of court.  No A report shall may not be used as evidence in any 
 10.6   trial, civil or criminal, arising out of an accident, except 
 10.7   that the commissioner of public safety shall furnish upon the 
 10.8   demand of any a person who has, or claims to have, made a 
 10.9   report, or, upon demand of any a court, a certificate showing 
 10.10  that a specified accident report has or has not been made to the 
 10.11  commissioner solely to prove compliance or failure to comply 
 10.12  with the requirements that the report be made to the 
 10.13  commissioner. 
 10.14     (c) Nothing in this subdivision prevents any a person who 
 10.15  has made a report pursuant to this section from providing 
 10.16  information to any persons involved in an accident or their 
 10.17  representatives or from testifying in any a trial, civil or 
 10.18  criminal, arising out of an accident, as to facts within the 
 10.19  person's knowledge.  It is intended by this subdivision to 
 10.20  render privileged the reports required, but it is not intended 
 10.21  to prohibit proof of the facts to which the reports relate. 
 10.22     (d) Disclosing any information contained in any an accident 
 10.23  report, except as provided in this subdivision, section 13.82, 
 10.24  subdivision 3 or 4, or other statutes, is a misdemeanor. 
 10.25     (e) The commissioner of public safety may charge authorized 
 10.26  persons a $5 fee for a copy of an accident report.  The 
 10.27  commissioner may also furnish copies of the modified accident 
 10.28  records database to private agencies as provided in paragraph 
 10.29  (g) for not less than the cost of preparing the copies.  
 10.30     (f) The commissioner and law enforcement agencies may 
 10.31  charge commercial users who request access to response or 
 10.32  incident data relating to accidents a fee not to exceed 50 cents 
 10.33  per report.  "Commercial user" is a user who in one location 
 10.34  requests access to data in more than five accident reports per 
 10.35  month, unless the user establishes that access is not for a 
 10.36  commercial purpose.  Money collected by the commissioner under 
 11.1   this paragraph is appropriated to the commissioner. 
 11.2      (g) The commissioner may provide a modified copy of the 
 11.3   accident records database that does not contain names, driver's 
 11.4   license numbers, vehicle license plate numbers, addresses, or 
 11.5   other identifying data to the public upon request. 
 11.6      Sec. 13.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 169.79, is 
 11.7   amended to read: 
 11.8      169.79 [VEHICLE REGISTRATION.] 
 11.9      (a) No person shall operate, drive, or park a motor vehicle 
 11.10  on any highway unless the vehicle is registered in accordance 
 11.11  with the laws of this state and has the number plates for the 
 11.12  current year only or permit confirming that valid registration 
 11.13  or operating authority has been obtained, except as provided in 
 11.14  sections 168.10 and 168.12, subdivision 2f, as assigned to it by 
 11.15  the commissioner of public safety, conspicuously displayed 
 11.16  thereon in a manner that the view of any plate or permit is not 
 11.17  obstructed.  A plate issued under section 168.27 or a permit 
 11.18  issued under chapter 168 may be displayed on a vehicle in 
 11.19  conjunction with expired registration whether or not it displays 
 11.20  the license plate to which the last registration was issued.  
 11.21     (b) If the vehicle is a semitrailer, the number plate 
 11.22  displayed must be assigned to the registered owner and correlate 
 11.23  to the certificate of title documentation on file with the 
 11.24  department and shall not display a year indicator.  
 11.25     (c) If the vehicle is a motorcycle, motor scooter, 
 11.26  motorized bicycle, motorcycle sidecar, trailer, semitrailer, or 
 11.27  vehicle displaying a dealer plate, one plate shall must be 
 11.28  displayed on the rear thereof of the vehicle.  
 11.29     (d) If the vehicle is (1) a collector's vehicle with a 
 11.30  pioneer, classic car, collector, or street rod license; (2) a 
 11.31  vehicle that meets the requirements of a pioneer, classic, or 
 11.32  street rod vehicle except that the vehicle is used for general 
 11.33  transportation purposes; or (3) a vehicle that is of model year 
 11.34  1972 or earlier, not registered under section 168.10, 
 11.35  subdivision 1c, and is used for general transportation purposes, 
 11.36  one plate shall must be displayed on the rear of the vehicle, or 
 12.1   one plate on the front and one on the rear, at the discretion of 
 12.2   the owner. 
 12.3      (e) If the vehicle is a truck-tractor, road-tractor or farm 
 12.4   truck, as defined in section 168.011, subdivision 17, but 
 12.5   excluding from that definition semitrailers and trailers, one 
 12.6   plate shall must be displayed on the front thereof of the 
 12.7   vehicle. 
 12.8      (f) If the motor vehicle is any kind of motor vehicle other 
 12.9   than those provided for in paragraphs (b) to (d), one plate 
 12.10  shall must be displayed on the front and one on the rear thereof 
 12.11  of the vehicle.  
 12.12     (g) All plates shall must be securely fastened so as to 
 12.13  prevent them from swinging.  The person driving the motor 
 12.14  vehicle shall keep the plate legible and unobstructed and free 
 12.15  from grease, dust, or other blurring material so that the 
 12.16  lettering shall be is plainly visible at all times.  It is 
 12.17  unlawful to cover any assigned letters and numbers or the name 
 12.18  of the state of origin of a license plate with any material 
 12.19  whatever, including any clear or colorless material that affects 
 12.20  the plate's visibility or reflectivity.  
 12.21     (h) License plates issued to vehicles registered under 
 12.22  section 168.017 must display the month of expiration in the 
 12.23  lower left corner as viewed facing the plate and the year of 
 12.24  expiration in the lower right corner as viewed facing the plate. 
 12.25  License plates issued to vehicles registered under section 
 12.26  168.127 must display either fleet registration validation 
 12.27  stickers in the lower right corner as viewed facing the plates 
 12.28  or distinctive license plates, issued by the registrar, with 
 12.29  "FLEET REG" embossed on the bottom center portion of the plate. 
 12.30     Sec. 14.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 171.07, 
 12.31  subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
 12.32     Subdivision 1.  [LICENSE; CONTENTS.] The department shall, 
 12.33  Upon the payment of the required fee, the department shall issue 
 12.34  to every qualifying applicant qualifying therefor a license 
 12.35  designating the type or class of vehicles the applicant is 
 12.36  authorized to drive as applied for, which.  This license shall 
 13.1   must bear thereon a distinguishing number assigned to the 
 13.2   licensee, the full name, date of birth, residence address and 
 13.3   permanent mailing address if different, a description of the 
 13.4   licensee in such manner as the commissioner deems necessary, and 
 13.5   a space upon which the licensee shall write the usual signature 
 13.6   and the date of birth of the licensee with pen and ink.  No 
 13.7   license shall be is valid until it has been so signed by the 
 13.8   licensee.  Except in the case of an instruction permit, every 
 13.9   license shall must bear thereon a colored photograph or an 
 13.10  electronically produced image of the licensee.  Every license 
 13.11  issued to an applicant under the age of 21 shall must be of a 
 13.12  distinguishing color and plainly marked "Under-21."  The 
 13.13  department shall use such process or processes in the issuance 
 13.14  of licenses that prohibits, as near as possible, the ability to 
 13.15  alter or reproduce the licenses, or prohibit the ability to 
 13.16  superimpose a photograph or electronically produced image on 
 13.17  such the licenses, without ready detection.  A license issued to 
 13.18  an applicant of age 65 or over shall must be plainly marked 
 13.19  "senior" if requested by the applicant. 
 13.20     Sec. 15.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 171.183, 
 13.21  subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
 13.22     Subdivision 1.  [REQUIREMENTS.] For the purposes of 
 13.23  sections 171.182 to 171.184, a judgment is satisfied if:  
 13.24     (1) $25,000 $30,000 has been credited upon any judgment or 
 13.25  judgments rendered in excess of that amount because of bodily 
 13.26  injury to or death of one person as the result of any one 
 13.27  accident; 
 13.28     (2) subject to the limit of $25,000 $30,000 because of 
 13.29  bodily injury to or death of one person, the sum 
 13.30  of $50,000 $60,000 has been credited upon any judgment or 
 13.31  judgments rendered in excess of that amount because of bodily 
 13.32  injury to or death of two or more persons as the result of any 
 13.33  one accident; or 
 13.34     (3) $10,000 has been credited upon any judgment or 
 13.35  judgments rendered in excess of that amount because of damage to 
 13.36  or destruction of property of others as a result of any one 
 14.1   accident. 
 14.2      Sec. 16.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 171.39, is 
 14.3   amended to read: 
 14.4      171.39 [EXEMPTIONS.] 
 14.5      (a) The provisions of sections 171.33 to 171.41 shall do 
 14.6   not apply: to any person giving driver training lessons without 
 14.7   charge; to employers maintaining driver training schools without 
 14.8   charge for their employees only; to a home-school within the 
 14.9   meaning of sections 120A.22 and 120A.24; or to schools or 
 14.10  classes conducted by colleges, universities, and high schools as 
 14.11  a part of the normal program for such those institutions; nor to 
 14.12  those schools or persons described in section 171.05, 
 14.13  subdivision 2.  
 14.14     (b) Any person who is a certificated driver training 
 14.15  instructor in a high school driver training program may give 
 14.16  driver training instruction to persons over the age of 18 
 14.17  without acquiring a driver training school license or 
 14.18  instructor's license, and such those instructors may make a 
 14.19  charge for that instruction, if there is no private commercial 
 14.20  driver training school licensed under this statute sections 
 14.21  171.33 to 171.41 within ten miles of the municipality where such 
 14.22  driver training instruction is given and there is no adult 
 14.23  drivers training program in effect in the schools of the school 
 14.24  district in which the trainee resides. 
 14.25     Sec. 17.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 299A.01, 
 14.26  subdivision 1b, is amended to read: 
 14.27     Subd. 1b.  [DEPARTMENT ADVERTISING SALES; APPROPRIATION.] 
 14.28  The commissioner may accept paid advertising for departmental 
 14.29  publications, media productions, or other informational 
 14.30  materials.  Advertising revenues received are appropriated to 
 14.31  the commissioner to be used to defray costs of publications, 
 14.32  media productions, or other informational materials.  The 
 14.33  commissioner may not accept paid advertising from an elected 
 14.34  official or candidate for elective office. 
 14.35     Sec. 18.  [TRANSITION.] 
 14.36     Subdivision 1.  [EXTENSION OF REGISTRATION.] The 
 15.1   registration period of a recreational vehicle taxed under 
 15.2   Minnesota Statutes, section 168.013, subdivision 1g, the 
 15.3   Minnesota registration of which would otherwise expire on 
 15.4   February 28, 2002, is extended to the last day of the month 
 15.5   preceding the month that is designated by the registrar of motor 
 15.6   vehicles under section 2 as the first month of the registration 
 15.7   year for recreational vehicles. 
 15.8      Subd. 2.  [RENEWED REGISTRATION; PROPORTIONATE INCREASE IN 
 15.9   TAX.] The tax on a recreational vehicle described in subdivision 
 15.10  3, paragraph (a), the registration of which is renewed in 2002 
 15.11  for the registration year beginning on the first day of the 
 15.12  month that is designated by the registrar of motor vehicles 
 15.13  under section 2 as the first month of the registration year for 
 15.14  recreational vehicles, is increased by an amount equal to 1/12 
 15.15  of the tax imposed under that subdivision for each month between 
 15.16  March and the month preceding the designated month. 
 15.17     Subd. 3.  [NEW REGISTRATION.] (a) The tax imposed on a 
 15.18  recreational vehicle taxable under Minnesota Statutes, section 
 15.19  168.013, subdivision 1g, that is registered for the first time 
 15.20  in Minnesota during the period between March 1, 2002, and the 
 15.21  first day of the month that is designated by the registrar of 
 15.22  motor vehicles under section 2 as the first month of the 
 15.23  registration year for recreational vehicles, shall be 1/12 of 
 15.24  the tax imposed under that subdivision for each month during 
 15.25  that period. 
 15.26     (b) The registrar may, at the registrar's discretion, 
 15.27  register recreational vehicles described in paragraph (a) for 
 15.28  more than 12 consecutive months for a tax consisting of the 
 15.29  annual tax plus 1/12 of the annual tax for each month of 
 15.30  registration over 12.  The authority in this paragraph expires 
 15.31  December 31, 2002. 
 15.32     (c) The 1/12 tax for any month under paragraphs (a) and (b) 
 15.33  is reduced by 50 percent for any new registration of a 
 15.34  recreational vehicle that is made after the 15th day of that 
 15.35  month. 
 15.36     Sec. 19.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
 16.1      Sections 1, 3 to 6, and 8 to 16 are effective July 1, 2001. 
 16.2   Section 17 is effective the day following final enactment.