SF 1071

1st Engrossment - 85th Legislature (2007 - 2008) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to motor vehicles; authorizing automatic enforcement of official
traffic-control devices; amending Minnesota Statutes 2006, sections 169.01, by
adding subdivisions; 169.06, by adding a subdivision; proposing coding for new
law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 169.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 169.01, is amended by adding a
subdivision to read:

new text begin Subd. 92. new text end

new text begin Automated traffic law enforcement system. new text end

new text begin "Automated traffic law
enforcement system" means an electronic system consisting of one or more cameras
and one or more motor vehicle sensors, which are installed to work in conjunction with
an official traffic-control signal and designed to produce recorded images of motor
vehicles entering an intersection or turning at an intersection in violation of an official
traffic-control signal.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 169.01, is amended by adding a subdivision
to read:

new text begin Subd. 93. new text end

new text begin Recorded images. new text end

new text begin "Recorded images" means images recorded by an
automated traffic law enforcement system on (1) two or more photographs, (2) two or
more microphotographs, (3) a videotape, or (4) any other electronic medium.
new text end

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 169.06, is amended by adding a subdivision
to read:

new text begin Subd. 4a. new text end

new text begin Violation; penalty for owner or lessee. new text end

new text begin (a) If a motor vehicle is operated
in violation of subdivision 4 and the violation is detected through the use of an automated
traffic law enforcement system, the owner of the vehicle or the lessee of the vehicle is
guilty of a petty misdemeanor.
new text end

new text begin (b) This subdivision does not apply to:
new text end

new text begin (1) an owner who provides to a local police authority a police report documenting
that the motor vehicle operated in violation of subdivision 4 was stolen;
new text end

new text begin (2) a lessor of a motor vehicle operated in violation of subdivision 4, who provides a
written lease agreement documenting the name and address of the lessee; or
new text end

new text begin (3) an owner who provides to a local police authority documentation of a transfer of
interest in the motor vehicle operated in violation of subdivision 4, if the transfer occurred
before the violation and complies with section 168A.10.
new text end

new text begin (c) This subdivision does not prohibit or limit the prosecution of the driver of a
motor vehicle for a violation of subdivision 4.
new text end

new text begin (d) The owner or lessee of a motor vehicle operated in violation of subdivision 4
may not be convicted under this subdivision if the driver of the motor vehicle is convicted
as defined in section 171.01, subdivision 29, for the same violation.
new text end

new text begin (e) A violation under this subdivision does not constitute grounds for revocation
or suspension of the owner's or lessee's driver's license and may not be recorded by the
Department of Public Safety on the driver's record.
new text end

Sec. 4.

new text begin [169.062] SIGNAL VIOLATION DETECTED WITH AUTOMATED
TRAFFIC LAW ENFORCEMENT SYSTEM.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Local authority. new text end

new text begin (a) Any local authority may implement a program
to allow police officers to issue a citation to a motor vehicle owner or lessee when a motor
vehicle is operated in violation of section 169.06, subdivision 4, and that violation is
detected through the use of an automated traffic law enforcement system.
new text end

new text begin (b) A program established under this section must:
new text end

new text begin (1) be limited to the enforcement of official traffic-control devices;
new text end

new text begin (2) require inspection and certification by a police officer of the recorded images
before a citation may be issued;
new text end

new text begin (3) provide that citations issued pursuant to section 169.06, subdivision 4a, may
be issued through the United States mail and, if mailed, must be postmarked within 21
days of the violation; and
new text end

new text begin (4) require signage notifying drivers that an automated traffic law enforcement
system is in place to detect traffic signal violations. All signage required by this
subdivision must be placed and maintained in conformity with the requirements of section
169.06, subdivision 3, and require a local authority, before installing cameras and sensors
at an intersection, to conduct an engineering review of the intersection that:
new text end

new text begin (i) identifies safety problems in the intersection;
new text end

new text begin (ii) determines that an automated enforcement system is an appropriate solution for
the safety problems identified; and
new text end

new text begin (iii) determines whether measures such as road improvement, improved signal
visibility, or traffic signal timing changes would be appropriate solutions for the identified
safety problems.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Fines. new text end

new text begin Any local authority participating in the program shall impose a fine
for a violation of section 169.06, subdivision 4a, that is equal to the fine for a violation
of section 169.06, subdivision 4. All fines collected for a violation of section 169.06,
subdivision 4a, must be credited to the general revenue fund of the local authority where
the violation occurred. The court shall impose the fees and surcharges provided by law.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Data. new text end

new text begin A contract with a private person to establish and operate a program
pursuant to this section must comply with section 13.05, subdivision 11. The private
person may use the data gathered only for purposes of operating and administering the
program.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Contract. new text end

new text begin A contract with a private entity for operation of a program under
this section must not base payment to the private entity on the number of citations issued.
new text end

Sec. 5. new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE.
new text end

new text begin Sections 1 to 4 are effective the day following final enactment.
new text end