HF 2265

as introduced - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026) Posted on 03/12/2025 11:39am

A bill for an act
relating to transportation; establishing requirements related to work zone safety
and contracting; modifying requirements for a provisional driver's license; amending
Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 161.32, by adding a subdivision; 171.055,
subdivision 1; 171.0701, by adding a subdivision; 171.0705, by adding a
subdivision.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 161.32, is amended by adding a subdivision
to read:

new text begin Subd. 8. new text end

new text begin Specifications; work zone flaggers. new text end

new text begin (a) For purposes of this subdivision, "live
traffic contract" means a contract for trunk highway construction, reconstruction, or
maintenance, in which it is anticipated that:
new text end

new text begin (1) work zone flaggers are present within the work zone, as defined in section 169.011,
subdivision 95; and
new text end

new text begin (2) one or more lanes of traffic are open for vehicular travel and are adjacent to the
location of any workers.
new text end

new text begin (b) The commissioner must include a bid item for flagging hours within the specifications
for a live traffic contract.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective August 1, 2025, and applies for contracts
advertised for bids on or after that date.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 171.055, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Requirements for provisional license.

(a) The department may issue a
provisional license, which must be distinctive in appearance from a driver's license, to an
applicant who:

(1) has reached the age of 16 years;

(2) during the six months immediately preceding the application for the provisional
license has possessed an instruction permit and has incurred (i) no convictions for a violation
of section 169A.20, 169A.33, 169A.35, sections 169A.50 to 169A.53, or section 171.177,
(ii) no convictions for a crash-related moving violation, and (iii) no convictions for a moving
violation that is not crash related;

(3) has successfully completed new text begin :
new text end

new text begin (i) new text end a course of driver education in accordance with department rules; new text begin and
new text end

new text begin (ii) a course on work zone and first responder safety as provided under section 171.0701,
subdivision 1c;
new text end

(4) completes the required application, which must be approved by (i) either parent when
both reside in the same household as the minor applicant or, if otherwise, then (ii) the parent
or spouse of the parent having custody or, in the event there is no court order for custody,
then (iii) the parent or spouse of the parent with whom the minor is living or, if items (i) to
(iii) do not apply, then (iv) the guardian having custody of the minor, (v) the foster parent
or the director of the transitional living program in which the child resides or, in the event
a person under the age of 18 has no living father, mother, or guardian, or is married or
otherwise legally emancipated, then (vi) the applicant's adult spouse, adult close family
member, or adult employer; provided, that the approval required by this clause contains a
verification of the age of the applicant and the identity of the parent, guardian, adult spouse,
adult close family member, or adult employer;

(5) submits a supervised driving log, in a format approved by the commissioner, that:

(i) states that the applicant has driven a motor vehicle accompanied by and under the
supervision of a licensed driver at least 21 years of age, for no less than 40 total hours or
as provided in clause (6), item (i), at least 15 of which were nighttime hours;

(ii) identifies dates and lengths of driving time for each supervised driving trip; and

(iii) is signed by the primary driving supervisor, attesting that the applicant has met the
requirements under item (i);

(6) has:

(i) driven a motor vehicle in the manner required under clause (5) for no less than ten
hours in addition to the total hours specified in clause (5), item (i); or

(ii) submitted a certification of supplemental parental curriculum under section 171.05,
subdivision 2, paragraph (b), for the primary driving supervisor under clause (5), as part of
an application for an instruction permit; and

(7) pays the fee required in section 171.06, subdivision 2.

(b) For purposes of this section, "moving violation" has the meaning given it in section
171.04, subdivision 1.

(c) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), clause (2), the commissioner deleted text begin shall deleted text end new text begin must new text end not issue a
provisional license to a person who has ever incurred a conviction for violation of section
169A.20, 169A.33, or 169A.35; a violation of a provision of sections 169A.50 to 169A.53;
a violation of section 171.177; or a crash-related moving violation, and at the time of the
conviction the person did not possess an instruction permit.

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective August 1, 2026, and applies to applications
submitted on or after that date.
new text end

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 171.0701, is amended by adding a subdivision
to read:

new text begin Subd. 1c. new text end

new text begin Work zone and first responder safety course. new text end

new text begin (a) The commissioner must
establish procedures to approve one or more entities with experience on work zone safety
to provide a course of instruction on work zone and first responder safety.
new text end

new text begin (b) At a minimum, the course must:
new text end

new text begin (1) be at least 30 minutes in length;
new text end

new text begin (2) be provided through online instruction; and
new text end

new text begin (3) include information on:
new text end

new text begin (i) best practices related to a work zone to minimize dangers and provide for the safety
of workers, first responders, and vehicle operators;
new text end

new text begin (ii) the rights and responsibilities of a vehicle operator in a work zone, including but not
limited to work zone speed limits under section 169.14 and the authority of a work zone
flagger under section 169.06, subdivision 4a; and
new text end

new text begin (iii) penalties for violations related to work zones.
new text end

Sec. 4.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 171.0705, is amended by adding a subdivision
to read:

new text begin Subd. 12. new text end

new text begin Driver's manual; work zone safety. new text end

new text begin The commissioner must include in the
driver's manual published by the department a section relating to safe operation in a work
zone.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment and
applies to each edition of the manual published on or after that date.
new text end

Sec. 5. new text begin WORK ZONE SAFETY BILLBOARD DESIGN CONTEST.
new text end

new text begin Using existing resources, the commissioner of transportation must implement a billboard
design contest for youth that provides for work zone safety education and awareness. The
design contest must include:
new text end

new text begin (1) a process for youth to submit design proposals to be posted on billboard advertising
devices;
new text end

new text begin (2) criteria for design proposal review, evaluation, and selection based on education and
awareness of work zone safety issues that must include consideration of appeal, effectiveness,
appropriateness, and any other criteria established by the commissioner;
new text end

new text begin (3) promotional activities about the contest; and
new text end

new text begin (4) arrangements as necessary for awarded designs to be installed on billboard advertising
devices throughout the state.
new text end