HF 4097

1st Engrossment - 91st Legislature (2019 - 2020) Posted on 04/28/2020 12:59pm

A bill for an act
relating to transportation; governing road examinations for a driver's license;
establishing a fee; requiring a report; appropriating money; amending Minnesota
Statutes 2018, section 171.13, subdivision 7, by adding a subdivision.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 171.13, subdivision 7, is amended to read:

Subd. 7.

deleted text begin Repeat deleted text end Examination deleted text begin fee deleted text end new text begin fees new text end .

(a) A fee of $10 must be paid by an individual
to take a third and any subsequent knowledge test administered by the department if the
individual has failed two previous consecutive knowledge tests on the subject.

(b) A fee of $20 must be paid by an individual to take a third and any subsequent skills
or road test administered by the department if the individual has previously failed two
consecutive skill or road tests in a specified class of motor vehicle.

(c) new text begin A fee of $20 must be paid by an individual who fails to appear for a scheduled skills
or road test, or who cancels a skills or road test within 24 hours of the appointment time.
new text end

new text begin (d) new text end All fees received under this subdivision must be paid into the state treasury and
credited to the driver services operating account in the special revenue fund specified under
section 299A.705.

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2020.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 171.13, is amended by adding a subdivision to
read:

new text begin Subd. 8. new text end

new text begin Examination scheduling. new text end

new text begin The commissioner must not schedule or reserve
recurring time with a public, private, or commercial driver education program for purposes
of administering skills or road tests to a class D license applicant.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end

Sec. 3. new text begin DRIVER'S ROAD TEST EVALUATION.
new text end

new text begin (a) By February 1, 2021, the commissioner of public safety must submit a report on
driver's license road tests to the chairs, ranking minority members, and staff of the legislative
committees with jurisdiction over transportation policy and finance.
new text end

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

new text begin (1) provide an overview of road exam administration and requirements;
new text end

new text begin (2) summarize issues related to timely scheduling and administration of road tests;
new text end

new text begin (3) identify and analyze the primary factors that impact road test success rates, which
must include information on:
new text end

new text begin (i) contributing sources or causes;
new text end

new text begin (ii) any barriers to effective road test preparation; and
new text end

new text begin (iii) disparities or inconsistencies across driver education status of applicants, exam
locations, demographic populations, and driver training schools;
new text end

new text begin (4) evaluate the number and geographic locations of road test locations;
new text end

new text begin (5) identify and evaluate methods to reduce road test failure rates, including examination
of:
new text end

new text begin (i) driver education requirements for individuals who are 18 or more years of age;
new text end

new text begin (ii) incentives for increased road test preparedness among individuals who are 18 or
more years of age; and
new text end

new text begin (iii) modifications to driver education curriculum or requirements in preparing students
for the road test;
new text end

new text begin (6) identify and evaluate methods to reduce no-show rates for the road test;
new text end

new text begin (7) review administrative actions taken and planned by the department to improve road
exam scheduling, promote operational efficiency, and reduce road exam failure rates;
new text end

new text begin (8) propose an optimized configuration for road test administration;
new text end

new text begin (9) estimate operational and fiscal resources needed for each proposed or recommended
option; and
new text end

new text begin (10) make recommendations for legislative changes, if any.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end

Sec. 4. new text begin EXAMINATION FEES; APPROPRIATION.
new text end

new text begin $24,000 in fiscal year 2020 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner
of public safety to implement the requirements of section 1. This is a onetime appropriation
and is available until June 30, 2021.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end