HF 1835

1st Engrossment - 87th Legislature (2011 - 2012) Posted on 03/13/2012 01:58pm

A bill for an act
relating to public safety; expanding the list of colors that vehicles operated by
sheriffs may be painted; amending Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 169.98, subdivisions 1, 3.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 169.98, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Colors and markings.

(a) Except as provided in subdivisions 2 and
2a, all motor vehicles which are primarily used in the enforcement of highway traffic rules
by the State Patrol or for general uniform patrol assignment by any municipal police
department or other law enforcement agency, except conservation officers, shall have
uniform colors and markings as provided in this subdivision. Motor vehicles of:

(1) municipal police departments, including the University of Minnesota Police
Department and park police units, shall be predominantly blue, brown, green, black,
or white;

(2) the State Patrol shall be predominantly maroon; and

(3) the county sheriff's office shall be predominantly brown new text begin , black, gold, new text end or white.

(b) The identity of the governmental unit operating the vehicle shall be displayed on
both front door panels and on the rear of the vehicle. The identity may be in the form of
a shield or emblem, or may be the word "police," "sheriff," or the words "State Patrol"
or "conservation officer," as appropriate, with letters not less than 2-1/2 inches high,
one-inch wide and of a three-eighths inch brush stroke. The identity shall be of a color
contrasting with the background color so that the motor vehicle is easily identifiable as
belonging to a specific type of law enforcement agency. Each vehicle shall be marked
with its own identifying number on the rear of the vehicle. The number shall be printed
in the same size and color required pursuant to this subdivision for identifying words
which may be displayed on the vehicle.

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 169.98, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3.

Security guard vehicle.

(a) All motor vehicles which are used by security
guards in the course of their employment may have any color other than those specified in
subdivision 1 for law enforcement vehicles. The identity of the security service shall be
displayed on the motor vehicle as required for law enforcement vehicles.

(b) Notwithstanding subdivision 1, paragraph (a), clause (1), a security guard may
continue to use a motor vehicle that is predominantly black in the course of the guard's
employment if the vehicle was being used in this manner before August 1, 2002.

new text begin (c) Notwithstanding subdivision 1, paragraph (a), clause (3), a security guard may
continue to use a motor vehicle that is predominantly gold in the course of the guard's
employment if the vehicle was being used in this manner before August 1, 2012.
new text end