SF 3184

1st Engrossment - 82nd Legislature (2001 - 2002) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

  1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to traffic regulations; modifying provisions 
  1.3             governing road inspections, first hauls, and weight 
  1.4             allowances for commercial motor vehicles; requiring 
  1.5             study of load restrictions and increases; making 
  1.6             technical and clarifying changes; amending Minnesota 
  1.7             Statutes 2000, sections 168.011, subdivision 17; 
  1.8             168.013, subdivision 3; 169.771, subdivisions 2, 3; 
  1.9             169.85, subdivisions 1, 2; 169.851, subdivision 3; 
  1.10            169.86, subdivision 5.  
  1.11  BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.12     Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 168.011, 
  1.13  subdivision 17, is amended to read: 
  1.14     Subd. 17.  [FARM TRUCK.] (a) "Farm truck" means all single 
  1.15  unit trucks, truck-tractors, tractors, semitrailers, and 
  1.16  trailers used by the owner thereof to transport agricultural, 
  1.17  horticultural, dairy, and other farm products, including 
  1.18  livestock, produced or finished by the owner of the truck, and 
  1.19  any other personal property owned by the farmer to whom the 
  1.20  license for the truck is issued, from the farm to market, and to 
  1.21  transport property and supplies to the farm of the owner.  
  1.22  Trucks, truck-tractors, tractors, semitrailers, and trailers 
  1.23  registered as "farm trucks" may be used by the owner thereof to 
  1.24  occasionally transport unprocessed and raw farm products, not 
  1.25  produced by the owner of the truck, from the place of production 
  1.26  to market when the transportation constitutes the first haul of 
  1.27  the products, and may be used by the owner thereof, either 
  1.28  farmer or logger who harvests and hauls forest products only, to 
  2.1   transport logs, pulpwood, lumber, chips, railroad ties and other 
  2.2   raw and unfinished forest products from the place of production 
  2.3   to an intermediate or final assembly point or transfer yard or 
  2.4   railhead when the transportation constitutes, which 
  2.5   transportation may be continued by another farm truck to a place 
  2.6   for final processing or manufacture located within 200 miles of 
  2.7   the place of production and all of which is deemed to constitute 
  2.8   the first haul thereof, of unfinished wood products; provided 
  2.9   that the owner and operator of the vehicle transporting planed 
  2.10  lumber shall have in immediate possession a statement signed by 
  2.11  the producer of the lumber designating the governmental 
  2.12  subdivision, section, and township where the lumber was produced 
  2.13  and that this haul, indicating the date, is the first haul 
  2.14  thereof.  The licensed vehicles may also be used by the owner 
  2.15  thereof to transport, to and from timber-harvesting areas, 
  2.16  equipment and appurtenances incidental to timber harvesting, and 
  2.17  gravel and other road-building materials for timber haul roads. 
  2.18     (b) "Farm trucks" shall also include only single unit 
  2.19  trucks, which that, because of their construction, cannot be 
  2.20  used for any other purpose and are used exclusively to transport 
  2.21  milk and cream en route from a farm to an assembly point or 
  2.22  place for final manufacture, and for transporting milk and cream 
  2.23  from an assembly point to a place for final processing or 
  2.24  manufacture.  This section shall not be construed to mean that 
  2.25  the owner or operator of the truck cannot carry on usual 
  2.26  accommodation services for patrons on regular return trips, such 
  2.27  as butter, cream, cheese, and other dairy supplies. 
  2.28     Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 168.013, 
  2.29  subdivision 3, is amended to read: 
  2.30     Subd. 3.  [APPLICATION; CANCELLATION; EXCESSIVE GROSS 
  2.31  WEIGHT FORBIDDEN.] (a) The applicant for all licenses based on 
  2.32  gross weight shall state the unloaded weight of the motor 
  2.33  vehicle, trailer, or semitrailer and the maximum load the 
  2.34  applicant proposes to carry thereon, the sum of which shall 
  2.35  constitute the gross weight upon which the license tax shall be 
  2.36  paid, but in no case shall the declared gross weight upon which 
  3.1   the tax is paid be less than 1-1/4 times the declared unloaded 
  3.2   weight of the motor vehicle, trailer, or semitrailer to be 
  3.3   registered, except recreational vehicles taxed under subdivision 
  3.4   1g, school buses taxed under subdivision 18, and tow trucks or 
  3.5   towing vehicles defined in section 169.01, subdivision 52.  The 
  3.6   gross weight of a tow truck or towing vehicle is the actual 
  3.7   weight of the tow truck or towing vehicle fully equipped, but 
  3.8   does not include the weight of a wrecked or disabled vehicle 
  3.9   towed or drawn by the tow truck or towing vehicle. 
  3.10     (b) The gross weight of no a motor vehicle, trailer, or 
  3.11  semitrailer shall not exceed the gross weight upon which the 
  3.12  license tax has been paid by more than four percent or 1,000 
  3.13  pounds, whichever is greater; provided that, a vehicle 
  3.14  transporting unfinished forest products in accordance with 
  3.15  paragraph (d)(3) shall not exceed its gross vehicle weight upon 
  3.16  which the license tax has been paid, or gross axle weight on any 
  3.17  axle, by more than five percent and, notwithstanding other law 
  3.18  to the contrary, is not subject to any fee, fine, or other 
  3.19  assessment or penalty for exceeding a gross vehicle or axle 
  3.20  weight by up to five percent. 
  3.21     (c) The gross weight of the motor vehicle, trailer, or 
  3.22  semitrailer for which the license tax is paid shall be indicated 
  3.23  by a distinctive character on the license plate or plates except 
  3.24  as provided in subdivision 12 and the plate or plates shall be 
  3.25  kept clean and clearly visible at all times. 
  3.26     (d) The owner, driver, or user of a motor vehicle, trailer, 
  3.27  or semitrailer, upon conviction for transporting a gross weight 
  3.28  in excess of the gross weight for which it was registered or for 
  3.29  operating a vehicle with an axle weight exceeding the maximum 
  3.30  lawful axle load weight, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and be 
  3.31  subject to increased registration or reregistration according to 
  3.32  the following schedule: 
  3.33     (1) The owner, driver, or user of a motor vehicle, trailer, 
  3.34  or semitrailer, upon conviction for transporting a gross weight 
  3.35  in excess of the gross weight for which it is registered by more 
  3.36  than four percent or 1,000 pounds, whichever is greater, the 
  4.1   allowance set forth in paragraph (b) but less than 25 percent or 
  4.2   for operating or using a motor vehicle, trailer, or semitrailer 
  4.3   with an axle weight exceeding the maximum lawful axle load as 
  4.4   provided in section 169.825 by more than four percent or 1,000 
  4.5   pounds, whichever is greater, the allowance set forth in 
  4.6   paragraph (b) but less than 25 percent, in addition to any 
  4.7   penalty imposed for the misdemeanor shall apply to the registrar 
  4.8   to increase the authorized gross weight to be carried on the 
  4.9   vehicle to a weight equal to or greater than the gross weight 
  4.10  the owner, driver, or user was convicted of carrying, the 
  4.11  increase computed for the balance of the calendar year on the 
  4.12  basis of 1/12 of the annual tax for each month remaining in the 
  4.13  calendar year beginning with the first day of the month in which 
  4.14  the violation occurred.  If the additional registration tax 
  4.15  computed upon that weight, plus the tax already paid, amounts to 
  4.16  more than the regular tax for the maximum gross weight permitted 
  4.17  for the vehicle under section 169.825, that additional amount 
  4.18  shall nevertheless be paid into the highway fund, but the 
  4.19  additional tax thus paid shall not permit the vehicle to be 
  4.20  operated with a gross weight in excess of the maximum legal 
  4.21  weight as provided by section 169.825.  Unless the owner within 
  4.22  30 days after a conviction shall apply to increase the 
  4.23  authorized weight and pay the additional tax as provided in this 
  4.24  section, the registrar shall revoke the registration on the 
  4.25  vehicle and demand the return of the registration card and 
  4.26  plates issued on that registration. 
  4.27     (2) The owner or driver or user of a motor vehicle, 
  4.28  trailer, or semitrailer upon conviction for transporting a gross 
  4.29  weight in excess of the gross weight for which the motor 
  4.30  vehicle, trailer, or semitrailer was registered by 25 percent or 
  4.31  more, or for operating or using a vehicle or trailer with an 
  4.32  axle weight exceeding the maximum lawful axle load as provided 
  4.33  in section 169.825 by 25 percent or more, in addition to any 
  4.34  penalty imposed for the misdemeanor, shall have the reciprocity 
  4.35  privileges on the vehicle involved if the vehicle is being 
  4.36  operated under reciprocity canceled by the registrar, or if the 
  5.1   vehicle is not being operated under reciprocity, the certificate 
  5.2   of registration on the vehicle operated shall be canceled by the 
  5.3   registrar and the registrar shall demand the return of the 
  5.4   registration certificate and registration plates.  The registrar 
  5.5   may not cancel the registration or reciprocity privileges for 
  5.6   any vehicle found in violation of seasonal load restrictions 
  5.7   imposed under section 169.87 unless the axle weight exceeds the 
  5.8   year-round weight limit for the highway on which the violation 
  5.9   occurred.  The registrar may investigate any allegation of gross 
  5.10  weight violations and demand that the operator show cause why 
  5.11  all future operating privileges in the state should not be 
  5.12  revoked unless the additional tax assessed is paid. 
  5.13     (3) Clause (1) does not apply to the first haul of 
  5.14  unprocessed or raw farm products or unfinished forest products, 
  5.15  when the registered gross weight is not exceeded by more than 
  5.16  ten percent.  For purposes of this clause, "first haul" means 
  5.17  (i) the first, continuous transportation of unprocessed or raw 
  5.18  farm products from the place of production or on-farm storage 
  5.19  site to any other location within 50 miles of the place of 
  5.20  production or on-farm storage site, or (ii) the first, 
  5.21  continuous or noncontinuous transportation of unfinished forest 
  5.22  products from the place of production to the place of first 
  5.23  unloading final processing or manufacture located within 200 
  5.24  miles of the place of production. 
  5.25     (4) When the registration on a motor vehicle, trailer, or 
  5.26  semitrailer is revoked by the registrar according to provisions 
  5.27  of this section, the vehicle shall not be operated on the 
  5.28  highways of the state until it is registered or reregistered, as 
  5.29  the case may be, and new plates issued, and the registration fee 
  5.30  shall be the annual tax for the total gross weight of the 
  5.31  vehicle at the time of violation.  The reregistration pursuant 
  5.32  to this subdivision of any vehicle operating under reciprocity 
  5.33  agreements pursuant to section 168.181 or 168.187 shall be at 
  5.34  the full annual registration fee without regard to the 
  5.35  percentage of vehicle miles traveled in this state.  
  5.36     Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 169.771, 
  6.1   subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
  6.2      Subd. 2.  [INSPECTION BY STATE TROOPER.] (a) The 
  6.3   commissioner of public safety is directed to accelerate spot 
  6.4   check inspections for unsafe motor vehicles and motor vehicle 
  6.5   equipment.  Such inspections shall be conducted by the personnel 
  6.6   of the state patrol who shall give the operator of a commercial 
  6.7   motor vehicle a signed and dated document as evidence of the 
  6.8   inspection.  
  6.9      (b) However, personnel of the state patrol may not conduct 
  6.10  another spot inspection of a commercial motor vehicle if (1) the 
  6.11  operator of the vehicle can show evidence of an inspection, 
  6.12  which is free of critical defects, conducted in Minnesota 
  6.13  according to this section within the previous 90 days and (2) a 
  6.14  state trooper does not have probable cause to believe the 
  6.15  vehicle or its equipment is unsafe or that the operator has 
  6.16  engaged in illegal activity.  In addition, if the operator shows 
  6.17  the state trooper evidence that the commercial motor vehicle has 
  6.18  been inspected within the previous 90 days, but the officer has 
  6.19  probable cause to believe the vehicle or its equipment is unsafe 
  6.20  or to suspect illegal activity, then the vehicle may be 
  6.21  inspected to confirm the existence or absence of an unsafe 
  6.22  condition or of the suspected illegal activity.  
  6.23     Sec. 4.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 169.771, 
  6.24  subdivision 3, is amended to read: 
  6.25     Subd. 3.  [RULES.] The commissioner of public safety may 
  6.26  establish such reasonable rules as are necessary to carry out 
  6.27  the provisions of this section, but all spot check inspections 
  6.28  shall be held in compliance with subdivision 2 and in such a 
  6.29  manner that the motor vehicle operators, either private or 
  6.30  commercial, shall not be unnecessarily inconvenienced either by 
  6.31  extended detours, unnecessary delays, or any other unreasonable 
  6.32  cause.  
  6.33     Sec. 5.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 169.85, 
  6.34  subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
  6.35     Subdivision 1.  [DRIVER TO STOP FOR WEIGHING.] (a) The 
  6.36  driver of a vehicle which that has been lawfully stopped may be 
  7.1   required by an officer to submit the vehicle and load to a 
  7.2   weighing by means of portable or stationary scales, and.  
  7.3      (b) In addition, the officer may require that the vehicle 
  7.4   be driven to the nearest available scales, but only if: 
  7.5      (1) the distance to the scales is no further than five 
  7.6   miles, or if the distance from the point where the vehicle is 
  7.7   stopped to the vehicle's destination is not increased by more 
  7.8   than ten miles as a result of proceeding to the nearest 
  7.9   available scales; and 
  7.10     (2) if the vehicle is a commercial motor vehicle, no more 
  7.11  than two other commercial motor vehicles are waiting to be 
  7.12  inspected at the scale.  
  7.13     (c) Official traffic control devices as authorized by 
  7.14  section 169.06 may be used to direct the driver to the nearest 
  7.15  scale.  
  7.16     (d) When a truck weight enforcement operation is conducted 
  7.17  by means of portable or stationary scales and signs giving 
  7.18  notice of the operation are posted within the highway 
  7.19  right-of-way and adjacent to the roadway within two miles of the 
  7.20  operation, the driver of a truck or combination of vehicles 
  7.21  registered for or weighing in excess of 12,000 pounds shall 
  7.22  proceed to the scale site and submit the vehicle to weighing and 
  7.23  inspection. 
  7.24     Sec. 6.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 169.85, 
  7.25  subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
  7.26     Subd. 2.  [UNLOADING.] (a) Upon weighing a vehicle and 
  7.27  load, as provided in this section, an officer may require the 
  7.28  driver to stop the vehicle in a suitable place and remain 
  7.29  standing until a portion of the load is removed that is 
  7.30  sufficient to reduce the gross weight of the vehicle to the 
  7.31  limit permitted under either section 168.013, subdivision 3, 
  7.32  paragraph (b), or 169.825, whichever is the lesser violation, if 
  7.33  any.  A suitable place is a location where loading or tampering 
  7.34  with the load is not prohibited by federal, state, or local law, 
  7.35  rule, or ordinance.  
  7.36     (b) Except as provided in paragraph (c), a driver may be 
  8.1   required to unload a vehicle only if the weighing officer 
  8.2   determines that (a) (1) on routes subject to the provisions of 
  8.3   section 169.825, the weight on an axle exceeds the lawful gross 
  8.4   weight prescribed by section 169.825, by 2,000 pounds or more, 
  8.5   or the weight on a group of two or more consecutive axles in 
  8.6   cases where the distance between the centers of the first and 
  8.7   last axles of the group under consideration is ten feet or less 
  8.8   exceeds the lawful gross weight prescribed by section 169.825, 
  8.9   by 4,000 pounds or more; or (b) (2) on routes designated by the 
  8.10  commissioner in section 169.832, subdivision 11, the overall 
  8.11  weight of the vehicle or the weight on an axle or group of 
  8.12  consecutive axles exceeds the maximum lawful gross weights 
  8.13  prescribed by section 169.825; or (c) (3) the weight is unlawful 
  8.14  on an axle or group of consecutive axles on a road restricted in 
  8.15  accordance with section 169.87.  Material unloaded must be cared 
  8.16  for by the owner or driver of the vehicle at the risk of the 
  8.17  owner or driver. 
  8.18     (c) If the gross weight of the vehicle does not exceed the 
  8.19  vehicle's registered gross weight plus the weight allowance set 
  8.20  forth in section 168.013, subdivision 3, paragraph (b), then the 
  8.21  vehicle is deemed to be not in violation under paragraph (b).  
  8.22     Sec. 7.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 169.851, 
  8.23  subdivision 3, is amended to read: 
  8.24     Subd. 3.  [FIRST HAUL.] "First haul" means the first, 
  8.25  continuous transportation from the place of production or on 
  8.26  farm storage site to any other location within 50 miles of the 
  8.27  place of production or on farm storage site has the meaning 
  8.28  given it in section 168.013, subdivision 3, paragraph (d)(3).  
  8.29     Sec. 8.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 169.86, 
  8.30  subdivision 5, is amended to read: 
  8.31     Subd. 5.  [FEE; PROCEEDS TO TRUNK HIGHWAY FUND.] The 
  8.32  commissioner, with respect to highways under the commissioner's 
  8.33  jurisdiction, may charge a fee for each permit issued.  All such 
  8.34  fees for permits issued by the commissioner of transportation 
  8.35  shall be deposited in the state treasury and credited to the 
  8.36  trunk highway fund.  Except for those annual permits for which 
  9.1   the permit fees are specified elsewhere in this chapter, the 
  9.2   fees shall be: 
  9.3      (a) $15 for each single trip permit. 
  9.4      (b) $36 for each job permit.  A job permit may be issued 
  9.5   for like loads carried on a specific route for a period not to 
  9.6   exceed two months.  "Like loads" means loads of the same 
  9.7   product, weight, and dimension. 
  9.8      (c) $60 for an annual permit to be issued for a period not 
  9.9   to exceed 12 consecutive months.  Annual permits may be issued 
  9.10  for: 
  9.11     (1) motor vehicles used to alleviate a temporary crisis 
  9.12  adversely affecting the safety or well-being of the public; 
  9.13     (2) motor vehicles which travel on interstate highways and 
  9.14  carry loads authorized under subdivision 1a; 
  9.15     (3) motor vehicles operating with gross weights authorized 
  9.16  under section 169.825, subdivision 11, paragraph (a), clause 
  9.17  (3); 
  9.18     (4) special pulpwood vehicles described in section 169.863; 
  9.19  and 
  9.20     (5) motor vehicles bearing snowplow blades not exceeding 
  9.21  ten feet in width. 
  9.22     (d) $120 for an oversize annual permit to be issued for a 
  9.23  period not to exceed 12 consecutive months.  Annual permits may 
  9.24  be issued for:  
  9.25     (1) mobile cranes; 
  9.26     (2) construction equipment, machinery, and supplies; 
  9.27     (3) manufactured homes; 
  9.28     (4) implements of husbandry when the movement is not made 
  9.29  according to the provisions of paragraph (i); 
  9.30     (5) double-deck buses; 
  9.31     (6) commercial boat hauling.  
  9.32     (e) For vehicles which have axle weights exceeding the 
  9.33  weight limitations of section 169.825, an additional cost added 
  9.34  to the fees listed above.  However, this paragraph applies to 
  9.35  any vehicle described in section 168.013, subdivision 3, 
  9.36  paragraph (b), but only when the vehicle exceeds its gross 
 10.1   weight allowance set forth in that paragraph, and then the 
 10.2   additional cost is for all weight, including the allowance 
 10.3   weight, in excess of the permitted maximum axle weight.  The 
 10.4   additional cost is equal to the product of the distance traveled 
 10.5   times the sum of the overweight axle group cost factors shown in 
 10.6   the following chart:  
 10.7                  Overweight Axle Group Cost Factors 
 10.8   Weight (pounds)         Cost Per Mile For Each Group Of:
 10.9   exceeding       Two consec-     Three consec-   Four consec-
 10.10  weight          utive axles     utive axles     utive axles
 10.11  limitations     spaced within   spaced within   spaced within
 10.12  on axles        8 feet or less  9 feet or less  14 feet or less 
 10.13       0-2,000    .12             .05             .04
 10.14   2,001-4,000    .14             .06             .05
 10.15   4,001-6,000    .18             .07             .06
 10.16   6,001-8,000    .21             .09             .07
 10.17   8,001-10,000   .26             .10             .08
 10.18  10,001-12,000   .30             .12             .09
 10.19  12,001-14,000   Not permitted   .14             .11
 10.20  14,001-16,000   Not permitted   .17             .12
 10.21  16,001-18,000   Not permitted   .19             .15
 10.22  18,001-20,000   Not permitted   Not permitted   .16
 10.23  20,001-22,000   Not permitted   Not permitted   .20
 10.24  The amounts added are rounded to the nearest cent for each axle 
 10.25  or axle group.  The additional cost does not apply to paragraph 
 10.26  (c), clauses (1) and (3).  
 10.27  For a vehicle found to exceed the appropriate maximum permitted 
 10.28  weight, a cost-per-mile fee of 22 cents per ton, or fraction of 
 10.29  a ton, over the permitted maximum weight is imposed in addition 
 10.30  to the normal permit fee.  Miles must be calculated based on the 
 10.31  distance already traveled in the state plus the distance from 
 10.32  the point of detection to a transportation loading site or 
 10.33  unloading site within the state or to the point of exit from the 
 10.34  state. 
 10.35     (f) As an alternative to paragraph (e), an annual permit 
 10.36  may be issued for overweight, or oversize and overweight, 
 11.1   construction equipment, machinery, and supplies.  The fees for 
 11.2   the permit are as follows:  
 11.3   Gross Weight (pounds) of Vehicle          Annual Permit Fee
 11.4        90,000 or less                             $200
 11.5        90,001 - 100,000                           $300
 11.6       100,001 - 110,000                           $400
 11.7       110,001 - 120,000                           $500
 11.8       120,001 - 130,000                           $600
 11.9       130,001 - 140,000                           $700
 11.10      140,001 - 145,000                           $800
 11.11  If the gross weight of the vehicle is more than 145,000 pounds 
 11.12  the permit fee is determined under paragraph (e). 
 11.13     (g) For vehicles which exceed the width limitations set 
 11.14  forth in section 169.80 by more than 72 inches, an additional 
 11.15  cost equal to $120 added to the amount in paragraph (a) when the 
 11.16  permit is issued while seasonal load restrictions pursuant to 
 11.17  section 169.87 are in effect. 
 11.18     (h) $85 for an annual permit to be issued for a period not 
 11.19  to exceed 12 months, for refuse compactor vehicles that carry a 
 11.20  gross weight of not more than:  22,000 pounds on a single rear 
 11.21  axle; 38,000 pounds on a tandem rear axle; or, subject to 
 11.22  section 169.825, subdivision 14, 46,000 pounds on a tridem rear 
 11.23  axle.  A permit issued for up to 46,000 pounds on a tridem rear 
 11.24  axle must limit the gross vehicle weight to not more than 62,000 
 11.25  pounds. 
 11.26     (i) For vehicles exclusively transporting implements of 
 11.27  husbandry, an annual permit fee of $24.  A vehicle operated 
 11.28  under a permit authorized by this paragraph may be moved at the 
 11.29  discretion of the permit holder without prior route approval by 
 11.30  the commissioner if: 
 11.31     (1) the total width of the transporting vehicle, including 
 11.32  load, does not exceed 14 feet; 
 11.33     (2) the vehicle is operated only between sunrise and 30 
 11.34  minutes after sunset, and is not operated at any time after 
 11.35  12:00 noon on Sundays or holidays; 
 11.36     (3) the vehicle is not operated when visibility is impaired 
 12.1   by weather, fog, or other conditions that render persons and 
 12.2   other vehicles not clearly visible at 500 feet; 
 12.3      (4) the vehicle displays at the front and rear of the load 
 12.4   or vehicle a pair of flashing amber lights, as provided in 
 12.5   section 169.59, subdivision 4, whenever the overall width of the 
 12.6   vehicle exceeds 126 inches; and 
 12.7      (5) the vehicle is not operated on a trunk highway with a 
 12.8   surfaced roadway width of less than 24 feet unless such 
 12.9   operation is authorized by the permit. 
 12.10  A permit under this paragraph authorizes movements of the 
 12.11  permitted vehicle on an interstate highway, and movements of 75 
 12.12  miles or more on other highways. 
 12.13     Sec. 9.  [NORTHERN ZONE LOAD RESTRICTION STUDY.] 
 12.14     The commissioner of transportation shall conduct a study of 
 12.15  load restrictions and seasonal load increases in the northern 
 12.16  zone of Minnesota and make recommendations regarding the 
 12.17  establishment of one or more new zones given the varying climate 
 12.18  in the northern area of the state.  The commissioner shall 
 12.19  report findings back to the committees of the senate and house 
 12.20  of representatives with jurisdiction over transportation policy 
 12.21  by December 15, 2002. 
 12.22     Sec. 10.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
 12.23     Sections 1 to 9 are effective the day following final 
 12.24  enactment.