Minnesota Session Laws - 1987, Regular Session

  

                         Laws of Minnesota 1987 

                        CHAPTER 321-S.F.No. 465 
           An act relating to transportation; specifying that 
          department of transportation standards for trunk 
          highways in scenic areas are not rules; providing for 
          payment of administrative, filing, and plate fees; 
          restricting unauthorized use of motor vehicles on 
          public airport property; defining peace officer; 
          describing qualifications for aircraft dealers 
          license; providing for certain permits; amending 
          Minnesota Statutes 1986, sections 160.81, subdivision 
          1; 168.012, subdivision 1c; 360.018, subdivision 6, 
          and by adding a subdivision; 360.0751, subdivision 1; 
          360.63, subdivision 1; and Laws 1985, chapter 299, 
          section 40, as amended by Laws 1986, chapter 454, 
          section 34; repealing Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 
          160.81, subdivision 4. 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
    Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 160.81, 
subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
    Subdivision 1.  [JOINT STANDARDS.] The commissioner of 
transportation, in consultation with the commissioner of natural 
resources, shall establish standards for trunk highway segments 
located in areas of unusual scenic interest.  The rules 
standards shall:  
    (1) define "areas of unusual scenic interest," which must 
include major recreational areas, historic areas and major 
publicly and privately owned tourist attractions; 
    (2) prescribe standards for right-of-way, shoulders and 
parking areas for trunk highway segments in such areas; and 
    (3) prescribe standards for scenic overlooks, parking piers 
and other parking areas, tourist information facilities, public 
water access points and other facilities intended to expand the 
recreational use of trunk highway segments in such areas. 
    Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 168.012, 
subdivision 1c, is amended to read:  
    Subd. 1c.  [PAYMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE, PLATE, AND FILING 
FEE.] (a) The annual administrative fee for a tax-exempt vehicle 
under this section is $5.  The license plate fee for a 
tax-exempt vehicle, except a trailer, is $10 for two plates per 
vehicle, payable only on the first tax-exempt registration of 
the vehicle.  The registration period for a tax-exempt vehicle 
is biennial.  The administrative fee is due on March 1 
biennially and payable the preceding January 1, with validating 
stickers issued at time of payment.  
    (b) The owner of a tax-exempt vehicle shall apply for 
tax-exempt license plates, and pay the administrative and plate 
fees, and the filing fee under section 168.33, subdivision 7, 
only to a deputy registrar in the county in which the vehicle is 
domiciled. 
    Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 360.018, 
subdivision 6, is amended to read: 
    Subd. 6.  [LICENSING OF AIRPORTS AND OTHER AIR NAVIGATION 
FACILITIES.] All proposed airports, restricted landing areas, 
and other air navigation facilities shall be first licensed by 
the commissioner before they, or any of them, shall be used or 
operated.  Any municipality or person acquiring property for the 
purpose of constructing or establishing an airport or restricted 
landing area shall, prior to such acquisition, make application 
to the commissioner for a certificate of approval of the site 
selected and the general purpose or purposes for which the 
property is to be acquired, to insure that the property and its 
use shall conform to minimum standards of safety and shall serve 
public interest.  It shall be unlawful for any municipality or 
officer or employee thereof, or for any person, to operate an 
airport, restricted landing area, or other air navigation 
facility for which an the required annual license has not been 
issued by the commissioner.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, a 
personal use airport that is more than five miles from a public 
airport, whether publicly or privately owned, need not obtain a 
license from the commissioner. 
    Sec. 4.  Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 360.018, is 
amended by adding a subdivision to read:  
    Subd. 12.  [OPERATING VEHICLES ON AIRPORT PROPERTY.] No 
person shall operate a motor vehicle off a designated roadway on 
airport property without the authorization of the airport owner, 
or operate a motor vehicle anywhere on airport property in a 
careless or reckless manner with willful disregard for the 
safety of persons or property.  A violation of this subdivision 
is a misdemeanor. 
    Sec. 5.  Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 360.0751, 
subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
    Subdivision 1.  [PEACE OFFICER DEFINED.] For purposes of 
this section, the term "peace officer" means a full-time police 
officer of any municipality, airport, or county, having 
satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of instruction in a 
school for instruction of persons in law enforcement conducted 
by the University of Minnesota or a similar course considered 
equivalent by the commissioner of public safety an employee of a 
political subdivision or state law enforcement agency who is 
licensed by the Minnesota board of peace officers standards and 
training, who is charged with the prevention and detection of 
crime and the enforcement of the general criminal laws of the 
state, and who has full power of arrest, and shall also include 
the Minnesota state patrol, but does not include employees of 
the department of natural resources.  
    Sec. 6.  Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 360.63, 
subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
    Subdivision 1.  Any person engaged in the business of 
selling, purchasing, or dealing in aircraft, new or used, and 
who desires to withhold aircraft owned by that person from tax 
as provided in sections 360.511 to 360.67, may apply to the 
commissioner for an aircraft dealer's license.  In order to 
qualify for an aircraft dealer's license the applicant shall 
show that the applicant has an established place of business on 
an airport licensed as a public airport approved by the 
commissioner and that has the necessary buildings, facilities 
and equipment for the proper storage and maintenance of aircraft 
in accordance with such rules as may be established by the 
commissioner.  The commissioner may charge a fee of $10 for each 
license, which license shall be effective for one year from the 
date of its issuance, or may authorize an aircraft dealer to 
operate under a flight operator's license as otherwise provided 
by this chapter.  The commissioner is empowered to suspend or 
revoke any license issued by the commissioner on determining 
that the holder thereof has violated any of the provisions of 
sections 360.511 to 360.67 or has failed to maintain any of the 
requirements necessary to obtain such license. 
    Sec. 7.  Laws 1985, chapter 299, section 40, as amended by 
Laws 1986, chapter 454, section 34, is amended to read: 
    Sec. 40.  [SPECIAL PERMIT.] 
    Subdivision 1.  [PERMIT TO BE ISSUED.] Notwithstanding any 
law to the contrary the commissioner of transportation shall 
issue one special permit authorizing the operation for testing 
purposes of a three vehicle combination consisting of a motor 
vehicle, a "motorized hitch" and a trailer.  The permit is valid 
for one year from the date of issuance.  The annual fee for the 
permit is $30.  The permit is subject to all applicable 
provisions of Minnesota Statutes 1984, section 169.86, except as 
otherwise provided in this subdivision.  The holder of the 
permit is responsible for all liability for personal injury, 
property damage or time lost, which may occur as a result of the 
operation of the combination for which the permit is issued, and 
must, if a claim is made against the state or a department, 
division officer or employee thereof arising from such 
operation, defend, indemnify and hold them harmless. 
    Subd. 2.  [REPEALER.] This section is repealed July 31, 
1987 1988. 
    Sec. 8.  [REPEALER.] 
    Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 160.81, subdivision 4, is 
repealed. 
    Approved May 29, 1987